Show TO PREPARE ALFALFA LANDS making a seedbed la Is moat most important single operation in getting stand and keeping it by ALVIN KEYSER colorado agrical Agri cul tural college the preparation of the seedbed Is the roost most important single operation on in the process of getting a stand of alfalfa and keeping it IL the plowing if done in the spring should be done as long before seeding as possible eor for irrigated land the plowing should be thoroughly double disked this should he be done especially on the loams and heavier lands it if not done there ie Is a strong tendency for more or less of a crust to form the result Is a considerable loss of or proper physical condition often this can only be restored by a season of winter when the freezing and thawing will break down the clods formed in order to thoroughly compact and pulverize the tile soil the plow should hould be followed the same halt day with the disk harrow and the spike tooth harrow this treatment if it well carried out mill produce a deep seedbed well ell pulverized and compacted below the dar surface and loose at lap th immediate surface such a seedbed has a subsurface free from the air spaces there la Is no compacting agency so good as nature and time os on it if such a seedbed ran n stand tor for a month mouth or six week prior to seeding it will be in even better condition for planting than when hen first creps preps prepared red in the event of heavy beating rains which form a crust prior to seeding time the surface should be ga again put in condition by disking and harrowing it the supply of soil moisture is not tent for proper germination the land may be irrigated prior to seeding AB As soon after irrigation as the condition of the surface permits the land should be disked end harrowed to prevent the formation of a crust and to produce a it soil sell mulch which will retain the soil and conserve cono erve the surface |