100 TRANSACTIONS OF STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in any other way. The percentage of nitrogen in the alfalfa plant varies 

 considerably, being highest in the early stages of growth and least about 

 the time seed commences to ripen. This indicates that hay should be 

 cut not later than when the plant commences to bloom. 



Irrigation. — Two methods of growing alfalfa are practiced. The gen- 

 eral custom is to grade and check the land into squares previous to 

 planting, and grow the crop by irrigation by flooding. This is the only 

 method practicable on most farms, and wherever the subterranean water 

 is not near enough to the surface to keep the soil above it moist to the 

 surface. By this method alfalfa can be grown anywhere, and all waste 

 corners and vacant pieces of land can be utilized as forage producers by the 

 orchardist or vineyardist, it being by far the most valuable plant known 

 for this purpose. It can be thus grown anywhere where land is farmed 

 in Fresno County, except in a few locations near the Sierra foothills, 

 where the soils are strongly impregnated with iron. 



Underflow. — By the other method land is selected for an alfalfa field 

 so located that the subterranean moisture reaches the surface or near 

 thereto, and the seed is sown without any preparation of the surface 

 other than plowing and harrowing. When a stand, as it is called, is 

 obtained on land of this character, the resulting meadow is probably 

 more productive than where surface flooding is resorted to in irrigating. 



Water is applied by percolation, being run in wide, shallow ditches 

 through the field upon the high ridges or parts. From these ditches it 

 seeps or percolates through the soil and reaches all parts of the field. 



A person purchasing land for the production of alfalfa alone should 

 select this character of soil, where irrigation by percolation may be 

 employed, as the first cost of preparing the land is less, the crop pro- 

 duced is larger and of better quality, and the field is longer lived than 

 where surface flooding is necessary, especially if the flooded land is 

 sandy and porous, as successive floodings gradually leach the lime, 

 potash, etc., out of the soil. A moderate amount of alkali is no detri- 

 ment. 



Sowing Alfalfa. — Having made selection of the land and leveled and 

 checked it (if it is to be flooded in irrigating), it should be plowed and 

 thoroughly pulverized. The best condition of soil is obtained by grow- 

 ing an irrigated crop the season preceding the planting to alfalfa, such 

 as Egyptian corn or pumpkins, and planting to alfalfa the following 

 spring. If sown broadcast, twenty to twenty-five pounds of seed should 

 be used per acre ; if drilled, fifteen or twenty pounds will do. If seed 

 production only is aimed at, much less will do — in fact, is best — as the 

 most seed is produced where the plants are thinly scattered over the 

 ground. 



