18 The Bulletin. 



and this should be the principal object when grown in North Carolina, 

 it shoiild also by no means be allowed to advance to the seeding 

 stage before cutting; because, as pointed out above, not only hay of 

 inferior quality is obtained, but the vigor of the plants is greatly re- 

 duced, and subsequent cuttings gTeatly diminished for the year. 

 After alfalfa has become well established, it will frequently be 

 benefited by an occasional cultivation with a disk-harrow. It may be 

 disked in the spring before the plants begin vigorous growth, or it 

 may be disked after each or any cutting if necessary, but under 

 ordinary conditions the early spring disking will prove sufficient and 

 the best time. The disks should be set rather straight, so that they 

 will split the crowns of the plauts without tearing or cutting off any 

 of the stems, and should be forced to the depth of about two or three 

 inches. If much grass and weeds are present it will be well to follow 

 the disk with a spike-tooth harrow and rake out most of the tufts of 

 grass and weeds. The disking will, by loosening the surface soil and 

 uprooting of grass and weeds, not only afford better mechanical condi- 

 tion of the soil, but will promote a more healthy and vigorous growth 

 of the crop. Often by such a disking the stand is greatly thickened; 

 this resulting from the splitting of the crowns of many of the plants 

 into two parts, which develop each into new and vigorous plants. In 

 this climate, from three to five cuttings per year should be afforded 

 with a yield of from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds of hay per acre for each 

 cutting. Of course, with this as with other crops, yield will be gov- 

 erned by a number of conditions^-controllable and uncontrollable. 



ALFALFA FOR HAY. 



Alfalfa not only produces a large quantity of hay, but a hay that 

 is highly relished by all kinds of stock, and one that is of a superior 

 feeding value. To secure the best hay, the plants should be cut just 

 as they are coming well into bloom ; for hay cut at this stage of 

 growth of the plants will contain the highest percentage of leaves 

 .and the maximum amount of digestible nutrients. In curing, the hay 

 should be handled in such a manner as to prevent as far as possible 

 the loss of the leaves, for they are the most valuable part of the 

 alfalfa plant for feeding purposes. A good method to follow will be 

 to rake the hay into medium-sized windrows after it has wilted and 

 dried out a little. If the weather is favorable, it might remain in 

 the windrows and be cured there; but as a general rule it will be 

 best for it to remain in the windrows long enough only to partially 

 dry out, but not a sufficient length of time to get so dry that the 

 leaves will shatter off when it is handled, and then be thrown into 

 tall, narrow cocks. If this operation is followed by hot, dry, wnndy 

 weather, the hay will cure out sufficiently in a few days so that it 

 may be hauled and put into the barn or stack with safety. Generally, 

 however, it will be the part of wisdom to open up the cocks in 



