The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent., 1921-11-18
MONEY N ALFALFA
AND CLOVER SEED

On both irrigated and so-called dry
land tracts this year money was made
in Powder River county by growing
both alfalfa and clover seed. From
alfalfa seed one man on Little Powder
river realized $1,000 and another man
at COalwood nearly 5000. There are
other instances where these seeds
brought good money in spite of tho
prevailing drouth and grasshopper
plague. There is no doubt that monex
realized from the sale of alfalfa and
clover seed this year was carried more
profits than returns received by the
stockmen for beef or by farmers from
sale of small grains.
AS result of these experiences
next year will witness q large acreage
in this county planted to these feeds
primarily for their seeds. for if money
could be made by their propagation
this year under adverse conditions
that obtained they may be grown with
equal or better success in any year.
Alfalfa clover seed is known to yield
a minimum Of four bushels average to
the acre and figuring 60 pounds to the
bushels at II cents pound the money
receipts are known to be at least $25
per acre. There are thousands of acres
within this county capable OF prOduc-
ing such returns in one season for
there are those who arc making the
land pay them as much by actual DEM
onstrations on unsolicited land. And
| the land yielding $25 an acre some-
| times adjoins land in wheat or ccrn
| that is barely paying it's taxes.
In sowing alfalfa seed the invest
| ,nent is small for it only requires
| about five pounds of seed to the acre.
Alfalfa seed may be planted in the
spring but to get an early start and
! be assured that the seed is in the
ground there are those who intend
! planting the seed yet this fall for they
| realize that delays may be caused in
! the spring by wet weather. However,
| it is known that June paintings have
matured to the seed stage. In addi-
| tion to realizing good returns for the
sale Of seed there remains the rough
age which is an excellent stock food
| and as such brings an additional rev.
enue.
| Anyone having experience in grow
| ing alfalfa or clover seed will benefit
their neighbcrs and the entire country
by disseminating this information
! through the columns of the Examiner.
There is no secret in growing al
| falfa." said one farmer this week. "But
! one must first have the ground in first
! class condition by summer following,
plcwing deep and working it several
times with discs. Virgin ground may
be planted to alfalfa if under the pro-
per procedure ard alfalfa will grow
| and yield results on arid land the
same as under irrigation if one attends
to business. 1t sometimes happens
that alfalfa plants will winter kill be-
cause of subzero weather but that is
beyond cur control. When such con-
ditions arise it isn't much trouble to
| reseed the tracts for we are amply
compensated for our efforts. 1 hape
seen alfalfa grown from seed thrown
indiscriminately around, but it seems
tc. flourish better when planted in
| rows. One man / know made the mis-
take, however, Of planting the rows
too far apart for the experiment was
not success. For best results
would recommend planting the rows
about p inches apart"
Seed from clover has a larger yield
than alfalfa seed but sells for less at
10 cents a pound. 1t may be that
clover is a more dependable crop and
requires less attention but 1t has it's
objections for one reason at least. in
that it dies cut every two years. To
get desired results clover seed must
|. be planted in the fall.