OCR Text |
Show ALFALFA IN ROWS By George Severance, Agriculturist In tho State of Washington, we hnvo a largo area devoted to wheat farming where tho rainfall ranges from 8 to 15 Inches per annum. Up to tho present time farming has consisted con-sisted ulmost solely of wheat raising. As a result tho soil is beginning to bo badly depleted of humus, which, has already resulted In a greatly lessened les-sened water holding capacity and In some sections a tendency to drift. This is rapidly forcing tho farmers to appreclato tho necessity for some boII Improving crop that will renew tho humus supply and Increase tho nitrogen supply. Tho uncertainty that attends wheat farming under such dry conditions Is also forcing many farmers to appreciate the advantage ad-vantage of diversified farming. Henco not only tho Experimental Station, but the farmers as well have been experimenting to determine what crop or crops may bo best adapted to this dry region for both Improving tho soil condition and providing meaiu for lceoplng moro live stock. At present alfalfa seems to bo ono of tho most promising of tho high quality crops. Tho Experiment Station Sta-tion has grown alfalfa at Ritzvlllo, who-o tho ralnfnil is a trille over 12 Inches per annum, and nt Council whero the" rainfall nverages about S Inches per annum. Farmers through out tho entlro dry belt liavo grown binnll patches. It has been a matter of quite common com-mon observation that where alfalfa has been seeded very thinly, and tho soil has been cultivated, thnt It has made a vigorous .healthy growth. Whero It has not been seeded thinly nnd has not received cultivation the growth has not been nearly so satis factory. A small plot at Rltzvlllo, surrounded by a cultivated patch, showed a very mnrkedly Increased growth at tho outer odgo of tho plot. Recognizing tho extromo Importance of conserving tho moisture and also tho difficulty of cultivating broad cast-eil cast-eil n fnlfn nftor It has grown several sever-al Inches in tho spring, several parties par-ties hnvo begun the practice of seeding seed-ing In rowo so that It may be cuRI- , vated soveral times during tho spring If necessary, without injuring tho growing plants. Wherever tried this has been giving excellent results. This Is particularly true when the nl falfa Is left for seed. I do not believe, however, that this samo practico would apply to the moro humid sections, where the growth would become very rank If Beedod so thinly. It is likely that tho samo practico may bo. followed advantageously in portions of other States whero tho rainfall Is not suf-llclent suf-llclent to mnturo a full stand of nl falfa. Farm nnd Fireside |