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Show PREPARE LAND FOR ALFALFA Early Cultivation Should Begin as Soon in Spring as Ground Can be Worked. Good preparation of the land is important. im-portant. The sort should be quite firm and should have a mulch of loose soil an inch and a half or two inches deep over the surface. Fall plowing will Insure sufficient packing of the soil and In the spring the surface sur-face can be worked up into a good seed bed. This 'arly cultivation should begin as soon in spring as the ground can be worked and be continued con-tinued to conserve' . moisture until danger of heavy freezing Is over, when seeding may be done, says the Denver Field and Farm. There should be sufficient suf-ficient moisture in the soil to germinate germi-nate the seed and keep it growing until un-til it is eight to ten inches high when water may be applied if needed. With spring plowing it is difficult to get a seed bed firm enough and one that will retain moisture: well enough for best results. The soil will be too loose and will dry out quickly. It is therefore advisable when the land is plowed in the spring to irrigate before be-fore seeding provided the. soil does not contain an abundance pf moisture. For best results the seedipg should be done tolerably early in spring. The particular time will depend upon the altitude' and the local climatic conditions. con-ditions. A few degrees of frost will do no serious injury but heavy frost is likely to kill alfalfa when just out of the ground. If the seed bed is in perfect per-fect condition and a drill be used, eight to twelve pounds of first grade seed the acre should be sufficient for a good stand. When soil conditions are unfavorable or broadcasting is practiced from 12 to 18 Bounds may be required. On irrigated land it is oetter to have a thick than a thin stand. The use of a seeder-that sows in drills and covers the seed is to be recommended as the seeds! are covered cover-ed and each seed is given 1 an equal chance for germination with every other. A drill with press wheels attached at-tached is also desirable. The seeds should be sown shallow frqm one-half one-half to two- inches deep. |
