THIRTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XII 



655 



Undoubtedly, its comparatively small acreage is due to the common 

 belief that alfalfa is not well adapted to Iowa's climatic and soil condi- 

 tions, and does not fit well into Iowa rotations. The fact is that on most 

 Iowa soils alfalfa can be seeded successfully in very much the same 

 manner as red clover and the following year give a yield practically twice 

 as great. True, the expense of the alfalfa seed will be a little more, but 

 the increased yield of hay and its increased value, pound for pound, over 

 red clover, makes the cost of seed a small item. Farmers in different 

 parts of the state who have grown alfalfa for a number of years say that 

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



YIELD PER ACRE AND VALTE OF THE rRODUCT. 



Alfalfa is capable of returning greater profit, acre for acre, than any 

 other crop which can be generally grown on Iowa farms. 



Those who consider corn and wheat the only sure money crops for 

 the state, and doubt the adaptability and value of alfalfa may think this 

 a radical statement, but the available data gives it support. 



The figures in tables I, II and III show that the average acre yield of 

 all the alfalfa in the state, when sold for the very low price of $9.80 

 per ton, will pay 10 per cent interest on $270 land. 



TABLE I. 

 The Average Yield and Farm iValue of Alfalfa as Compared witli Other Staple Crops 



in Iowa. 

 1909 



TABLE II. 

 The Net Profit Per Acre from Alfalfa as Compared with Other Staple Crops. 



*Cost includes such items as interest on value of land, taxes, manuring, plowing 

 cultivation, seed, harvesting, etc. 



iLeft down five years. 

 ^Left down two years. 



