518 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



in the same clothes in which he has been painting, and before eating 

 should not only change his clothes but wash all paint stains from his skin. 

 It is not advisable to use turpentine or benzin in removing paint stains 

 from the hands, but by oiling thoroughly with linseed oil, or, in fact, with 

 any fatty oil, and then thoroughly washing with soap, the paint may 

 be removed, provided it has not been allowed to dry too thoroughly on 

 the hands. 



ALFALFA IN THE CORN BELT. 

 Hugh G. Van Pelt, in Kimball's Dairy Farmer. 



In all sections of the corn belt alfalfa is grown and in these same sec- 

 tions farmers are asking, "Will it grow?" 



Careful consideration and much observation leads to the statement that 

 few are the farms in the corn belt but alfalfa will grow thereon if the 

 seed bed is properly prepared, the seeding carefully done and the crop 

 properly cultivated. 



The feeding and fertilizing value of this legume has long been known 

 by many farmers and dairymen, and it is rapidly becoming recognized 

 by the general rank and file that, where it is possible to grow alfalfa, 

 farmers and especially dairy farmers want it. Hundreds of acres will be 

 seeded to this useful nitrogen gathering plant this year, for in every part 

 of the corn belt farmers are learning that alfalfa can be grown. 



W'HEN TO SEED. 



In some sections spring seeding is advisable. In the more humid re- 

 gions greater success usually results from fall seeding. This is because 

 the plant is very frail and tender when it first makes its appearance 

 and if sown in the spring it immediately enters into competition with 

 rank growing weeds as soon as it comes up. Generally the weeds get 

 the best of it and the alfalfa does not survive. 



Furthermore, it seldom proves successful to seed alfalfa with a nurse 

 crop because in the first place the tender plants do not thrive in competi- 

 tion with the ranker growing crop and when the grain is taken from 

 the ground the alfalfa, accustomed to being shaded, suffers greatly from 

 the heat of the sun and very often perishes. 



Seeding in the fall after many of the weeds have been killed has proven 

 most advisable in many sections. Where fall seeding is advisable, right 

 now is the time that thought and consideration should be given to locat- 

 ing the experimental field and to the preparation of the soil. 



Alfalfa should be growing on the farm of every reader of this magazine 

 and by carefully following the advice given in these columns every reader 

 can have a successful field. It is likely that some people will disagree 

 with this statement, but in most instances failures are due to the lack 

 of knowledge, persistency and careful attention to details on the part 

 of the farmer, rather than to the location and character of the soil. 



