FORAGE CKOPS FOR THE SAND-HILL SECTION OF NEBRASKA. 21 



then covering it immediately Avith a disk or ordinary spike-toothed 

 liarrow, as bright ^unlioht is very quickly fatal to the bacteria. 



When this inoculated soil can not be obtained near at hand, it is 

 best to go to the trouble of shipping it even from considerable dis- 

 tances ralher than sow the seed without inoculation. In this event 

 •200 or 300 pounds of the inoculated soil may be mixed with an eciual 

 (juantity of loose soil or sand in order to facilitate the scattering of 

 it evenly over the field. 



3rETII0I> OF SEEDING. 



Before seeding, it is always profitable to spend sufficient time and 

 money on the preparation of the gi-ound to get it in perfect condition. 

 Alfalfa seed is quite expensive, and a poor stand of alfalfa means 

 that weeds will enter the field in the vacant spaces and in time ruin 

 the field entirely. 



AVhen the ground has been thoroughly prepared, as previously in- 

 dicated, the best results should come from seeding with a press drill, 

 but extreme care must be taken to prevent the seed from being cov- 

 ered too deeply, as the press wheels sink in the loose soil to a consid- 

 erable depth and the wind later fills these furrows. One can also 

 broadcast the seed, but the germination is never as good when the 

 seed is broadcasted and harrowed in as when it is put in the ground 

 with a press drill. This arises largely from the fact that the soil is 

 pressed doAvn on the seed in the drill track and capillary action sup- 

 plies the germinating seed with moisture, even though no rain falls 

 for some time after the seed is sown. 



In the case of broadcasted seed where it lies in the loose soil, the 

 >eed is very apt to sutler from lack of moisture directly after it has 

 germinated. It is better to seed half the required quantity of seed 

 one way and then cross-seed with the remaining half than to sow it all 

 one way. as a more even stand is usually secured in this manner. 



If the press drill is not available one can obtain about the same con- 

 dition of soil by rolling the ground after it is seeded and then follow- 

 ing the roller with a light harrowing. If the soil is unusually sandy 

 and liable to blow l)adly, it is necessary to do something to keep the 

 moving sand from cutting the young plants oif as they appear above 

 the surface of the ground. Some growers accomplish this by using a 

 birhl dressino; of barnvard manure. If such manure is free from 

 weed seed it will not only keep the sand from blowing badly, but wdl 

 >u[)[)ly the ground with additional plant food. 



The following is one of the best ways noted in which to hold the 

 sand and give the alfalfa a chance to start : After the alfalfa has been 

 seeded a verv lidit dressini? of native hav taken from old stack bot- 

 toms is scattered over the field. U'his dressing of hay should be quite 

 thin and evenly distributed. The next process is to go on the field 



[Cir. 80] 



