FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 43 



Alfalfa should be run over with a mower three or four times the 

 first season to Iveep the weeds down. The mower should be set high, 

 and the weeds mowed so often that when cut and allowed to remain 

 on the ground they will not smother the alfalfa. Some good alfalfa 

 growers mow the alfalfa three or four times the first season when there 

 are no weeds, as they find that the pruning of the young plants makes 

 them more vigoreus. TJie cut vegetation should be left on the ground 

 to act as a mulch. If mowing has been delayed until the weed growth 

 is heavy, it is often necessary to cut the weeds, rake and take them off 

 the ground to prevent smothering of alfalfa. 



No stock of any kind should be allowed on alfalfa the first year of 

 its growth. 



Cutting acts as a tonic to alfalfa. Whenever alfalfa does not thrive, 

 cut it. This applies throughout the life of the plant, from the time 

 it first becomes high enough to cut with a mower, and through all the 

 years of its life. Whenever alfalfa begins to bloom, cut it, no matter 

 how short, unless seed is desired. 



Alfalfa should be cut when not more than one tenth of the plants 

 have come to bloom. Cut at the early stage, the yield of hay for the 

 season will be much greater than if the alfalfa is cut near maturity, and 

 every pound of hay secured will be worth more for feed. 



The late cutting of the first crop seems to injure the plant more 

 than at any other time, and we have found it profitable to cut alfalfa 

 the first time as soon as one tenth was in bloom, even though the 

 weather was bad and we knew that the crop would spoil in curing. 

 The increased yield from succeeding cuttings over that cut late much 

 more than makes up for the loss of the first crop. 



Successful clover growers, the first time thej^ try alfalfa, often ruin 

 the stand, so that it has to be plowed up, by waiting to cut until it 

 reaches the stage at which clover is usually cut. 



It is going to be difficult to cure the first crop of alfalfa haj^ in 

 Iowa. On Brookmont Farm we are going to save straw for the first 

 crop and stack straw and alfalfa in alternate layers. With ordinary 

 weather no difficulty will be experienced in stacking the second and 

 third cutting. 



The President: This matter is now l>efore yon for disctis- 

 sion. 



A Member: \A'ill alfalfa shed rain? 



Mr. Cottrell : It is not a g"ood material to shed rain. 



A Member: What kind of alfalfa will soil o-row that is orrav- 

 elly and dry ? 



Mr. Cottrele : It will die out on gravelly and dry ground. 



A Member : In the southern portion of our State, along the 

 tributary streams, draining into the Des Moines river, on land 

 with clav soils, where we drill wells, sav one hundred and 



