802 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



crop of hay was taken off although the latter had a coat of good barn yard 

 manure, eight loads per acre put on with a spreader, applied to it in 

 March. 



Q. What is considered a good stand of alfalfa? 



A. If the plants are eight inches apart each way or even more than 

 that you need not worry about a poor stand. It will surprise you after a 

 few years. 



Q. Will the stand improve or, in other words, will it get thicker after 

 ,the first year? 



A. Yes, but not after the same fashion as clover will, by reseeding 

 itself. Alfalfa will send out shoots or runners from the main stem for 

 twelve inches or more. These shoots, roots, or runners, will in turn send 

 up sprouts, and in this way cover and occupy the ground which would — ■ 

 were this not the case — otherwise be vacant. 



Q. Is it necessary to inoculate the soil with alfalfa bacteria? 



A. In this part of the state (southwestern Iowa), no. In most other 

 parts a liberal application of good barn yard manure well worked into the 

 soil will, I think, be inoculation enough. 



Q. When should alfalfa be cut? 



A. When it begins to bloom. It would be a great mistake to cut in 

 later than the early blooming period, as new shoots begin to make their 

 appearance at this time, and they should be given full possession of the 

 ground? 



Q. How should the hay be cured? 



A. The best way in my estimation, is to rake it as soon as this can be 

 done, then put it in rather small, high cocks. Leave it stand in these 

 cocks until well enough cured so it won't get dusty and moldy in the 

 shed or barn. By following the above method you will secure hay of first 

 quality. 



Q. How often can it be cut in a season? 



A. Three times in this part of the state. 



Q. How many tons of hay will it yield per acre? 



A. In an ordinary or average season it will yieid at least five tons to 

 tb3 acre and very often more. I secured over a hundred tons of hay last 

 year from twenty acres, besides pasturing eighty head of hogs on it all 

 summer. My hogs are almost living on it now. I turned them out the 

 first of the month. 



Now a few general remarks: The foregoing may perhaps lead some of 

 your readers to think that if they can only raise a big piece of alfalfa it 

 is all they need. I would caution all those to go slow, sow a small piece the 

 first year, and add to it as they learn more about this, the most valuable 

 forage plant a kind Providence has blessed us with. There is a great 

 deal about growing and handling alfalfa which cannot be learned in any 

 other way than by actual experience. I would however, advise everyone 

 to try it in a small way unless he knows absolutely certain that it will not 

 grow in his locality. And I furthermore believe that alfalfa can be grown 

 over a great deal larger territory than it is now grown on. It is grown 

 here on the Missouri river gumbo soil as well as on the steepest hillsides, 

 and seems to be at home in both places. 



