Show HIGH VALUE OF ALFALFA PLANT I Thorough Preparation of the Seed Bed Is Essential for Profitable Stand USE ALL MANURE AVAILABLE Plant Food Realized From Fertilizer Fertilize Will Tone Up Soil and Nourish Young Seedlings Seedlings Apply Apply Lime for Acidity Prepared by the United States Department Department Department Depart Depart- ment of ot Agriculture Cardinal points In ht alfalfa culture In Include Include In- In clude dude thorough soil soli preparation neutralization neutralization neu neu- of the soil b by lime where acid exists use of high quality alfalfa seed of suitable varieties proper Inoculation Inoculation In In- of the soil soli where inoculation inoculation tion Is necessary all nil of which presupposes presupposes presupposes pre pre- supposes the seeding of the alfalfa earl early enough In the fa fall to make male the growth glOwth adequate to resist winter killIn killIng killing kill- kill In Ing and anel the development of a successful successful suc suc- stand will cope with the of unfavorable seasons Applicable In Many Sections This article relates particularly to Maryland Virginia and localities of similar latitude although what ap applies applies plies to the the territory named Is also applicable In more or less degree to toman man many other sections of the country Because of Its high forage value alue It pays to devote ote much care labor and andY Y 1 j c e v. v vrN AL i Z s w. w M A M Alfalfa Is the King of Forage Crops scrutinizing attention to the production production production tion of a profitable stand of alfalfa It Is essential that a textured weft and thoroughly settled and compact compact com com- pact bed be read ready for the seed which should be sown not later than the middle middle mid mid- dle die of September and preferably during durIng during dur dur- ing the latter part of August or the first week In September Manure Good for Alfalfa The he misconception Is wide that none but thoroughly rotted and weed-free weed stable manure should be applied to the field which Is to be broken and seeded to alfalfa The fertilizing value of barn barnyard ard manure Is so great and Its liberal application Is so beneficial to the alfalfa crop that specialists of the United States department of agriculture agriculture agriculture ture advise farmers to use all nil the manure manure manuro ma ma- nure nuro they have available Tho The plant food realized from the fertilizer will tone up the soil soli and nourish the young seedlings so that they will get the jump on the the weed crop and once given this advantage e the alfalfa plants will smother out the majority of the enemies which may develop Save all the manure to which you ou have ha access and distribute It In liberal quantities s over the field to be plowed for alfalfa preferably before the breaking Is at at- tempted It Is largely n a matter of Individual I preference how many times the field Is harrowed dragged and rolled before before be be- I fore being seeded It Is essential that t the subsurface of the soil be bo compact compact com pact and then be thoroughly fined before before before be be- fore seeding The seed should be sown preferably In n a special alfalfa drill as It Is necessary necessary not to bury the seed too deep a which often orten results where an nn ordinary grain drill with a grass seeding attachment Is used Where the alfalfa seeder Is 11 not available a wheelbarrow or hand haud seeder ma may be utilized The rate of seeding will var vary In n different beau beau- ties tics As a rule from 15 to 20 pounds of good quality seed to the acre are deemed sufficient although h In some localities as high as 25 pounds of seed are sown A weeder Is an to n excellent Implement for covering the seed after aCter broadcasting but If It Is Js not available a tooth spiked-tooth harrow mn may mav be used Soils Must Be Well Drained All soils designed for alfalfa culture culture culture cul cul- ture must of necessity be he free from sur surplus lus soil soH mol moisture ture shat Is to say well drained while they also must be slightly alkaline The simple litmus paper test which can be made by hy any farmer will Indicate whether or not the soil is acid If acidity exists It ItIs ItIs itis Is essential to apply lime In whatever form Is most practical a and 01 readily available Burnt lime h hydrated lime finel finely ground limestone ground or burnt o oyster ster or clam shells and high high- grade marls are arc all valuable for for correction correction correction cor cor- of acid conditions Very much lar larger er applications of ground round limestone limestone lime lime- stone and marl are nece necessary ar than of ot burnt or hydrated lime As good results results results re re- are obtained from all the forms of lime price and antl availability will ti usually determine which form to use If the farmer is not familiar with the subject It would be we well for him to apply to the director o of his state experiment experiment ex ex- station and the United States department of agriculture for literature literature literature litera litera- ture and Information on special points I Inoculation of alfalfa a fields is essen essen- The best and most simple s system system stem s tem Is to transfer some orne Inoculated soil soli from an old sweet clover cloyer field to the new stand This Is best done in the afternoon of a cloudy da day the soil soli beIng being being be be- ing distributed b by shovel In the amount of about to pounds to the acre This work r should be done in the abr absence absence ab ab- ab- ab sence o of sunlight as the sun destroys the bacteria which Induce inoculation Local Inoculation cultures are also supplied b by the various state stat experiment experiment experiment ment stations and the federal department department department depart depart- ment of agriculture upon request Grower Should Know Variety Before bu buying alfalfa seed seal the purchaser purchaser purchaser pur pur- chaser sh should uld Inform himself fully regarding regarding regarding re re- re- re garding the variety best suited for his section and the quality of the seed with regard to both germination and purity In choosing a variety or strain it Is well to bear In mind that the qt growing quick alfalfas because of their tendency to produce heavier yields iel s should be used as far north as they will survive the winters In Inthe Inthe Inthe the northern sections the variegated alfalfas Including the Grimm the Baltic and the Canadian varieties have proved most successful In withstanding withstand withstand- ing winter 1 killing In sections having very ver mild milli winters Peruvian alfalfa has proved more profitable than longer long long- er strains owing to Its ability to produce pro pro- duce considerably heavier yields Usually Usually all ally It can be he grown to advantage only In sections where minimum temperature temperature temperature tempera tempera- ture Is not lower than 10 degrees Fahrenheit Fahrenheit Fahrenheit Fah Fah- and where ordinary alfalfa will succeed Throughout Maryland and Virginia all aU th the common strains of alfalfa which have been developed In Kansas Oklahoma Texas and under under un un- der del similar conditions give the most satisfactory results |