The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-07-15
(By Jack Snydes)

Many farmers throughout this sec
ton OF the state are planting alfalfa,
and are taking more and more inter-
est every year in this, one OF the most
valuable farm crops that can be pro
duced
Those who have experimental with
alfalfa report very satisfactory re-
suits, ana are inducing their neigh
bors to put in a few acres from year
to year.
Alfalfa is said to be one of the old
est forage crops known TO man. It
was grown in Egypt in the shadow
of the Pyramids over 5000 years ago
and its history is a most interesting
document for any farmer 10 peruse
and contemplate
Alfalfa has been grown spasmod.
ically in the United States for the
past Is years, mostly in the irrigated
districts of the southwest, but during
the past 30 years it has become one
of the great staple crops Of the mid
die west. especially Kansas and Me-
braska and later Oklahoma and
Texas.
The first alfalfa sown in Carter
county was at Rerwyn about the
year 1902. following a series of lee
lures by John Fields, editor Of the
Oklahoma Farmer and a Mr.. Smith
Of Sherman, Texas. known as AL
falfa Smith, who had 500 acres in
the crop and was one Of its most
enthusiastic boosters.
The crop at Berwyn was on the
Warren farm and consisted Of about
200 acres, the land was later rented
and the various tenants soon had it
plowed up and planted in cotton.
Not a Tenant Crop
Alfalfa is decidedly not a tenant
crop unless the tenant should be a
permanent one, for It is a crop that
requires a lot OF attention at the
proper time which if 1t does not get,
the crab grass and some times the
web worm gets it and 1t is gone for
good
The crop to bring the best result
should be disked or narrowed with
a sharp tooth harrow after each cut
ting, but if the field is free from
other foreign grasses it is not abso-
lutely necessary to do 50, however
it should be cultivated with the tools
mentioned above at least twice during
the season as it makes the roots
spread and deepen and prolongs the
life Of the plant.
NNhnr h,n fe
one Of the best that can be grown on
the farm and Carter county is nat
urally adapted to its culture because
the land does not need inocculation
to give it start. Prepare the ground
properly, give it a good firm seed
bed, use the best Of seed. and every
| important point has been covered
If these instructions are carried ou'
one may secure good stand as early
as oats, wheat or any other sowr
crop.
Fine Hog Pasture
The crop needs good rich land, moi
necessarily bottom land, although bot
tom lands are better, yet there arr
thousands of acres of rich prairie
and valley land in the western par
of Carter county where alfalfa car
be successfully raised. There is ne
better hog pasture known than al
falfa, beside being the best hay crol
that can be produced, twenty-five
acres Of alfalfa that has attained ;
good stand and well rooted will graz
from so to rs hogs. and If the hog
are kept from roofing it up by ring
ing" two to three crops can be GU
from the field after the first year
It is best not to Craze it the frs
year, and if the weather Is seasonabl
as stated above as many as thre
crops can be harvested, the frs
crop will be necessarily light, bu