Show HIM HIGH VALUE OF ALFALFA PLANT thorough preparation of the seed bed Is essential for profitable stand USE ALL MANURE AVAILABLE plant food realized prom from fertilizer will tone up soil and nourish young seedlings apply lime for acidity prepared by the united states department of agriculture cardinal points in alfalfa culture include thorough soil preparation neutral of the soil boll by lime where neld exists use of high quality alfalfa seed of suitable varieties proper inoculation of the soil where inoculation Is necessary all of which presupposes the seeding of the alfalfa early enough in fall to make the growth adequate to resist winter killing and the development of a successful stand which will n all cope with the difficulties of unfavorable rable seasons applicable in many sections this article relates particularly to maryland virginia and localities of similar latitude although alt bough what applies to the territory named Is also applicable in more or loss less degree to many other sections of the country because of its high forage value it pays to devote much care labor and scrutinizing attention to the production of a profitable stand of alfalfa it is essential that a well textured dilthy and thoroughly settled and compact bed be ready for the seed alch should be sown sowa not later than the middle of september and preferably dur lug jug tile the latter part of august or the first 6 ri st week in september manure good ghori for alfalfa the misconception is wide that norte none but thoroughly rotted and weed free stable manure should be applied to the fic d which Is to be broken and seeded M aw IN M K M a ail 24 0 ap 41 0 az W AA 4 V V x K A I 1 11 VL alfalfa Is the king of forage crops to alfalfa the fertilizing value of manure Is so great anil and its application Is so beneficial to tin IN alfalfa crop that specialists of the united states slates department of agriculture ture advise farmers to use all the manure they have available the plant food realized from the fertilizer will tone up the soil and nourish the young seedlings so that they will get the jump on the weed crop and once given this advantage the alfalfa plants plant s will smother out the majority of the enemies which may develop save all 11 the manure to which you have access and distribute it in liberal quantities over the field to be plowed for alfalfa a preferably before the breaking Is attempted it Is largely a matter of individual preference how many times the field Is harrowed dragged and rolled before being seeded it Is essential that the subsurface of the soil be coni pact and then be thoroughly fined before seeding the seed should be sown preferably in a special alfalfa drill as it Is necessary not to bury b ury the seed too deep a which often results where an ordinary grain drill with a grass seeding attachment la Is used where the alfalfa seeder Is not available a wheelbarrow or hand seeder may be utilized the rate of seeding will vary in different localities As a rule from 15 to 20 pounds of good quality seed to the acre are deemed sufficient clent although in some localities as high as 25 pounds of seed are sown A weeder Is an excellent implement for covering the seed after broadcasting but if it la Is not aval available lable a spiked tooth harrow may bo be used solis soils must be well drained all solis soils designed for alfalfa culture must of necessity bo be free from surplus soli soil moisture that Is to say well drained while they also must be slightly alkaline the simple litmus paper test which can be made by tiny any farmer fanner will indicate whether or not the soil Is add acid if acidity exists jt Is essential to apply lime in whatever form la IS most practical and beadily available burnt lime hydrated lime finely ground limestone ground or burnt oyster or clam shells and high grude grade marls are all valuable for correction of acid conditions very much larger applications of ground limestone and marl are necessary than of burnt or hydrated lime As good results are obtained from all the fornis forms of lime price and availability will usually determine which form to use III if the tha farmer Is not familiar with the subject it would bo be well for him to apply to the director of his state experiment peri ment station and the united states department of agriculture for literature tet and information on special P points t inoculation of alfalfa fields Is essential the best and most simple system Is to transfer some inoculated soli soil from an old sweet clover field to the he new stand tills this is best lone done in the afternoon of a cloudy day the soil being distributed by shovel in the amount of about to pounds to the acre this work should be done in the absence of sunlight ns as the chesun sun destroys the bi bacteria leteria which induce inoculation local inoculation cultures are also supplied by the vartoui state experiment stations and the federal federal department of sericulture agriculture apon request grower should know variety before buying seed the purchaser should inform himself fully regarding the variety best suited forbis section and tile the quality of the seed with regard to both germination and purity in choosing a variety or strain it Is well to benr bear in mind that the quick growing al falfas because of their tendency to prodica heavier yields should be used as tar far north ns as they will survive the winters in tile lie northern sections the variegated al falfas including the grimm the baltic canadian varieties have proved most successful in withstanding winter killing in sections having very mild winters peruvian alfalfa lias has proved more profitable than longor longer strains to its ability to produce considerably heavier yael yields ds T usually it can be grown to advantage only in sections where minimum temperature Is not lower than 10 degrees fahrenheit ren heit elt and where ordinary alfalfa will succeed throughout maryland aryland Iv and virginia all the common strains of alfalfa which have been developed in kansas oklahoma texas and under similar conditions give the most satisfactory results |