The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-08-12
cur ALFALFA LATE

ne hdIlNdS hb lihltu Oh SpiiC6C "
the past six years, has been conduct
ing a series of experiments with AL
falfa, in an effort TO determine when
is the best time to cut this forage. A
recent bulletin from this college sum
marizes the results of this test. 1t
contains information that is very val
liable to alfalfa growers, and the Kan
sas report deserves careful reading
and Interpretation. The summary of
the results of the test follow.
"AifaIfa Fields Live Longer When Cut
Later"
Alfalfa growers in western Kansas
VINO have had the greatest success in
maintaining old stands in a condition
CT profitable production usually cut
their hay at about full bloom stage.
The same experience holds true in
central and eastern Kansas.
Recent experimental work in cut
ting alfalfa hay at The Nebraska and
Wisconsin agricultural experiment
S. ations corroborates the results OBJ
tanned at the Manhattan Kansas sta
ton. This work at Manhattan vas be-
gun in 1914 and is still in operation.
Certain plots have been cut at each of
four different states namely: bud,
tenth bloom, full bloom and with seeds
{. rming. Since under certain condi-
hons, flowers do not appear these
stages have been correlated with the
appearance of new shots at the crown.
tenth bloom and new shoots at the
crown are equivalent stages for this
discussion and each of the other stages
mas varied an average of ten days
from the next stage of cutting. The
results obtained in the past six years
OF this work are shown briefly as fol-
lows:
/. All plots were entering their
tnird season when this work began.
After cutting for n summer every
time the flower buds were ready to
open the early cut plots were so weak
ened that they never again yielded as
much as the others. From the second
year on, the three or more tons of
hay credited each year to these early
cut plots were from so to So per cent
crab grass and foxtail. 1t required
but one seasons cutting at too early
a stage to ruin the stand. The feed
ing value of the hay from this early
cutting was of ours highest of all,
FOR certain kinds Of livestock.
2. Cutting at the tenth bloom stage
has not yielded as much hay per acre
as the full bloom stage and generally
means one more time over the field
with mower and rake. Grass is now
entering the tenth bloom plots but is
rot in the full bloom plots.
3. Cutting in full bloom has produc
cd Che highest yield of bay. Chemical
analysis shows that it contains the
most crude protein per acre. Consid-
ering the slightly higher yield. the
absence of grass and saving of labor
from one less cutting, and raking this
stage has much TO recommend it. The
second growth has frequently been
smothered off before cutting these
plots, and If not, it has frequently
been Is to Is inches high There has
ieen no damage whatever from letting
il stand.
4. Cutting with seeds forming has
produced less hay than earlier cut
ting. 1t mas not injured the stand.
The value of hay from later cuttings
naturally less per ton. This in
hany cases has been over emphasize
I'll and, combined with a fear of leav-
ibg alfalfa stand until matured, has
diaused early cutting. This causes
Hiany fields in Kansas to die out.
1t has been clearly demonstrated
hat later cutting does more than any
other one thing to keep out crab grass
aid foxtail.