254 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



lime is applied at the rate of 400 pounds per acre in connection with 

 100 pounds of infected soil, the inoculation will be very satis- 

 factory in a year or two. The infected soil can be secured from Kansas 

 or Nebraska if it does not seem desirable to get it from Illinois. The 

 application of two or three hundred pounds of phorphorus fertilizer, such 

 as steamed bone meal, raw bone meal, rock phosphate, in autumn, would 

 be advantageous and profitable. 



For successfully growing alfalfa in Illinois, the soil should be well 

 drained and prepared as well as for corn. The seed should be sowed in 

 April, but May is also a fairly satisfactory month. Fair results have been 

 secured from seeding in June or even in August, but later seedings are 

 more liable to be injured by drouth or freezing. Sow broadcast at the 

 rate of twenty pounds of seed per acre, and cover about half an inch deep 

 with a light harrow. The more common practice, however, is to sow 

 alfalfa with a slight seeding of beardless barley or oats, cutting these 

 nurse crops early. The soil infected with bacteria is put on at the same 

 time, at the rate of one hundred pounds per acre. If the lime is to be 

 applied, four hundred pounds per acre should be sown broadcast. The seed 

 and soil containing bacteria and lime should be applied at the same time 

 and worked in with the harrow. 



The first season cut alfalfa whenever it seems to stop growing vigor- 

 ously. This must be done regardless of the size of the plant. If weeds 

 come up quickly, run over the field with the mower and let the clippings 

 lay on the ground. In no case should they be allowed to produce sieed. 

 The second season cut the alfalfa when about one-tenth the heads are in 

 bloom. This should be practiced even though the crop is a light one. 

 Subsequent cuttings are much more satisfactory than if the alfalfa is 

 allowed to reach full bloom. The last cutting should not be very close 

 to the ground, because of the danger of winter killing. 



The experiment station advises farmers to try a few acres of alfalfa 

 and to apply infected soil to at least a small plot. The infection enables 

 the alfalfa to feed upon the supply of free nitrogen in the air, greatly en- 

 riching the land on which it grows, as well as producing heavy crops of 

 forage. On the limestone soils of the state it will not be necessary to 

 add lime. 



ALFALFA IN SIOUX COUNTY, IOWA. 



G. W. Carter, Grinnell, Iawa. 



My experience in sowing and growing alfalfa is very limited, but 

 eminently satisfactory so far as it extends. 



Along the Rock river in Sioux county the top soil is a dark loam 

 with enough sand to make the soil quick and warm in the spring. This 

 soil varies in depth from four to ten feet, and under this is a gravel or 

 pure sand for perhaps ten feet more; permanent moisture is found in 

 large quantities in this sand and gravel. 



