Alfalfa for New York 



1975 



The two principal objections to midsummer seeding are: (i) the season 

 may be too dry to prepare the land and sow the seed by August 10; 

 (2) on heavy soils or those with hard pan subsoil the young plants are 

 not strong enough to withstand winterkilling. There is a large area of 

 such heavy soil in New York State, especially the type known as Volusia 

 silt loam and the hardpan hill lands in the south-central part of the State. 



For the heavy types of soil mentioned above, the land should be thor- 

 oughly prepared and sowed about May i ; or, if the land is weedy and not 

 in first-class tilth, it should be plowed early and fallowed for about two 

 months, killing the spring crop of weeds and putting the soil in fine tilth. 

 Sowing should be done about June i to 10. 







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V. . !:, MITCHELL, SOLTn DAKOTA 



Fig. 151. — Tlogs in alfalfa pasture. Not troubled about the high cost of living 



A nurse crop is seldom used except on land especially well adapted to 

 alfalfa. In the latter case in New York, it is generally sown either with 

 oats in the spring or on fall wheat in the spring in the same way as clover. 

 The young plants are delicate and must be favored in early growth. How- 

 ever, in spring sowing it is often good practice to sow a half-seeding (one 

 bushel per acre) of oats or barley to be cut green at heading time for hay. 



Method of sowing 

 Drilling is a good practice, but the land must be harrowed smooth after 

 the drill. If the drill marks are left, a heav>' rain within six or eight 

 weeks after sowing may wash enough soil on the young plants to kill 

 them. Broadcasting ahead of a disk drill or a spring-tooth harrow and 

 rolling afterward is very satisfactory. 



