Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-10-08

of the coarse forage crops for the
supply of hay we need for local
consumption each year. This is not
true. because alfalfa, sweet clover,
red clover, alsike and crimson
clover, lespedeza, and the vetches
may be used as substitutes therefor
with both profit and success. We
know this to be true because of the
very accurate and careful surveys
which the experts of the College of
Agriculture have made with refer
ence to the use Of these crops for
the purposes indicated. A study of
the results which have been gath
cred along the lines mentioned
makes interesting reading. We rec
carefully the suggestions contained
in this article as touching upon
the points at issue. Every good
and progressive farmer should I'M
dertake to increase the acreage of
the\various crops suggested. Let us
eliminate altogether the purchase
of western hay.
Nearly all the well drained soils
Of north Georgia and some Of the
best ones in southwest Georgia can
be made to produce alfalfa. The
cost of starting this crop is rather
viii yield we'll for four or five
years without reseeding.
The requirements for a good
stand of alfalfal are rich we'll
drained soil with a good applica-
ton of stable manure or two or
three crops Of peas turned under.
and four or five hundred pounds of
acid phosphate per acre, and at
least one or two tons of lime. The
seed should have good terminating
ability and be free from weed seed.
Artificial inoculating material Is
successful if properly used.
The varieties of alfalfa used IN
Common alfalfa Is the ordinary
kind with good, poor and indiffer-
ent strains mixed. The Kansas Mar
row Leaf is a god strain of COM
mon, having narrow leaves, and is
we'll adapted to Georgia conditions
Grimm alfalfa is a hardy variety
withstanding extreme cold in the
mon in Georgia. Peruvian is a tall
growth but not very winter hardy.
Turkestan is a thin growing va
rie.y of inferior quality.
The necessities in seeding, alfalfa
seeded, twenty-five to thirty
pounds Of seed per acre and a
weeder to cover the seed. Seeding
should be done early in September
if moisture conditions permit.
Alfalfa needs to be cut when
small shoots are being, put up from
the base of all the plants. In wet
weathe. cutting can be delayed with
profit for a few days to two
weeks. This crop is cured similar
to pea hay. It affords three to six
cuttings per. yetr. yielding total
Of two to five tons per acre.
port nfes as a hqys plant in Gaor-
gia. 1t can be used instead of al
halfa on poor soils haying lots Of
lime. Northwest Georgia is the most
promising part of the state for this
plant. With heavy lining, some OF
the soils near the coast can be made
the remainder of the state, the crop
is an uncertain possibility. The spe-
ciaI requirements of this crop are
lots OF lime and well drained soils.
The common white blooming va
ricty, Menlotus alba, Is vigorous
Georgia. The annual white bloom
ing is an annual clover with no
special advantages for Georgia con-
ditions. The yellow blooming Is a
smaller growing variety more hardy
in southern Georgia.
Sweet clover seeded In the fall
will usually die after one seasons
will more often live TWO seasons.
sweet clover requires a firm seed
bed and -inoculation as alfalfa. a
good stand should be secured with
twenty pounds of scarified seed per
acre.
Sweet clover should be cut for
hay just before it reaches the
blooming stage and should be cut
eight to ten inches above ground,
as the shoots that make a second
growth must come from the stems.
The hay is cured like alfalfa. This
crop narkes less hay than alfalfa in
Georgia. The quality is inferior
also.
Red clover is the principal legume
has a deserving place in north
Georgia. In the noun tains and val
qeys it is we'll adapted and on some
Of the Piedmont hills it can be
grown successfully. In the latter
area it does not compare favorably
with alfalfa, however.
Manure and lime and heavy soils
can be used. In Tennessee. the dis
ease AnthracnoSe has been very de-
structive to clover and selected
seed immune to the disease have
been produced. 1t may be neces-
The common is the standard va
r;ety The mammoth is large va
riety and apparently better adapted
to the red hills Of Georgia.
Fall seeding is preferable In the
Piedmont and spring seeding in the
be kept up by allowing the last
crop Of clover to produce seed and
harrow these under each year. The
usual rate of seeding is twelve to
fifteen pounds per acre. No mix
, lures with red clover are used in
Georgia. Orchard grass could be
Used and probably Dallis grass on
the moist lands.
Red clover is cut when half the
heads are brown. The main crop is
in late spring and another in mid
summer. Yields Of one to one and a
half tons per acre should be Sc
cured.
Alsike clover is highly recon,
north but in Georgia it is only a
possibility. Very little has been
grown in the state. Its chief ad-
Vantages over Red clover are great
er resistance to disease and abil-
ity to grow in Wetter lands and its
disadvantages are a smaller yield
and slower growth.
Alsike clover required incubation
like red and or mGon clovtrs. II
either Of these plants have grown
On the land previously the inocula-
ton is doubtless present in suffi-
cient quantity. If the land has new
er been in clover before, the sur
est plan to secure incubation is to
get soil from a patch growing
either white, red, crimson or hop
clover, and scatter a wagon load
to each acre just before a rain.
Experiments are being conducted