The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1918-05-31
TO GROW ALFALFA
GET RIGHT START
craiaale First Essenud-Plowinf
nust Be Done 1t tAe
Proper Time
WHAT IS IDEAL SEEDED?

WHAT IS IDEAL Seeded?
Ground nust 3e Dragged and
Dragged and Dragged Again
and Then Properly firmel
prepared Especially for .4lis News.
paper by tho Editors Of Ma.
TIONAL ALFALFA JOURNAL.)
A farmer came into our Office one
day and declared. in the popular
slang Of the day. that he was "of
this alfalfa growing" He was
clean. plumb discouraged. Had tried
to grow the stuff again and again
and had always failed. Never want
cd to hear or read about 1t again.
The case OF this man is typical.
Thousands OF other intelligent men
have tried and failed in growing al
falfa. Their failures, like his, can,
in practically every case. be attri-
buted to the fact that they did
not 60 at 1t right.
Getting the Proper Drainage.
The seed bed has to be in Just
the proper condition II 1t is to be
the home OF a successful field Of
alfalfa. Above all things the land
must be we'll drained. II the water
stands within even three feet Of the
surface, the alfalfa plant cannot
grow or live. A sloping field Is
preferable, though tiled land is all
right for this plant. The old ad-
age, Alfalfa will not stand wet
feet"-though you may have heard
It ten thousand times-fs absolutely
true, and must be ever in the mind
Of the man who would grow alfalfa.
1t may be set down as q pure
waste OF time to SOW alfalfa on soil
where the bedrock Is close to the
surface or on land where the SUBJ
soil is hardpan. Alfalfa Is q deep
roofing plant. 1t is essential to its
life that the roots penetrate ~, ~
and IS inches into the earth for its
food. II the subsotl 10 Of such
solid material ~ bedrock and hard
pan, the roots cannot pierce It and,
rs . consequence. the plant IL short
lived. This difficulty 10 being over
come In many places BY dynamiting
the subsoil-and that u probably
the only way to overcome It.
Will Grow ON ANY Soil.
The plant will grow In practically
any kind Of soil to be found In the
United States. Canada or Europe.
Alfalfa docs do best, apparently, on
loan, silt loain or sandy loan. The
attractiveness OF these soils may be
honestly said to be duo, principally.
to the fact that the crop is more
easily started In them. Once es-
tablish the plant in heavy clay
or In sandy soil and you need take
a rear chair for no one. Clay soil
will need to be more closely ex-
amined for drainage than any other
soil. The NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ute precaution Is to get rid Of stand
ing water in or On the land.
A field that vas we'll MANFRED and
which has just grown a crop of corn
or potatoes is in the best condition
for ar alfalfa field. It IL taken for
granted that the cor or potato crop
was repeatedly cultivated. Weeds
share with standing water the dis
tinction OF being alfalfa's most bit
ter enemy. It is assumed, too. that
tho field was plowed deeply for the
cultivated crop. A good. clean field
Of grain stubble-if such happens
to be the best drained field on the
!arm-may be chosen for alfalfa.
The ground should be plowed the
fall before, though this Is not ALSO
lutely necessary. The nearer the
time OF seeding the blowing IL done
the shallower It should be. In fal,
blowing the furrow should be cut
at = depth of about six inches.
The Ideal Seeded
The ideal seed bed-and It ii
well to approach the ideal Just as
closely as possible-is firm and
moist. It should be mellow and ine.
~ pulverixed. but only to the depth
Of one inch-the depth at which
the seed is to be sown. The field
should be as smooth as It can be
made. without ruts or holes tc
catch and hold the water.
BY fall blowing It Is possible to
have natures aid for several months
in settling the seed bed. The rain
and snow aid wonderfully In the
process. Frequent narrowing from
tho opening Of spring until tho IL
falfa is planted must be done; this
- W AV0V uOWA tmO WOOu0 anu ~
the moisture. Sometimes
It II we'll to harrow the ground %
often rs every 10 days.
If the ground has not been plowed
In the fall extraordinary vaeans
must be used In order to properly
prepare the seed bed. When one
has six weeks leeway between plow-
ing and seeding he may pillow to .
fair depth. Some farmers. II they
have have not been able to start
getting their ground IN condition i
considerable time before sowing.
merely disc and cross-disc the stub
BILE field. This Is the thing to do IN
such cases. Deep blowing just be-
fore seeding is fatal. At that II ID
not . very good idea to wait until
the last minute to get the alfalfa
land In shape. Late tillage may
succeed II moisture conditions are
right. But 1t Is better to play safely
and pillow a few weeks before time
for seeding.
How TO Help Nature.
A. - tie - ~nt,~n g. A~-A~~I it.