260 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTQRE 



has proved successful. Alfalfa is particularly sensitive to drouth in its 

 early stages of growth, so that unless the season or the soil be unusually 

 moist it is apt to be killed out by the growing grain. Fall seeding usually 

 winter kills in this State. 



5. Kesult the first year. No crop can be expected the first year. If weeds 

 appear they should be mown before seeding, and with the young alfalfa, 

 be allowed to lie upon the ground. If the growth is excessively heavy 

 however it should be removed. 



6. Will it take the place of clover? Not unless there is a decided failure 

 of the clover crop. In very dry seasons alfalfa does better than clover. 

 It is also exempt from the root borer. It starts earlier in spring and grows 

 somewhat later in fall than clover and remains green during the dryest 

 months. It will yield during the season as much or perhaps more than 

 clover but requires several cuttings. It cannot be as safely pastured as 

 clover, owing to injury to the plants by the trampling of animals and by 

 close grazing. There also seems to be need of greater caution in pasturing 

 alfalfa than of clover to prevent animals bloating. Alfalfa hay, though 



* somewhat coarse and woody, is readily eaten by all kinds of stock, but in 

 curing the hay care is needed not to over dry it or there will be a' great 

 loss of leaves. Alfalfa is more particular than clover in regard to soil and 

 will not thrive as well as clover on poor sandy land. 



7. The seed crop. So far as known alfalfa has not yet been raised for 

 seed in Michigan and little information can therefore be given on this 

 point. It is not certain that the seed can be successfully raised in this 

 State in ordinary seasons, as the blossoms often fail to set. In Colorado 

 the plant seeds abundantly and the second crop is usually cut for that 

 purpose. 



8. Price of seed. Where alfalfa seed is grown the yield is greater than 

 that of red clover and the price from first hands is usually less. In some 

 seasons it is so low that the seed is used for feed. In eastern markets 

 the price is usually about the same as that of red clover. The seed is sold 

 by all seedsmen and by most dealers in farm seeds in the smaller towns. 



KAFFIR CORN. 



Recent favorable reports, chiefly from Kansas and Oklahoma, have 

 called attention to the merits of Kaffir corn as a grain and fodder plant 

 well adapted to withstand drouth. In certain cases in the state and ter- 

 ritory mentioned its yield has been greater than that of Indian corn. Last 

 spring the seed was widely advertised by seedsmen and the plant received 

 extended favorable notice in the agricultural press. From various parts of 

 this State have come to the station inquiries as to its value and the 

 method of its cultivation. The following statement from Farmers' Bul- 

 letin No. 37 of the U . S. Department ol Agriculture, written by Professor 

 C. C. Georgeson of the Kansas Agricultural College, expresses well its 

 agricultural features: 



"Like all other crops, Kaffir corn yields best on rich land. It responds 

 well to generous treatment. Its culture, however, is not limited to soils of 

 certain classes and qualities. It may be grown on stiff clay and on light 

 sand, in river bottoms and on poor uplands, and it will yield profitable 

 returns on soil too poor for corn. Perhaps the strongest recommendation 



