26 



These both received per acre 200 pounds cotton seed 

 meal, 240 pounds acid phosphate, and respectively 200 

 and 100 pounds of kainit. 



MANURE. 



For the prairie region it may be said that no fertilizer 

 except stable manure has yet been sufficiently tested on 

 alfalfa to determine its suitability. In numbers of in- 

 stances stable manure has greatlv increased the yield of 

 alfalfa on prairie lands, and the most experienced grow- 

 ers of alfalfa use it so far as the limited supply permits. 

 The benefit from the use of stable manure is a common 

 experience in west Alabama, and the application of ma- 

 nure bas immensely increased the yield of alfalfa on the 

 lime land of Mr. J. A. Dillard near Montgomery, Ala., as 

 the writer can testify from a personal insi>ection. 



However, the question may well be raised whether al- 

 falfa is the best crop on which to apply stable manure 

 which is so scarce and so sure to largely increase the 

 ^ield of any crop. So far as concerns the nitrogen of 

 stable manure, alfalfa could well dispense with that. 

 For alfalfa thoroughly inoculated and on land sufficient- 

 ly well drained to insure fair soil ventilation, should 

 be able to obtain through its root tubercles unlimited 

 quantities of nitrogen from the air. On the other hand, 

 sorghum or cotton, not having this means \of securing 

 nitrogen, would make good use of the nitrogen as well 

 as of the other constituents of stable manure. In favor 

 of the application of manure to alfalfa is the fact that 

 this application in winter promotes early development 

 of the i^lants, and forces the alfalfa to a sufficient height 

 for cutting at a time when other forage is scarce. More- 

 over if immense quantities of stable manure are used it 

 will serve as a mulch, retaining the moisture in the soil 



