Rural School Leaflet. 



743 



Co-operative experiments with many farmers in New York State 

 have brought out the following facts about the growth of alfalfa: 



1. A porous, well-drained soil is most likely to grow alfalfa success- 

 fully, but it sometimes succeeds on clay soils. 



2. A rich, fertile soil is most likely to grow it successfully. Applica- 

 tions of manure are, therefore, desirable. Usually it is best to apply 

 the manure the year before sowing the alfalfa, so as to have the weeds 

 subdued, or they ma}' be subdued by a summer fallow as given in No. 5. 



3. Inoculation is absolutely necessary for success. On some soils 

 this takes place naturally. If sweet clover or alfalfa have been growing 

 in the neighborhood, this natural inoculation is more likely to occur. 

 If inoculation does not take place naturally, the best way to inoculate 

 is to take soil from an old alfalfa field. 



4. The soil should not be acid. Alfalfa is more in need of lime than 

 any other farm crop. About half of the trials indicate that lime is needed. 



5. Weeds are one of the most serious enemies of young alfalfa. It 

 is, therefore, desirable that a w^ell tilled crop precede alfalfa. But if 

 the manure and soil are not very weedy, this is not necessary. Weeds 

 may be subdued by plowing early and continuing to cultivate the soil 

 so as to keep them down, and then seeding late in summer. A light 

 seeding of barley, one bushel per acre, is desirable if the alfalfa is 

 sown in the spring. This is better than weeds because it dies when 

 cut for hay. 



Which of these treatments is necessary on any particular farm can 

 only be told by trial. 



If the school has land available, make the following experiment. In 

 most cases, it will probably be better for the students to carry it out at home. 

 Perhaps it can be carried out on farm land adjoining the school 

 grounds, and have all the work done by the students. Plats 5 and 6 

 could be omitted unless some student volunteered to sow them at the 

 proper time. 



Lay out a plot 2x3 rods, and divide it into plats of a square rod each, 

 as in the figure, and drive a stake at each corner — twelve stakes in all. 



