Show WAYS OF SEEDING ALFALFA there to be general MI sunder stan eland d ng regarding seed rg of crop in the west during the winter minter we m made de a num der er of inquires inquiry es regarding the seeding of f alfalfa on irrigated land under our immediate conditions there seems to tie be a general mis understanding regard ing the seeding of this crop son e or 0 the eastern farm journals for inq instance ln tance have stated it Is a waste of 0 seed to try to grow this crop on soil of a tandy bandy nature another paper advised its readers not to seed on heavy toil voil A large number of tarn farn era ers read eastern farm journals and as a result ire often n isled by such state lays ays a writer in the denver ranch nd and range the above may be true ind no doubt Is true under these par ocular conditions but it doea does not hold tor for our western states tates s tie tl e idea of seeding alfalfa very ver birly in the spring Is not so general as it wa several years ago this Is IR nore especially true in the windy sec see lions of the west in the spring when high winds there Is a tendency to eithe blow out the seed or whip oft off the boung plants also hae hane we to contend with mith the drying winds that take the n from the surface of the soil deiy rapidly do not work the soil too deeply shallow plowing if the soil has to be plowed is preferable get the soil lu shape either the tore fore part of june or the last of july prepare a good but so id seed bed have the soli soil good and moist before seeding put the aeed seed in with a drill at the rate of 15 pound to the acre where the soil is inclined to blow several methods have been practiced oil one of th these Is to seed the alfalfa into the small grain stubble the end of uly tuly this can be done very nicely after tall fall grain as this comes off of tl e ground early in the season reason an other rither good method Is to seed rye about the first of july and when hen this has reached the height of about three inches drill in the alfalfa seed after a thorough inquiry we found that in the larger percentage of cases better stands were mere secured on late seeding beeding of alfalfa likewise have we found round that the deep loose soil Is not conducive to a good stand in the average seasons we do not recommend rec recommend ommen d the careless carelas and shiftless ss preparation at df the soil but believe in a good hat has a solid firm bed in which the alfalfa seed Is placed not long ago we took part in a con in which several grain grow ars rs remarked that this year we me have 0 begin irrigation early and force the grain from the start we are afraid that a number of farmers will make his mistake do not be afraid of the late season the snow and moisture e have had has put the ground in nice dice shape and when once the grain la Is beaded will make a rapid growth observation and experience have taught us that too much water Is a detriment and will decrease the crop us As much ag as a shortage of water will lucrease ie le crease it during the seabon watch the soil find do not let the moisture get down loo low at any time during the grow ing season but it if we can stay off the application of water until the grain begins to shoot then we are almost sure of a good big yield irrigating the grain too young has the same et ef feet on it as too much rain would mould have in the eastern states |