EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



281 



On the heavier types of soil, and in fields that are inclined to be foul, 

 it is advised that the seed bed be prepared in the following manner: 

 Plow late in the fall or as early as convenient in the spirng, roll and 

 harrow, or harrow twice, innnedia(ely following the ])low. Harrow once 

 each week nnlil lale spring or early summer, when a good seed bed will 

 have been prepared. The 1ram])ing of the horses and the rains falling 

 during the spring months will have thoroughly firmed the soil under- 

 neath, the surface soil will be in a good tilth, the weeds in the surface 

 soil will have been rather thoroughly eradicated and enough moisture 

 will have been conseiwed to gciniinate the seed soon after sowing even 

 though the seeding is done in a dry time. 



In the earlier spring seedings the same method should be carried out 

 so far as possible. In this case it is more important to plow in the fall 



Fig. II. Alfalfa crowns. Notice the tap root, the large number of stalks and that some of the branches 



appear below the surface of the soil. 



but the soil should receive no other treatment until spring. A very good 

 seed bed may be prepared without plowing, in fields which have received 

 very thorough cultivation in a cultivated crop the preceediug season, 

 or the alfalfa may follow to advantage a crop of early potatoes with 

 little extra preparation of the seed bed. The condition especially to be 

 avoided in seeding alfalfa is the loose, oi^en seed bed, such as is pre- 

 pared in plowing only a short time before seeding. 



USE OF MANURE IN SEEDING ALFALFA. 



On the seed bed which is in course of preparation for some time the 

 use of manure is advisable. It may be applied before plowing and 

 turned under or it may be applied soon after plowing and incorporated in 

 the surface soil by harrowing. In either case the manure would add 



