536 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



that everyone is getting- a square deal and that the creamery just 

 starting is not subject to the unfair competition of former years. 

 It is a matter of satisfaction to note that neighboring states have 

 recently enacted laws that are duplicates of ours. 



There has been some opposition to these measures but it gen- 

 erally comes from those who dislike to comply with any law. 



GROWING ALFALFA IN IOWA. 



When properly cared for, alfalfa can be grown almost any- 

 where in Iowa with success. It has been thought that this legume 

 is not well adapted to Iowa climatic and soil conditions and does 

 not fit well into Iowa rotations, but practical experience does not 

 justify this view. The success of many individual farmers and 

 the result of experiments on various soils and under various cli- 

 matic conditions demonstrate that if proper methods are followed 

 alfalfa can be grown profitably on nearly all Iowa soils. 



On most Iowa soils alfalfa can be seeded successfully in much 

 the same manner as red clover and the following year yield prac- 

 tically twice as much. It is claimed by old alfalfa growers that 

 it is easier to get a stand of alfalfa than of red clover. It is true 

 the cost of alfalfa seed is usually some greater, but it yields so 

 much more hay and generally is so much more valuable than red 

 clover that the cost of seed becomes a small item. Today nearly 

 30,000 acres in Iowa are devoted to the raising of this crop. 



Alfalfa is capable of returning a greater profit, acre for acre, 

 than any other crop produced on our Iowa farms. This may 

 seem a radical statement to those accustomed to consider corn 

 and wheat the only sure money crops for the state and to look 

 upon the adaptability of alfalfa as more or less doubtful, yet the 

 facts available and presented in the following table prove this 

 to be true. 



Yield per 

 acre 



Alfalfa 2.7 tons 



Tame hay 1.1 tons 



Winter wheat 18.5 bu. 



Corn 39.8 bu. 



