THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK/ — PART VI. 247 



EXPERINCE WITH ALFALFA. 



W. S. Kelley, Mondamin, Iowa. 



My experience in growing alfalfa dates back to 1894, when I sowed 

 thirty pounds of seed on one and a quarter acres of fall plowing, after 

 cultivating and harrowing the ground. Sowed broadcast and covered with 

 a harrow. It was cut three times the first year, yielding about four rons 

 during the season. 



The second year it was cut three times, yielding seven, six and four 

 loads respectively. 



Since that time we have gradually increased our acreage up to thirty- 

 five or forty acres. I have sown it in a variety of ways and have never 

 had a failure. Broadcast on fall plowing and disced in and harrowed In 

 and drilled in. Sown with and without a nurse crop (I prefer this way). 



When sown with a nurse crop (barley) I always mow it for hay 

 when in the milk stage about June 20th. A nice crop of hay can then be 

 secured early in September. 



On light or thin soil the drill is best. On rich soil broadcast give 

 best results. Have sown on spring plowing and also disced it in on stock 

 ground. I can stand in the fence corner and throw the seed and get a 

 stand, so can anyone. I never heard of a failure to seure a stand. The 

 failures all come in the after treatment. Were I asked to point out the 

 way to successful alfalfa culture, I would nail up but two sign boards. 

 On one I would put the words mow it. On the other I would put the 

 words mow it. Now that is all there is to it. Run the sickle on the ground 

 and mow it every three or four weeks' the first year if the weeds or fox- 

 tail grasls (its greatest enemy) equal it in height. If these do not bother 

 mow it every six weeks, beginning about June 15th. There is no danger 

 of any weeds or grasses interfering with it the second or subsequent 

 years. It will take care of itself. 



It has given me on the first year an average yield of three to four 

 tons per acre. The first crop is weedy but the second and third are of 

 first-crass quality. I mow my old alfalfa four times and the average yield 

 during all these years has been over seven' tons per acre. It does best on 

 a level surface with a porous sub-soil. Do not sow on thin hilly land; it 

 will disappoint you; the growth on such land will not justify the frequent 

 cutting it must have to keep it at its best. 



Twenty-two to twenty-five pounds of seed per acre is required to se- 

 cure a good stand. I sow early in the spring about oats sowing time. 

 How long it will grow without rese'eding'- 1 do not know. The oldest piece 

 under my observation has now passed its eighth year and looks as vigor- 

 ous as at four years old. It will not grow a seed crop in this state every 

 year. I secured a crop of five bushels per 'acre in 1901 which was sold 

 for six dollars per bushel. I let the third crop go to seed. The second 

 crop is removed about July 4th. 



