SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — ^PART VIII. 805 



invariably revealed carlessness in some essential particular. To enumer- 

 ate the causes of all the failures investigated and from which reports 

 have been received would be merely to reiterate the story of almost any 

 individual case. Failure to prepare the seed bed in a proper way is the 

 commonest cause of failure. There is absolutely no use to try to raise 

 alfalfa unless the seed bed has been prepared with the greatest care. 

 Farmers everywhere ought to know just what constitutes a proper seed 

 bed. No doubt most of them could define a good seed bed and actually 

 prepare one. but when it comes to making one they have preferred to 

 stop short of excellence. To prepare a good seed bed the ground must be 

 broken at a time when it is in fit condition for breaking. Then it must 

 be worked with a harrow, drag, disc and roller until it is as fine as pow- 

 der on top and packed smooth and compact in every part. Then it is 

 ready for the seed, and no matter what kind of seed is to be planted it 

 will pay every time to have the seed bed in perfect condition. 



This season has already advanced far enough to disprove one of the 

 favorite arguments against alfalfa, which is that nothing can be rea- 

 lized from it the first year. Many persons who have given the subject 

 consideration have not agreed entirely with this proposition, but were 

 not in position to disprove it frm actual experience. Happily the dis- 

 cussion can now be set at rest, for an Indiana farmer has succeeded in 

 cutting three ton per acre from alfalfa which was sown on May 20 

 last. This farmer is Alva Langston. whose farm is in Henry Co., Ind. 

 ilr. Langstcn has been growing alfalfa fcr three years, and with others 

 believed that the crop should be clipped as often as required the first 

 year but not removed from the field. This year, however, he was urged to 

 make an experiment with the view of harvesting crops the first year. 

 Early in May he broke up a five acre tract and got it in the best possi- 

 ble condition for the reception of seed. Half of the tract he gave a heavy 

 dressing of barnyard manure, but the other half received no dressing. 

 He purchased seed in Illinois and obtained nitro-culture with which to 

 treat the 'seed. After the most careful preparation of the seed with the 

 bacterial treatment Mr. Langston sowed the seed thirty pounds to the acre 

 May 20 last. In the operation of sowing he went over the ground twice, 

 once each way, which served to place the seed more evenly over the 

 ground. After the seeding was finished he harrowed the tract lightly 

 and then rolled it. The stand was perfect, so far as could be observed. 

 The growth showed a little more luxurious where the dressing had been 

 applied, but not as much as might have been expected. The crop grew 

 astonishingly, and on July 20 it was large enough to clip. The mower 

 was run over the field and the young plants left to lie on the ground. 

 There were but few weeds. The crop flourished and on Aug. 25 the plants 

 stood on an average of twenty-six inches high all over the five acres. 

 It was decided to mow that crop and save it for hay. This was done and 

 the yield was slightly more than one ton to the acre. A second crop will 

 be harvested as soon as it has grown sufl!iciently and after that the tract 

 will be pastured. Some of the plants from this field were pulled up by 

 the roots. The roots were fifteen inches long while the plants measured 



