The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-11-14
CLOSE GRAZING
OF ALFALFA NOW
WARNED AGAINST
PROF. M'LEAk SAYS THAT PLANT
SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO GET
WINTER ovERcoAT.
IT NEEDS the PROTECTING SHRUB
Care snoHld Be Also Exercised That
the Fields Are Not Pastured When
They Are Wet-BIos. Should Also
Pc Guarded Against.


Close grazing Of alfalfa al this sea
son u The year is very harmful, de
clared County Agent Mclean this
morning. II should be allowed to
have good growth before the winter
freezes come If the best results are
to be achieved next year. It should
never be grazed when wet, said Mr.
Mclean In discussing the subject
he said:
When the ground is frozen, the
Snow is flying and the wind is whist
ling q merry gale, your alfalfa viii
prize warm winter overcoat, under
which IL will pass the cold weather in
excellent condition Nature is the
tailor that turns out the winter
clothes for the alfalfa field and spe-
cialists Of the United States depart
ment Of agriculture recommend that
farmers cooperate as far az possible
with nature in replenishing the winter
wardrobe Of this forage crop.
There are two important reasons
why alfalfa should not be cut or graz
ed close al end Of the growing sea-
son. II is essential that a sufficient
growth be allowed to remain on the
field 10 catch and hold snow, and TO
afford protection TO the plants from
severe winter conditions. II is even
more important that the late growth
be not cut or grazed. since close cut
ting or grazing makes ii impossible
for the plant TO store up the necessa-
~ reserve for material in its crown
and roots. Unless there is such re-
serve upon which to draw, the yigor Of
the plant is greatly impaired and il is
not able to Withstand severe winter
weather. This is true of old as well
as of young plants, and in many cases
close cutting has been as responsible
for the mortality of the plants as lack
Of inherent hardness on the part of
the strain.
A common practice of many alfalfa
raiseTs is TO cut off crop OF hay
rather late in the fall or else TO past
yre the forage so heavily at this time
that adequate growth will not be
available for the protection Of ,the
crop during cold weather The scant
hay crop which the grower gains by
This practice OF late clipping in no
respect repays him for the damage
which he usually does to to his stand |
of alfalfa. Every farmer should al
ow his alfalfa fields to grow at ran
iom. unmolested during the fall, as
By this he is providing the essential
warm winter clothes for the crop. |
Not only should be refrain from cut |
ling any hay but he also should be |
careful not to Craze the alfalfa too |
closely. This applies particularly to |
new stands, seeded the preceding |
summer, as the fall growing season |
Is the time when these new fields |
establish their root system and pro-
luce sufficient growth for their cold
weather protection. This growth,
which ultimately dies and lies like |
4 blanket over the field through the |
winter, will not reduce the quality Of
he next cutting Of hay, but, on the |
contrary, will act as beneficial |
mulch.
II is also essential to protect the |
farm live stock against bloat where |
hey are pastured even lightly during |
the fall season on the alfalfa fields. |
This is best done by never turning |
the live stock on the alfalfa fields at |
4 time when the animals are so hun |
cry that they will gorge themselves
with this succulent green feed. Care
must be exercised particularly, not
10 Craze the alfalfa when it is wet |
either from recent rains or from
lew, as the green crop in this condi- |
ion is a prolific cause OF bloat.
Another reason why late fall cut
tings OF new alfalfa fields are unde-
sirable comes from the fact that not
only are the hay yields limited in
quantity, but they also are inferior
In quality. being washy and without
lie BODYBUILDING and growth-produc-
ing substances which are the valuable |
elements in well-matured, full-grown |
alfalfa.
40 asA AA = n ass - n vaAaI