Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-05-09

t lcet apart, ana the SeculnS SnOulu ne
/ from one and one-half To two peCks
/ per acre. This quantity of seed should,
of course, be increased for broadcast
/ ing. The seed should be planted not
! deeper than two inches, and as this is
still new crop in many place inocula-
/ ton should be practiced. 1t is not well
/ to plant soy beans near to woods, as
rabbits are very fond of the plant
If used for hay. soy beans should be
cut when the first leaves begin to turn
yellow; if for seed. the cutting should
not be done until the leaves have near
ly all fallen. The pods of many varie-
! ties shatter easily. and should be
harvested as soon as ripe and in the
morning, when pods are wet with dew.
Lespedeza.
LeSpedeza is a sef-seedng annual
legume. which is spread over the en-
tire cotton region except on the light
sandy soils of Florida. 1t is univer-
ally used as late summer pasturage.
but on fertile soils il makes such
heavy growth that 1t is profitably
harvested for hay. On fields that have
become barren and unproductive les
pedeZa will do much to restore the fer
tillty of the soil. and commonly 1t APP
pears. even If not sOwn.
Seeding should be done in late win
ter or early spring at the rate of about
One-half lushel of seed per acre. When
grown for hay 1t is commonly sown
with oats. the oats being Sown in Sep
tember or October and the lespedeza
in the following February or March,
after first narrowing the ground. The
principal part Of the lespedeza plant is
leaves. the stems being very slender.
1t makes hay equal to red clover or
cOwpeas in quality.
Alfalfa.
On land where it will succeed, al
falfa is one Of the best crops for a
permanent meadow, and is also valu-
able as a pasture plant. Alfalfa needs
rich. well-drained land having loose
subsOil and containing good supply
of lime. The black prairie region of
hliIbulHd anu NlISSlSSlI'pl, tlIV sIluNltl
sections along the Tennessee. Missis-
sippi, and Red rivers, northeastern
Texas. and the region of the Rio
Grande are all adapted to the prOduc.
ton of alfalfa. Wherever the soil is
of limestone origin, or contains high
percentage of lime. alfalfa is nearly
sure to succeed. Sandy soils and dry
clay uplands have not proven salts
factory for alfalfa, neither does 1t
thrive in the Gulf-coast region.
Many soils not naturally adapted TO
alfalfa have been made suitable by
special treatment and the acreage of
this crop is increasing very fast as
result of the utilization of such areas.
Some wet lands become suited to al
falfa when thoroughly drained. Lands
drained lands commonly need an APP
plication of lime for alfalfa. From
one to two tons of burnt lime two or
three tons of slaked lime, or three or
four tons of finely ground limestone
per acre are good applications.
lie Sceubeu SHOULD ne Thoroughly
before sowing alfalfa seed
that is, it should be finely pulveriZed
we'll compacted and free from weeds
fields of early varie.
ties of cOwpeas or soy beans, early pO-
tatOes. or similar crops which mature
early may be prepared easily for al.
falfa.
Fall-sOwn alfalfa should yield from |
three to five cuttings the following
season and average about one ton of |
'ured hay per acre each cutting. There
IS no better hay than alfalfa for
larry, beef cattle. sheep, and young
growing stock of all kinds. 1t is also
l valuable feed for working animals.
nut care should be taken not to feed
t excessively. 1t affords splendid
)asturage for hogs, but care must be
AIKEN not to pasture it too closely nor
90 late in the season. In general.
alfalfa Is not 10 be recom-
nended in the South, SIS the stand is
frequently injured, then weeds thrive
md invade the field, - :. ...-.;E
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