16 CULTIVATED FORAGE CROPS OF THE NORTHWEST. 



Being a legunie. it gathers nitrogen from the air by means of its 

 root nodules, and hence acts as a soil renovator. Although alfalfa is 

 a perennial, a field usually deteriorates after a few years from various 

 causes. Fields in California as much as 27 and in Nevada from 85 to 

 40 years old are reported, but in most cases they require renewing 

 much earlier. Often the alfalfa fields become infested with weeds. 

 The squirrel-tail grass {Fordeum jiihatum) — also called foxtail in 

 Wyoming, barley grass in Utah, and tickle grass in Nevada — is com- 

 mon in alfalfa fields of the Great Basin and W^'oming plateau region, 

 and wild barley {Tlordeum murinum) — also called barle}' grass and fox- 

 tail — on the Pacific slope. 



These two grasses are especially troublesome on account of the long 

 bristles attached to the chafl'. When mature the^' cause serious irrita- 

 tion in the mouths of animals eating hay containing the weed. In the 

 Cache Valley and in western Wyoming the common dandelion is verj^ 

 troublesome. It thrives along irrigation ditches and invades the 

 alfalfa fields to such an extent that usually the fields are plowed up in 

 from five to eight 3^ears and renewed. This is done in the fall and 

 oats are sown the following spring, after which the fields are again 

 seeded down to alfalfa. 



Many express the opinion that under favorable conditions an alfalfa 

 field will last indefinitely and continue to yield profitable crops if 

 properly handled; but the alfalfa ma}- be killed in spots due to the 

 trampling of stock if a field is overpastured, or, during irrigation, 

 certain portions of the field being lower, may remain saturated with 

 water for too long a period. Alfalfa wnll scarcely survive standing 

 water longer than forty-eight hours. When alfalfa dies, its place is 

 likely to be taken b}- the before-mentioned pernicious weeds. 



Some growers renew their fields by disking the bare spots in the 

 spring and sowing seed thereon, or even disking the whole field. Disk- 

 ing is to be recommended, as it cuts the crowns vertically and causes 

 them to send out new stems. 



FEEDING VALUE. 



In the great alfalfa districts of the West t\\\s forage plant furnishes 

 the chief and often the onlv food for stock besides the native pasture. 

 It is fed to growing stock and to fattening stock; to cattle, sheep, 

 horses, and hogs; even the work horses upon the ranches may receive 

 no grain in addition to the allowance of alfalfa. Horses that are 

 worked hard upon the road, such as livery teams, usually receive a 

 small quantity of barley, and this grain maj' form a part of the ration 

 for the work horses upon the ranches. Rolled ])arley is the form in 

 which it is usually fed. as in this condition there is said to be less 

 waste than when whole or ground. For this purpose the grain is 

 passed through heavy rollers, which crush it without grinding it. 



