The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-03-23
ALFALFA
"THE BEST FORAGE PLANT
GETTING A STAND
EaIoottnn and n.aparnftnn nf aud

"A STAND
Selection and preparation of Land
Il. Select corn stubble, late potato
land, or land which was in a cultivat-
ed crop the previous Land
that was deeply plowed is best. MANY
good stands have been gotten by seed
ing with flax OF we'll prepared new
ground.)
2. Avoid low land on which water
is apt to stand very long. Alaflfa
cannot stand "wet feet"
3. Disc thoroughly and cross har-
row. A fine, firm seed bed is neces-
sary.
4. Let land settle. Give weed a
chance to sprout. Frequent harrow
ings will kill weeds and prevent eva
poration Of moisture from soil.
5. Alfalfa will succeed on every
farm in this county IL the seed bed is
properly prepared.
Selection Of Seed
1. Sow alfalfa seed grown in South
Dakota.
2. The variety is not so essential SO
long as it is hardy and has been grown
here successfully without wintar-kill-
ing. Cossack and Grimm are varieties
more hardy than most of the common.
8. Anyone needing seed al obtain
hardy, ~recleane6 South Dakota seed,
tested and free from noxious weeds,
at prices ranging from Ice to soc per
pound. depending upon variety, and
where it is purchased. Ice to zoe will
buy the best common seed. We have
prices and samples from Hand County
growers, West River growers, and seed
houses which handle only South Da-
kota grown seed. Seed may be OBJ
tanned through this Office. No com
mission Is charged.
incubation
Unless alfalfa or sweet clover has
been previously grown on the land, it
Top dressing of soil from a well ino-
culated field of alfalfa will give splen-
did results. This should be done on a
cloudy day as the bacteria are quickly
killed by sunshine. The State College
at Brookings furnishes i%noculating ma
terial at cost. Quantity sufficient to
inoculate n bushel of seed costs soc.
Enough to inoculate one busheF may
be obtained free from the u. S. Bureau
Of Plant Industry at Washington.
Cards on which to make application
may be obtained from the County
Agent.
Cover Crop
A i've crop Is not necessary. In
fact local experience shows that more
successful stands are received without
cover crops than with them. Alfalfa
succeeds in spite of a cover crop rath-
er than because Of it.
, II a cover crop must be planted sow
3 to 5 pecks of barley per acre or 2 to
3 pecks OF winter rye. The rye will
make a growth of 8 to 10 inches and
die. Avoid oats as ii takes too much
moisture and has a tendency to smoth-
er the small alfalfa plants.
Sowing the Seed
Select time when moisture condi-
tions are good. Sow broadcast s to
IL pounds of seed per acre. Sow half
the seed one way and the other half
at right angles to the first. Cover seed
from one-half to an inch. Spring and
early summer sowing have given best
results. though several farmers in this
county last year received splendid
stands from fall sowing. The spring
is not yet far enough advanced to see
how this came through the winter.
After Treatment
Keep weeds down by clipping with
a mower. Turn the sickle bar up and
cut high. Clip when the basal buds
appear on the crown of the ~alfaifa's
plants. The least injury is dore at
this time. leave the clippings on the
field. Cut again later in the season II
necessary. Il. III. Aicher,
County Avaut