TFKKKSTAN ALFALFA AND TIMoTHY. 21 



iiitorruptioM troiii showers, llt'iuc no piiiiis aic taken to to}) oil' tlic 

 8t:u'k in order to slied rain until the stark is linislicHl. 



TiRKKSTAN Alfalfa. 



Turkestan alfalfa, a \ ariety recently introduced from Russian liii- 

 kestan by the U. 8. Di'partnient of Aoriculture, has l)een tried in 

 many parts of the Northwest, t)ut over most of this reijioM it appears 

 to hav'e no superiority ov«>r the kind already grown. Kxperiments 

 seem to show, however, that it is somewhat moie resistant to cold 

 than the common variety; hence it is likely to he l)ett(>r ada])ted to th(^ 

 colder portions of the area, such as Washiuiiton. ()re;^on. and Idaho. 



Ti^iOTHY [Phleuiii jn'atensi'). 



This standard oi-ass is extensively grown in many parts of the Xorth- 

 w^est, particularly where the climate is too moist and cool for alfalfa, 

 such as the mountain districts and the Pacitic coast plain west of the 

 Coast Range. It is the most commonly cultivated grass in the Rock}' 

 Mountain region, thriving in the higher altitudes where alfalfa is not 

 successful. Except in favoi'ed locations, the tields must be irrigat(>d, 

 Timothy will not usually succeed in the hot, dry valleys of California 

 and the southern portion of the(ireat Basin region, even when irrigated. 

 In the irrigated regionsof central Washington, timothy is an imi)ortant 

 crop, being grown chieflv above 1,200 feet altitude. The Ellensburg 

 district of the Yakima Valley is famous for the excellent cpiality and 

 large (juantity of timothy grown for shipment. On account of the dry- 

 ness of the air the hay retains its fresh green color, while that grown 

 in the very moist regions around Puget Sound and along the coast to the 

 southward is usually darkei- colored. For this reason there is a strong 

 demand for timothy grown in the irrigated districts around P'dlens- 

 burg, Wash., and elsewhere in northeastern Washington and in north- 

 ern Idaho, for export. As stated in another chapter, this timothy is 

 baled in large quantities for the Alaskan and Philippine markets In' 

 the process of double compression. Where grown for home consump- 

 tion, timothy is often mixed with red clover. The timothy ma}' be 

 sown in the fall and the clover in the spring, with oats; or the oats 

 may be sown in the spring and the other two mixed and sown broad- 

 cast later. Sometimes the clover and timothy are sown together by 

 means of combination drills. These machines have a separate feed 

 box for the clover, which may drop the seed in the same holes w ith 

 the timothy or sow it broadcast in front of the drill. On moister land 

 and certain kinds of gravelly soil, alsike replaces the red clover in 

 combination with timothy. 



Timothy, either alone or in combination with clover, is frequently 

 used for pasture. The method of establishing pasture employed hy 

 Mr. Wheeler, who owns a ranch near Reno, Nev., illustrates the pos- 

 sibilities in this direction, where water is available. Upon ordinary 



