| Show SECURE C U LARGEST RETURNS FROM ALFALFA x V W j 4 4 J A nice bunch of alfalfa prepared Irr pared by tile the united states department ot of agriculture the method of handling the alfalfa field to get the largest returns la is one which interests it ft large number of farmers both growers of alfalfa and prospective growers experiments recorded in the united states depart ment bulletin no effect ot of frequent cutting on the water ments menta of alfalfa and its ita bearing on pasturage indicate that the total consumption of water by alfalfa can be controlled to a considerable extent by pasturage or frequent clipping without serious injury to the plants thu thuan by pasturing or clipping the crop its growth can be regulated to accor accord with the amount of available moisture in the soil with a limited amount of stored moisture it Is evident the greatest production can be obtained by allowing the crop to grow when the water rei re i qui rement Is the lowest in the spring or fall and by keeping the leaf surface at a minimum during the summer through clipping or pasturage the tha eM efficiency clency or educing the size of tho a aerial i rafai poi hop or of tho plant on an a means of moisture conservation during periods wf of drought has often been observed whenever the moisture supply falls short of the amount necessary to produce normal crops throughout the season summer grazing appears to afford a simple and practical means of obtaining a return from alfalfa commensurate with the available moisture and at the same time reduces the danger of drought injury when the moisture supply Is adequate for continuous crop production through throughout but the season it to is believed that close pasturage or clipping would result in a marked reduction in the amount of alfalfa produced consequently where I 1 grazing to la practiced greater production can be secured by intermittent grazing that Is ie by employing several fields which are pastured in rotation I 1 A practice similar el nillar to that suggested above has been cra gradually dually developed in australia and gives the best befit return in the management of australian alfalfa land the practice is to grow a hay bay crop in the early spring and to pasture the alfalfa during the remainder of 0 the year aside from the hay obtained alfalfa is 1 very valuable in australia for grazing purposes because it responds to summer bummer rainfall while the native grasses being annuals afford no late pasturage on a large ranch near wagga bagga wagga bagga N fl 8 W 1000 acres ot of peruvian alfalfa has been handled bandied under this combined system of hay bay and pasturage the alfalfa at this ranch carries three sheep per acre during the summer cummer autumn and winter months about tho the first of sep tamber early spring the sheep are taken off the alfalfa mikes makes a luxuriant 1 growth during the cool spring months and a crop of from 1600 to oo o at aids iler per here acre of cured hay to la obtained tho hay Is produced when the weather is cool and transport the transportation a rate low in other words when the crop la Is making the most efficient use ot of the water supply the normal rainfall ip in this region Is about 21 inches and is quite uniformly distributed each month having more than one inch of rainfall and only two months june and october corresponding aadi sp to our december and april respectively more than two inches this combined system of hay bay and pasturage has found much favor in new south wales and is carried out in a rolling plains country where there Is no chance of and on loam or sandy loam soils |
