10 



"This shows a yield of more than four tons of hay per 

 acre when stored. It would probably not be safe to re- 

 gard this as thoroughly cured hay, suitable for storing 

 in large masses. If, to be thoroughly conservative^ we 

 assume that a further drying out to the extent of 25 per 

 cent, after being placed in the bam would be necessary 

 before we could regard this as thoroughly cured hay, we 

 should still have a yield of more than three tons per 

 acre. This is an unusually large yield for spring sown 

 alfalfa in its first season of growth, and is probably as 

 much as can ordinarily be expected from very young al- 

 falfa, even when sown in the fall. The conditions pro- 

 ducing this large yield Avere a thick stand, abundant 

 rains from March to August, thorough surface drainage, 

 and a supply of root tubercles. 



''To emphasize the statement that thite was upland 

 prairie land of a fair degTee of fertility, the following 

 facts are mentioned: Corn without fertilizer and with- 

 out any special treatment, averaged in the two cuts 

 which bordered the alfalf area 21 bushels per acre. The 

 land sown to alfalfa in March, 1903, was in 1902 in cot- 

 ton, without fertilizer; and in 1901 it had borne a crop 

 of com without cowpeas. No stable manure had been 

 applied in very recent years, and it is not known that 

 any manure had ever been applied." 



The follomng is another instance showing the possi- 

 bility of getting good yields from alfalfa the first season, 

 even when sown in spring. 



Mr. W. L. Ennis, Litviugston, Ala., reports as follows: 

 "Sowed 23 pounds of alfalfa seed, inoculated with earth 

 from a bur clover field, on March 20, 1903, on the best 

 land Ave had, about one acre. Yields of baled hay were 

 as folloAvs: 



"First cutting, 21 bales; second cutting, 40 bales; 

 third cutting, 17 bales. Total, 97 bales. Average weight 

 of bales 104 1-2 pounds." This is about 5 tons per acre. 



