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ffenerallT the most conveniont time. Some years it is 

 the only practicable time, the ground being too dry and 

 hard in the early fall. Several extensive growers of al- 

 falfa who sow chiefly in the spring, nevertheless express 

 a preference for fall sowing when there is sufificient 

 moisture for thorough preparation and for sowing early 

 in the fall. 



Fall sowing should occur at a date early enough to 

 permit the roots to penetrate deeply before freezes be- 

 gin, and thus to anchor the plants against heaving. Not 

 only are young alfalfa plants easily heaved or lifted out 

 of the soil by alternate freezes and thaws, but the very 

 3'oung plants are otherwise and more directly injured 

 by severe cold following mild weather. 



In Central Alabama we would recommend that fall 

 sowing be done, if practicable, from September 15 to 

 October 15, with the preference for the earlier part of 

 this period. While a date as late as November 1 oc- 

 casionally gives success, the risk of winter killing is 

 then too great. If alfalfa cannot be sown before Octo- 

 ber 15 in central Alabama, we would recommend that 

 sowing be postponed until March. 



The safest period for spring sowing is from March 1 

 to 20. Some sow on prairie land as early as February 

 20, but from Febiiiary sowing at least one instance 

 of loss of stand from cold has come under our notice. 

 While seed sown in April sometimes succeed, the suc- 

 cess is less uniform than with March sowing. The more 

 weedy the land the stronger the reason foi' fall sowing. 



PREPARATION. 



There is no field crop that pays better for thorough 

 preparation than alfalfa. The man who is content to 

 prepare land for alfalfa as he would for oats had best 



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