FIFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 



467 



Alfalfa, by reason of the large crops produced, draws heavily upon the 

 mineral plant food in the soil, using large quantities of potash, lime and 

 phosphoric acid. It is true that by means of its deep roots it obtains food 

 from depths not reached by other crops, but it must be remembered that in 

 humid regions the subsoils often contain comparatively little available food 

 and that, therefore, even so deep rooted a crop as alfalfa may not be able 

 indefinitely to secure all the mineral plant food necessary for its best de- 

 velopment. As a matter of fact it will generally respond well to liberal 

 applications of mineral fertilizers, and where long grown it will often be 

 necessary to supply it with potash, phosphoric acid and lime. Excispt on 

 limestone soils, a moderate application of air-slacked lime at the time 

 the seed-bed is being prepared, will generally be very beneficial. 



FEEDING VALUE OF ALFALFA. 



As a food for all kinds of live stock alfalfa is the king of forage crops. It 

 is especially rich in protein, or flesh forming material, and is well adapted 

 for use in a ration with corn which is relatively low in protein content. It 

 makes excellent hay and is more digestible than most forms of rough feed. 

 As a pasture and soiling crop it has few, if any, equals and one of the 

 qualities which recommend it most highly is its rapid growth. For soiling 

 purposes it can be cut four or five times in a season and for hay it will 

 usually yield three good crops in Indiana and sometimes four. As a pasture 

 for hogs it is unexcelled. It helps to keep the animals in healthy condition. 

 Hogs running on good alfalfa pasture are much less liable to cholera and 

 other germ diseases. It also makes excellent pasture for cattle, sheep and 

 horses. In pasturing ruminating animals on alfalfa it is, of course, neces- 

 sary to take the same precautions to prevent bloating as are necessary when 

 pasturing clover. 



TABLE SHOWING TOTAL DRY MATTER AND DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENTS IN ONE 

 HUNDRED POUNDS OP ALFALFA, RED CLOVER, TIMOTHY, 

 WHEAT BRAN AND CORN.* 



•Compiled from Henry's ' 'xTeeds and Feeding. " 



