472 Transactions of the 



ALFALFA. 



BY I. N. HOAG. 



TIME OF SOWING. 



There is much difference of opinion among those who have had expe- 

 rience in cultivating this grass as to whether the seed should be sown 

 in the Fall or Spring. Our experience, and we have had considerable, 

 besides an extensive observation, is that if the Fall is favorable — that 

 is, if we have early Fall rains followed by warm growing weather, it is 

 much better to sow in the Fall. If, however, the rains hold off late, and 

 the weather is cold and frosty, like the present season, then it is better 

 to wait until a favorable time in the Spring. The reasons are very plain, 

 and are these: If the rains are earlyand followed by warm weather, 

 the young clover will get a sufficient start and the roots will penetrate 

 the earth to a sufficient depth to withstand any cold and frosty weather 

 that will be likely to follow, and the clover Avill grow all Winter, or 

 through the rainy season, and be sufficiently forward to mow the first 

 time in May, or the very first of June. Under these circumstances, all 

 things being favorable, three crops of hay may be taken from the land 

 the first year; or, what is generally better, two crops of hay and one of 

 clover seed. By allowing the last crop to* mature it may b,e cut for seed 

 and thrashed with a machine like wheat or barley, and the straw and 

 chaff will still make good fodder for cows or sheep. Under circum- 

 stances as indicated above, it will be better to sow the seed alone, as by 

 so doing the land will be better economized than if wheat or barley 

 were sown with it. 



If, on the contrary, the rains hold off till late and the weather be 

 cold, the small clover, if sown in the Fall — if it start up at all — -will be 

 most sure to be killed out by the frost, and the seed and use of the land 

 for that purpose will be lost; but should any one conclude to sow his 

 clover seed in the Fall, notwithstanding the unfavorable weather, then 

 it will be safe to sow wheat or barley with it. First, because if the 

 clover does not come up, he will still make a crop of grain; and second, 

 that if the clover seed does start then the growing grain will cover 

 and protect it while small, and will thus be a benefit to it. 



SPRING SOWING. 



If the seed is to be sown in the Spring, then it should be sown early — 

 just as soon as the clanger from frost is past — so that the roots will pene- 

 trate the ground sufficiently deep to withstand the blasting north wind 

 and dry hot sun. There was but very little Chile clover sown last Fall 

 or Spring that was successful, for the reason that although much of it 

 came up well and promised a success, we had an early dry and hot 

 norther, followed by continued hot and dry weather, which effectually 



