THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK PART VI. 2")7 



with no danger. When it comes to curing it for hay it should be cut as 

 soon as the blossoms show plentiful, and as soon as thoroughly wilted and 

 before it is dry should be cocked up in small cocks and left (if the weather 

 will permit) about three days before stacking or putting in the mow, but 

 if rainy weather should catch it before curing, it will stand twice the 

 abuse that any other tame hay will and yet make pretty good hay. The 

 aim is to so cure and handle as to save all the leaves. Great is alfalfa 

 in southwest Iowa! 



SOWING BARLEY WITH ALFALFA. 



The Homestead. 

 A subscriber from northern Iowa inquires if it is advisable to sow 

 barley and alfalfa together. As a rule alfalfa does much better when 

 sown alone with a nurse crop, although we well realize that farmers will 

 give up the use of their land for one year somewhat reluctantly. We have 

 known instances, however, where one bushel of barley per acre and twenty 

 pounds of alfalfa have given splendid results, although this cannot be de- 

 pended upon, taking it one year with another. The best plan is to prepare 

 the soil as early in the spring as possible and sow the alfalfa at the rate of 

 twenty pounds to the acre. If a drill is available so much the better, in 

 which case ten pounds of seed should be sown in one direction and the 

 same quantity in the opposite direction. The idea of using the drill is to in- 

 sure a perfect covering and the germination of all the seed. Alfalfa 

 sown in this manner may require cutting back two or three times during 

 the season, as weeds are very apt to grow strongly unless a nurse crop 

 is used. However, this cutting back does no harm, but rather seems to 

 establish a strong root growth. 



C. CORN. 



CORN CULTIVATION AND BREEDING. 



Kansas Farmer. 



W. H. Stevenson, before the Illinois Corn Growers' Association. 



There are many men today, in every state, who have toiled long and 

 diligently to increase the average yield of corn per acre, but there has 

 ever been few — very few — among the number who have endeavored to 

 accomplish this important work by systematically breeding corn. We 

 can readily understand why this is so. It has been comparatively easy to 

 investigate improved methods in planting and cultivating, but what tin^e 

 and patience and study have been required to breed aright? And yet, 



