Smyrna times., 1928-08-01
CAMPAIGN BOOST FOR BETTER
ALFALFA ON DELAWARE FARMS
Is BEING SPONSORED BY EXTEN-
SION DEPARTMENT OF U. OF D.
Acreage Here in Kent County Alone
Increased 80 Per Cent-Dairymen
Especially Are Being Benefited

In accordance with the campaign for
more and better alfalfa on the farms
in this state, which was started last
year under the direction of the agri-
cultural extension department of the
University of Delaware, attention is
being called again this summer to
those farmers who are expecting to
sow new fields of this legume, or to
reseed old fields, with regard to the
preparation of the seed bed, soil re
quirements, proper fertilization, and
other practices which are essential to
the successful culture OF this valuable
hay crop in this section of the coun-
try. The results of this campaign in
Kent County during the past year, as
reported by County Agent Russell T..
Wilson, showed that the acreage of al
falfa has been increased ninety per-
cent, making total of over a th0us
and acres which have been sown to
this crop in this county These facts
indicate the interest which the farm
ers, and especially the dairymen, are
taking in promoting this alfalfa pro
gram, for they realize the value Of
this legume as a hay for their dairy
cattle and other livestock on the
farms.
In preparing to sow alfalfa, how
ever, ole Of the most important fac
tors to be considered il the type Of
soil on which the seed is to be sown,
for not all kinds Of soil are suitable
for this Iegume This fact is Of spec
ial Importance to these farmers who
are seeding alfalfa for the first time,
as many crop failures may be attrib-
uted to the seeding Of fields which are
not in the proper state Of fertility, and
which could be used to a greater ad-
vantage BY being seeded to some other
crop. Alfalfa requires a soil that is
in fairly high state Of fertility, as it
will not thrive well On land that is
poorly drained or lacking in a suffic-
lent amount Of organic matter and
lime
Another very important thing tO re-
member III sowing alfalfa II To use the
right kind Of seed, for quite often The
variety or strain of seed viii result IN
either asuccess Or failure for tl5e
farmer, AZ has been demonstrated up-
Oh a number Of different occasions in
this state during the P2st few years
For this section of Thu country, the
Kansas Nebraska, OH the Utah, north
western grown seed IL tRe strain that
is being recommended, and under NJ
Should tile southern
grown seed Ivy used. Unless The and
has produced alfalfa successfully in
previous years, The seed should he in-
oculated either With the pure culture
or the soil ana glue method, since
many failures in thu growing of tnis
crop have been due to the sowing Of
THE uninoculated seed In reSeeding
old alfalfa fields, however, i is not
always necessary to inoculate the seed
although this practice is often follow
ed III order to further insure the pos
sibilities of securing good stand.
Lime is also An essential factor in
the profitable culture Of this Iegume,
and No attempt should be made To SOW
alfalfa seed on land that does not con
tain enough lime to counteract the
acidity Of the soil, for this acid condi-
ton Of the land VIII retard tlIc action
Of the bacteria which are introduced
through the inocuIation for tie pur-
pose Of forming the nitrogeH-gather-
ing nodules on the roots Of tine plants.
In order to determine the degree Of
acidity Of the soil and the amount Of
Iir,o +L,o+ ,,,a,, ~ naoac raryy ~ cOrroc+
this condition, samples of soil should
be taken from the field and tested for
their lime requirements. These soil
samples may be either sent to the
County Agent, or to the laboratory of
the State Board Of Agriculture at Do
yer, where these tests viii be made
free of charge.
The recommended date for sowing al
falfa in this county is from Augu It 10
to 25, and the usual rate of seeding is
about Is to 20 pounds to the acre. In
addition to the lime, it is also advis-
able to use from $50 to 400 pounds
per acre of a high grade commercial
fertilizer, consisting of a 2-8-5 or a
2-8-6 analysis, applied at the time the
seed is being drilled.
Those farmers who are expecting to
sow some alfalfa this summer, and
who would like to secure additional in
formation that might pertain to their
individual farms, are requested to get
in touch with their county agent, who
will be glad to give them all the as
sistance possible in securing a salts
factory stand Of this crop.