174 



Missouri Agricultural Report. 



Q. Suppose we fed more back on the soil than we raised — 

 would we increase the fertility? 



A. Yes; if a man is able to do that, he builds up the fertility. 

 One of the ways you can keep up the fertility is by buying feed, 

 although it is tearing down the one man's farm to build up another. 

 If you can adopt a system whereby you can make money by buy- 

 ing feed it is all right. 



THE RELATION OF SOIL TO ALFALFA GROWING IN 



MISSOURL 



(By C. B. Hutchison, Assistant, Dept. of Agronomy, Missouri Agricultural College.) 



Alfalfa is one of the most important forage crops that the 

 Missouri farmer is growing today. Its wide adaptability for feed- 

 ing to all classes of farm animals, its high feeding value and its 

 renovating effect upon the soil make it a very desirable crop to grow. 

 In many sections farmers are realizing this and are sowing more 

 of it every year. With the increased interest taken in it the char- 

 acteristics and requirements of the plant are being better under- 

 stood and it is now grown successfully in many sections where a 

 few years ago it was thought impossible to grow it. Every year 

 it is coming to occupy a more important place in systems of farm 

 m.anagement in those sections of the State best adapted to its 

 productiveness, and there is no doubt that it will soon be grown 

 to a greater or less extent all over the State. Alfalfa can be made 

 to grow on practically every soil type in the State but there are 

 some on which it is not a very profitable crop. 



ALFALFA— EFFECTS OF CULTIVATION. 

 Notice the crab grass on the uncultivated plot and the rank growth of clean alfalfa on the 

 cultivated plot. 



