NINETEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IX 505 



yield where successfully grown; to its drouth resistance; and to its long 

 life, and consequent small cost of seeding. The various cuttings may be 

 timed to keep a continuous supply of green feed available. Alfalfa may 

 be used to furnish green feed during the entire season if a sufficient acre- 

 age is available. The period during which it is suitable, however, is limited, 

 since where the cutting is made too early the yield will be decreased, while 

 in the later cuttings the stems may become woody and fibrous, and in ad- 

 ditions the succeeding crop may suffer. 



The precaution should be taken not to cut the same field more often 

 than it would be cut for hay as otherwise the plant may be seriously 

 weakened and the stand permanently injured. In this section alfalfa fre- 

 quently proves .valuable in the early part of the soiling season. The 

 yields secured are usually large, varying from 10 to 18 tons per acre. Cows 

 do not consume large quantities of alfalfa in the green state as the green 

 feed does not seem to be relished proportionately as much as is the well 

 cured hay. Where alfalfa is grown successfully it may be included in any 

 rational scheme of soiling. 



During the seven years in which soiling has been practiced at this sta- 

 tion, alfalfa has been used to some extent each year. The first and second 

 cuttings were used. The alfalfa cut for soiling was generally of the 

 previous spring's seeding, having been sown at the rate of 18 pounds per 

 acre along with li/^ to 2 bushels of oats. The first crop was generally ob- 

 tained about June 10 to 20, while the second cutting came about July 5 to 15. 

 The yield varied with the seasons but was generally satisfactory, the aver- 

 age being 8 tons of green feed per acre for the first cutting and 4 tons for 

 the second. 



The costs per ton of this feed were comparatively high, being $3 per ton 

 for the first cutting and |4.50 for the second. The cows seemed to relish it 

 fairly well but did not consume as large quantities of it per head as they 

 did of some of the other feeds. 



The main disadvantage of alfalfa as a soiling crop was found to be its 

 short season of availability. If it was cut too early the maximum yield was 

 not obtained and if the cutting was delayed the subsequent crop was de- 

 creased. In other respects it was fairly satisfactory. 



RED CLOVEB. 



While this clover is more widely grown in the United States than is any 

 other legume it does not fill an important place in soiling systems. It can 

 be fed for only a very short period as the stems quickly become woody. 

 It does not compare favorably with alfalfa in yield -although from 8 to 12 tons 

 are usually secured. Red clover should be cut for soiling shortly before the 

 blossoms appear as at this time it yields more protein, and less fibre per 

 acre than during any other period. Bloating seldom results although it 

 is desirable that the clover be neither wet nor badly wilted when fed. 

 Grown without other crops red clover sometimes goes down, thus making 

 it diflicult to harvest. While the second crop may also be utilized for soil- 

 ing in this section, it is better adapted for hay or pasture, or even, in favor- 

 able seasons, seed production purposes. ' 



