246 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Admitting the superiority of red clover as a rotation crop to restore 

 fertility, there remain only two uses for alfalfa— permanent meadow and 

 pasture. I have never seen alfalfa thoroughly tested for pasture, but 

 see no reason why it would not be a success. Doubtless it will not stand 

 very close pasturing, but that will injure any grass or forage plant. 

 Alfalfa is the main reliance for pasture in the drouthy west and doubt- 

 less it would prove valuable for that purpose here in Iowa. It begins to 

 grow fully as early in the spring as blue grass and keeps green late in 

 the fall. Unlike blue grass, it does not stop growing in midsummer, when 

 most needed. In two weeks' time it will make a good growth in dry 

 weather. Its long roots extend several feet down into the sub-soil, mak- 

 ing it largely independent of drouths. 



As a permanent meadow alfalfa is doubtless superior to either clover 

 or timothy. F. C. Woodford of Page county has a large alfalfa meadow 

 on the fertile bottom of the Nishnabotona. Mr. Woodford figures on three 

 cuttings of two tons each, making six tons each year, valued at $6 a ton. 

 or $36 for one year's crop. These figures may be realized in exceptional 

 cases, but I believe one ton a cutting and $4 a ton, or $12 an acre, would 

 be a fair estimate for an average field, one year with another. 



The quality of alfalfa hay is of the highest. Our stock prefer it to 

 any other. Horses will often leave bright timothy for musty, half rotten 

 alfalfa. One objection to alfalfa is this: If there is a long dry spell 

 after it has been cut it will make a very poor growth and go to seed. 

 At such times it will often make not more than a half ton an acre. 

 There is no use in waiting for it to grow larger, for when it blooms it 

 quits growing. The proper time to cut is just as it begins to bloom. If 

 the cutting is delayed much longer the stalks become hard and woody. 

 It is so used to having its head cut off that it thrives best when cut very 

 often, say three to five times a year. Another objection to alfalfa for 

 hay is that it cures very slowly and not if perfectly dry when put away it 

 will become musty. However, a light rain or two while curing does not 

 seem to damage it very greatly. It takes longer to cure than clover, but 

 is less injured by rain. 



As far as a permanent alfalfa meadow is concerned, what need is 

 there for a permanent meadow, unless one desires to raise hay for the 

 market A little timothy or prairie hay is nice to feed work horses, but 

 for the great bulk of our hay we may safely rely on red clover. We must 

 raise clover in order to Keep up the fertility of our land, and so we have 

 a large quantity of clover hay on our hands, whether we prefer it to other 

 hay or not. If there is not sufficient clover hay for roughness, it will pay 

 better to save the corn fodder and feed it from the shock or shredded 

 than to raise alfalfa for hay. As a supplemental forage crop, sorghum 

 for fodder is probably better than alfalfa. It grows a heavy crop in a 

 few months, instead of two years, and can easily be ploughed up the 

 same fall. 



