no 



per bushel, one may expect to p^et from 4S to 130 pounds of 

 seed per acre. 



ROTATIONS. 



Alfalfa, being" a perennial, will continue to produce good crops 

 for several years. In some regions it has continued to produce 

 good crops for from six to 10 years, and in California there are 

 fields 40 years old still producing good yields. However, this is 

 generally the exception, for in most cases the field will begin to 

 decline in yield after the fourth year, and it has been found more 

 profitable to replant soon after the yields begin to decline. 



All up-to-date farmers practice rotation of crops, for l)y this 

 method the fertility of the land is maintained and insect pests, 

 diseases and weeds are more successfully combated. 



Corn and other crops are especially benefited by a rotation with 

 alfalfa. On new weedy land it is best to plant first a crop of 

 corn or potatoes, which will leave the land almost free of weeds 

 and also in good physical condition. Alfalfa will do very well 

 after a corn crop and, by means of the nitrifying bacteria by 

 which it is accompanied, the alfalfa crop following will, at the end 

 of its period of growth, leave the soil more fertile and in better 

 condition for the next crop. 



X'arious methods and crops are used in rotations according to 

 the natural adaptabilit\- oi the soil and climate, but the following 

 systems may be worthy of consideration l)y the dairyman : 



(1) Corn one year; potatoes two years; alfalfa three to four 



or more years. 



(2) Corn two years; alfalfa four or more years; corn two 



years. 



(3) Corn one year; potatoes one year; soy beans or cow peas 



one year; corn one year; alfalfa four or more years. 



(4) Sorghum two years ; alfalfa four or more years ; corn t)nc 



year ; cow peas one year. 



It may be well to mention here that in gcneTal a Icgnnic is made 

 to follow or alternate in the rotation with a non-lcguniinons ])lant. 

 the choice of the varieties or species depending upon the natural 

 environment, ref|uircmcnts of the market or farm, and also the 

 prevalence of certain weeds, insects and fungous diseases. 



WEKDS. 



As mentioned above, weeds are the worst enemies of the young 

 alfalfa i)lants. the dodder, yellow trefoil. l)nr clover, green foxtail 

 and others being the most serious ones in the States. We do not 

 have these weeds to combat in Hawaii, but we have worthy sub- 

 stitutes in the so-called "knot or onion grass." "Ilonohono." and 

 the i)urcelain or "akulekule" (sometimes also called pig-weed). 



