The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1928-03-22
lime Is NECESSARY
TO GROW ALFALFA
Properly Prepared Soil Should
Bring Yield of Four Ton
Per Acre
WORTH SIS TON TODAY
Rich in Protein, Alfalfa Is
Very Best All Season Food
for all Live Stock
(By Charles r. Hutcheson)


Careful investigation of sue
cessful alfalfa growing section al
ways proves at least one outstand-
ing fact. 1t makes no difference
in what part of the country you
find these successful alfalfa fields,
the soil will be we'll supplied with
lime, either by the natural condi-
ton of a high lime soil, or by
some form of lime that has been
applied by man. Carbonate OF
lime makes the nitrifying bacteria
thrive. These little bacteria just
don't seem to be able. to get along
in any other than lime soil. On a
we'll drained high lime soil alfalfa
seems to keep in good health after
it is once started properly. There
are things that none OF US know,
but we think that We know as the
alfalfa plant grows it throws off
certain poisonous and acid elements
that are injurious 70 the plants
themselves and to the little bac-
terra but when there is a good
supply of lime in the soil this pois-
on which is being given off into the
soil is neutraized. Thus the little
bacteria keep multiplying and the
alfalfa plants keep un growing year
in and year out. Many men = in
Central Minnesota who have good
vigorous stands of alfalfa we'll fed
with mineral of the needed kinds
secured from stable manure and
they may never have inoculated
their seed or soil with these little
bacteria or either have they put
lime of any pure form, such as
crushed lime stone or mari, on
their fields, hut just manure. Some
day their alfalfa will get sick, so
to speak, and die, unless they keep
Responding manure to supply
these minerals and the other plant
food elements that alfalfa plants
must have to keep growing.
1t is only fair to confess that
lime in some form is the keynote
to successful alfalfa growing, be-
cause lime is essential for so many
reasons. First good drainage and
then lime. Then there are other
thing that will help, but these are
the essentials to even start prop
erly.
None of us worry about varie-
ties any more. That has been Sc
tied beyond a doubt. Grimm and
Cossack stand alone for this sec
ton and there is little difference
between these two varieties. But
even these two strong and adapta-
BILE kinds of alfalfa must have
lime soil as the foundation of their
success. -. ...
The first prize alfalfa hay at the
Central Minnesota Seed Show came
from a farm where alfalfa raising
was not successful until Mr..
Leusch, the owner, put a couple of
tons of mari per acre on the land.
For years he had tried but with
out success but with the applica-
ton of mari he succeeded. There
are thousands of acres of land in
Central Minnesota that are ideal
as to drainage. All that is needed
is to apply the lime. There are
mari beds throughout this same
section. Yes, it will change fail
ures to successes.
Alfalfa is rich in protein, and
it takes nitrogen to make the pro-
tein in alfalfa hay, so that every
thing should be done that can to
improve the soil SO these little bac-
terra can live on the alfalfa roots
and manufacture this. needed nit
fogen.
AT meeting recently ten farm
ers told me that they secured over
four tons of alfalfa per acre from
their fields. Alfalfa hay is worth
and costing $14 to $24 at the rail-
road stations in Central Minneso-
ia. What is it worth in your
barns right at home? No hauling
or wasting leaves in getting it
from the station to the barn. Well,
let US take figure of $25 per ton,
that means that these farmers re-
ceived 10 per cent on the valua-
ton of 500 per acre for their
land which was in alfalfa this
year. Alright then, isn't that land
in alfalfa worth $1,000 per acre
to those farmers as long as 500
worth of alfalfa is produced each
year?
Think this over. Then check up
on some of those other acres on
the same farms. Twenty years ago
alfalfa hay was worth $40 per ton
and many have been trying to grow
it in eastern sections and only
those that have high lime soils or
that are willing to haul lime of
some form to the fields have sue
ceeded. It will always be the
same story.