180 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



Q. Do you find any difference between the usefulness of the 

 spring-tooth harrow and the disk for this purpose? 



A. Not a great deal. If there is any difference it may be 

 in favor of the spring-tooth harrow. There is a regular alfalfa 

 disk put on the market now which consists of a spiked disk, and 

 this machine is used quite extensively in the west; but here in 

 Missouri it would hardly be profitable for farmers to buy a ma- 

 chine especially for alfalfa, when the work can be done just as 

 well with your disk. 



Q. Don't the disk cut the joints off of the alfalfa? 



A. You should disk after each cutting. The disk will spade 

 up the ground, but that is just what you want — it thickens the 

 stand, and that is one of the benefits of cultivation. You do not 

 want to turn the disk as many times as you would on other land 

 that you wanted to cultivate thoroughly; do not set the disk 

 straight, because then it won't get into the soil. 



Q. Is it a wise thing to put the disk on before you get a 

 stand ? 



A. Well, you get the first stand so early in the season, that 

 the ground is not in a condition for the disk. A few years ago, at 

 the experiment station here, we were ready to cut the first stand 

 by the last of April. 



Q. Is it necessary to apply manure only at the start? 



A. In the first place, it is necessary to have a good seed-bed, 

 and the manure is perhaps of not any more importance than the 

 inoculation. You must have both to get a good stand especially 

 on our average upland. If you have a good, sandy loam bottom 

 soil, you will not find either of these necessary. 



Q. Do you top-dress every year with manure? 



A. No, we do not find it profitable to let alfalfa stand more 

 than four or five years. If you want to apply manure, put it on 

 before you plow. Plow deep and turn it under, and work down 

 well so as to get a good seed-bed. 



I might give you Mr. Wing's rotation : It is corn and alfalfa. 

 After alfalfa has been standing for four years, he plows it up and 

 puts in corn the first year, then the second year he gives a good 

 coating of manure, puts it back in corn, and sows alfalfa in the 

 spring, and cuts a good crop that year. 



Q. Do you advise spring or fall sowing in Missouri? 



A. We have found fall sowing best adapted to Missouri con- 

 ditions — about the first of September. It may be that when we 

 get our plains here so well adapted to alfalfa growing, so thor- 



