76 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



make every condition as good as possible. If it survives the first 

 winter, it will become well established and so remain a permanent 

 crop for years. 



Question. — ■ Shall we sow it in the fall? 



Mr. Smith. — No; sow it about the time of corn planting. I 

 should not sow it later than the first of July. The plants musl 

 have time to make sufficient root growth the first year, else they 

 will kill out in winter. 



Question. — Is it not difficult to plow an alfalfa field ? 

 Mr. Ward. — Yes; the roots are large and extend deeply into 

 the soil. But, why plow it up ? Once you have it well established, 

 there is no other protein crop so good, nor one that will remain so 

 long in the soil, at the same time producing so much each year. 



Mr. Woodward. — If you are fortunate enough to get a field 

 well established, keep it as long as you can. Top dress it every 

 year and leave it alone. I saw a field of it in Canada that was 

 20 years old, and was, the owner said, as productive as ever. 

 Question. — What are the advantages of raising alfalfa ? 

 Mr. Smith. — First, you get a larger growing material crop than 

 from any other source except corn. We have taken off more than 

 six tons of dry matter from an acre. It must have a dry soil ; that 

 i? there must be no free soil water in it, aud the ground must be 

 rich. Six tons of dry hay cannot be produced on poor land. 



Mr, Woodward. — Another advantage it has over other clovers 

 is its permanency. Once it is well established it will last for years. 

 I know one field that has been mowed more than 20 years, and it 

 seems to be as good as ever, but it has been well fed every year 

 with a good top dressing. 



Question. — Is alfalfa profitable for producing milk, and when 

 is tlic proper time to sow the seed? 



Mr. Witter. — It is, probably, the best hay we grow. Alfalfa 

 has a ratio about like wheat bran. With corn it is a valuable food 

 for milk production. A limestone subsoil is best for it. 



Question. — How long will alfalfa last before reseeding? Is 

 it nut difficult to plow up ? 



Mr. Smith. — We have a field of it at the Geneva Station that is 

 1:; years old, which yields three to four crops per year, depending 

 on the season. We had a small field that was not thick enough, 

 and so plowed if last year. Three horses did the work easily. If, 

 however, yon get a good catch, keep it. Do not plow it up. There 

 is no other protein crop grown to-day that will give you as great 

 value as this crop. 



