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Show ALFALFA IS IMPORTANT CROP Grows Unusually Well on Soils That Don't Have Excess of, Moisture Feed Value. Alfalfa is one of the most important forage crops that the dry land farmer can grow. It has a high feeding value for all classes of stock and it grows unusually well upon soils that do not have an excess of moisture. Thi plant will grow upon almost every possible kind of soil with the exception excep-tion of two. It will not produce results re-sults upon a soil that Is continually wet or where the water is comparatively compara-tively near the surface. The land should not be subject to overflow, writes H. F. Patterson of Gallatin county, Montana, in the Farmers' Tribune. The other type of Boil upon which alfalfa refuses to grow is that in which there Is too much acidity, oi soils from which the lime has been exhausted. Fortunately, neither ol these two types of soil are found la our dry land region of the semi-arid west. This plant Is grown at th present time In many sections of the dry region where a few years ago It was thought impossible. ThiS ii brought about by the fact that the culture of the plant Is better under-stood. under-stood. With each succeeding year It is found to occupy a more permanent position In our systems of farm management. man-agement. The chief essential in the produo-tion produo-tion of this forage is the advanced preparation of the seed bed. Many growers prepare the soil two or threa years before seed Is sown. The physical physi-cal condition of the soil must almost be Derfect if we are to secure the. best results. Alfalfa needs a deep, loose, open, porous soil. The roots go deep into the soil and the plants secure moisture from the lower regions. re-gions. For this reason the land should be plowed very deep, but It should not be worked when too wet or there Is danger of the surface becoming be-coming puddled. Briefly, we might prepare the seed; bed by plowing in the fall to a depth of six or seven Inches and allowing the land to remain open during the winter. In the spring as soon as It is possible to get on the land It should be disked and harrowed in order to firm and fine the surface. As was mentioned before, it Is not customary to seed this crop upon land that la newer than three or four years. "Upon land that has produced three crops of grain It is possible to secure a good stand of this forage if the proper precautions are taken. A nurse crop is seldom used. Alfalfa is seeded in the spring at the rate of ten pounds per acre. It is drilled in much like wheat. Soma growers advocate the harrowing ol the field when the young plants are coming through the surface, but this sometimes results In a decreased yield. However, if care Is used It may bring in good returns. No crop of Importance Is secured the first year. The essential thing to remember is that the weeds should not be allowed to choke out the tender ten-der alfalfa plantB. For that reason, it is wise to mow the field two or three times during the summer. The cut tings should not be removed from the field, but allowed to remain upon the surface of the soil. The nexl season two or three crops may be secured se-cured and a yield of from one to three tons per acre obtained. |