Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-07-21
Essentials Fer The Successful
Growth of Alfalfa

Growth of Alfalfa T.
The season for seeding alfalfa =
is rapidly approaching and judR-I d
ing from the inquiries recently | 6
received, quite a large acreage
will be seeded to this valuable
crop in Shenandoah within the
next few weeks. In order that
failures may be eliminated 10 the
| greatest extent possible want
to call the attention Of those who
are contemplating seeding alfalfa
| to the SIX conditions that must be
met with If they grow alfalfa
successfully. LIST. A piece OF ven
Idrained, fertile soil should be 20.
Elected, Alfalfa generally falls
| on poorly drained soil. This is
lbeeause the roots extend deeply
Into the soil. aud when the roots
Iol most plants are submerged In
lwater satisfactory growth cannot
be made. A fertile soil is abso-
lutely essential select land that
will produce at least so bushels
Iof corn per acre. When alfalfa
is seeded on thin soil, it will turn
yellow and make a slow growth
the first year. 2nd A compact
seed bed. Best results are usually
secured by blowing the land at
lleast month before seeding.
This land should be disked and
narrowed often enough to keep
down all weeds and make a firm
lseed bed. 3rd Lime. Alfalfa
can not be grown with any degree
OF satisfaction with out linle. An
leverage ton Of alfalfa contains
the equivalent of 50 pounds of
Ii lime. -Four tons of alfalfa hay
from one acre in a season would
carry 200 pounds of lime out of
IL the soil The form of lime used
is not nearly so important as the
amount. Don't think of using
is less than 1000 pounds of caustic
lime per acre or its equivalent,
that is if raw lime stone or lime
nd mari is used, apply not less than
I'll 1000 pounds per acre. A heavy
49, application of manure will give
.Igood results but care should be
- Il taken to use manure that is free
from weed seeds Manure from
-, cattle fed silage will contain less
grass and weed seed than manure
from horses fed on weedy timothy
and clover hay. Acid phosphate
10 per cent, should also be applied
at the rate Of from 500 to 500 lbs.
per acre. At the WILLIAMSBURG
Experiment Station where 10 tons
Iof stable manure and 400 pounds
of 10 per cent Acid Phosphate
. were applied per acre the yielt
of alfalfa was 10000 pounds. 4tl
incubation. The failure to in
=, oculate has been the cause oil
many a disappointment in alfalfa
Igrowing. A sufficient mount O
inoculating bacteria for one busl1e
of seed will be furnished free b.
the L. S. Department of Agri
culture to every farmer in the
county who applies for it.. Sev.
eral different methods of inocu.
ton are in practice but the IL
quid pure cultural methods seems
to be the most popular. sth EARLY
seeding. The best time to seed
alfalfa ia This section Is ffem The
list to the goth Of August, Al
Italia lie much less likely to winter
nj kill If seeded early, 9th, Use
X American grown seed, ffebab bly,
lone OF the most common causes
In failure to grow alfalfa Success
: fully is due to the use of imported
. seed from Europe. Insist upon
dIyour scotsman furnishing you
with American grown alfalfa
Iseed, preferably with seed grown
lin the north or north central part
olof America. II the foregoing
! conditions are met with there is
. no reason why alfalfa can not be
y grown successfully in every Sec
ton of Shenandoah County.
B. A. Warmer. County Agent