South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-10-28
ALFALFA DISCUSSED
BY A COUNTY AGENT
Farm NJ n a g M nj Tour
Brings Out Interesting
Facts on Legumes.
BY i. j. MATTHEW'S,
Pulaski County Agricultural Agent

Pulaski County Agricultural Agent.
Those who have been on the two
last alfalfa tours will remember the
alfalfa and clover on the =. NJ. Strong
place. west OF Star City. In 1921
no one thought Il would make good.
This year IL was a fine field OF hay.
even though 20 head OF pigs had
been pasturing in II ell summer. On
the farm manageme nt tour. we went
across this field again and what was
noticeable is the way the alfalfa
plants have increased their crowns
and stooled out. even though they
have been constantly past red since
early spring. This is sufficient proof
that. alfalfa suffers none from past
ire # It is not eaten too close. And
this is the common seed. to boot.
Alfalfa Helps Income.
Every one of the four farms Wis
tied had a patch OF alfalfa growing
on It. The fact is that alfalfa on a
farm is like a balance wheel on an
engine-it takes up the slack at one
time and improves the power at an
other. A small acreage of alfalfa
will give feed enough for the max
imum OF livestock kept and at the
same time provide a cash crop when
the amount OF livestock IS small.
VIII II Live?
Like a great many. others. Lew
Whit was wondering whether his al
falfa would live through the winter
or not. OF course. that depends a
little on the winter but those who
have studied alfalfa in this latitude
say that IL alfalfa gets a root six
inches long. it will live over all right.
We are inclined to believe that
Grimm plants, on account Of their
branching root. will survive with a
shorter length. What We started to
say is that a Whitels. a plant with a
six inch top was pulled up. The root
measured % Inches. so other plants
like this will likely live through.
Why the Seed Bed Was Firm.
Some thought the writer was very
insistent that a firm seed bed be
prepared. but the wisdom OF that
course ~ apparent at this time
Where the seed bed was f1rme6, the
roots have bored right down, but
where II wasn't. the roots went down
until they came TO the air space with
the consequence that the plants
are not ready for winter.
Chicks Like Alfalfa.
Several travellers have stopped to
take picture OF the 100 White
Wye ndottes owned by the Rinebar-
gers, south Of Winamac. The young
alfalfa is some distance from the
house, but these chickens like alfalfa
and go a long way 10 get It. But
the alfalfa Is well heeled IN with
roots that average six inches long.
with three or four stalks at the
crown.
Like Oasis I'm Fall
Alfalfa seeding IS usually pretty
disappointing until Il comes this time
OF year. Then when other vegeta-
ton has been frosted. the alfalfa
looms up as the greenest thing 10
be seen. Albert Brucker has felt
Ike junk'ng his spring sown alfalfa
several times during the summer but
now II shows up as an almost perfect
u.
Lime is Tonic"
To doubling Thomases. on the
farm management tour last week.
Albert Brucker certainly showed that
lime is what brings clover to a once
clover-Siok soil. Tn, poorest third
OF a field sown in wheat last fall was
lime. clover seed was sown over the
Aaf1
where the lime left or Is plain
enough for a blind man to follow.
for he could scufr clover with one
foot and gravel with the other.
Poultry.
Crowdins 200 hens into a hundred
hen house Is a sure way 10 eliminate
Eggs and profits and bring on feath-
er pulling. egg eating and other OBJ
iectionable habits. Allow four square
feet OF floor space for each hen oil
he heavier breeds and not less than
.hree square feet with the lighter
breeds. then Gull the flock down
Until they will FIT the housing ca
pacity. There Will be more profit
In what are left than IN the whole
II kept In crowded quarters.
Where the quarters are crowded, the
owner Is always tempted 20 let the
hens oct during the warm days OF
the winter but this reduces egg pro-
auction. the egg records being kept
In the county show.
sell Immature PuIlets.
Only the person who has a spe-
cial outlet for purebred breeding