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Show ALFALFA ON DRY LAND Three Conditions Under Which Farmers May Try Crop. First, Where Sufficient Molature Cn Be Secured, In Locatlone Where Pumping Plant la Handy and on Deep Soil. (By Pirtll K. It LI N N. Atfalfa Ppailal-lt, Ppailal-lt, Cnlorailo Agricultural Collmii ) Alfalfa under dry farming conditions condi-tions can not be per ted to grow with the same measure of success that It does under Irrigation, nor should the dry farmer expect success when alfalfa Is sown In the same manner man-ner that Is usually sown under Irrigation; Irri-gation; a different system of cultivation cultiva-tion must be employed. Alfalfa la a very drought enduring plant when It Ij once well established, estab-lished, If Its roots can reach some deep sub soil moisture, but I Is a mistaken mis-taken Idea that the roots of alfalfa will penetrate through dry soil to reach moisture; it Is Impossible. It Is essential es-sential at the very start. In seeding alfalfa, that there should be moisture In the subsoil. It Is useless to attempt at-tempt to seed alfalfa on dry land, that has not been previously deeply plowed for several years, so that moisture hsa penetrated to considerable depth. If one content platee seeding alfalfa, the best plan Is to summer till the previous pre-vious season with clean cultivation. There are at least three conditions nnder which farmers could be advised to try alfalfa In the dry farming districts. dis-tricts. 1. Along creek beds or water courses, where water or moisture from the underflow would supply the planta sufficiently to produce a fair crop. 2. In locations that might be watered wa-tered with a pumping plant, or where the run-off from storms could be diverted di-verted onto fields, which were adequately ade-quately ditched and furrowed to receive re-ceive the water that might be available avail-able after heavy storms from Innd lying ly-ing above. There are doubtless many such snots through the dry farming sections that Could be well devoted to airnlfa. 3. On deep soil that has good moisture mois-ture retention, and that has been deeply tilled to establish subsoil moisture, alfalfa could be sown with a view to producing seed by seeding In wide rows. 31 to 40 Inches apurt, and sown very thinly In the rowa Thla has been a success In an expert mental way at several points In th I'nlted States, and when the condl tlons are understood, there Is doubt less a great field for some men sltuat ed to engRRe In alfalfa seed growing Under all dry farming conditions 1 Is advisable to sow alfalfa In rowi for Intertlllage, to conservo the moli Jure and to control the weeds, thi width of the rows depending some what upon the probable moisture sup ply. Under conditions almost equa to Irrigation, rows 18 to 20 Inchei apart have been successful, but on drj land which receives only the actua precipitation of 12 to 15 Inches, rowi 40 Inches apart are necessary, the stand of planta In the rows must b very thin, for the overpasturlng of th limited moisture supply will be just as disastrous as overcrowding a llnv Ited water supply with a great herd ol cattle. Cultivation Is absolutely essential to all dry farming crops, and especially alfalfa, to hold the moisture and to keep clean of weeds. A thin stand of alfalfa If neglected wll become a useless use-less weed patch. There are several difficulties to be met In growing alfalfa In rowa. First, securing a stand of plants, and fighting fight-ing weeds, which can only be met by thorough preparation of the soil and good careful cultivation. Second, blowing blow-ing and washing of the cultivated soli between the rows by wind and rains Selecting the fields not subject tn these troubles Is a wise precaution, and It Is advisable to sow the rows In the opposite way to the direction ol the prevailing winds, but In the sam direction that the water will run best. Thla Is sometimes Impossible to do, then one has to cater to tne most probable prob-able danger. |