ELEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XI 577 



SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNERS IN ALFALFA CULTURE. 



A. T. WIANCKO, CHIEF IN SOILS AND CROPS. 



Agricultural Experiment Station, Purdue University. 



INTRODUCTION. 



There is now no longer any doubt concerning the adaptation of alfalfa 

 to Indiana conditions. Its high feeding value and its ability to produce 

 large yields are established facts. Many farmers in various parts of the 

 state are successfully producing large areas of it. In every neighborhood 

 the interest in its production is becoming more and more marked and the 

 time is not far distant when this valuable forage crop will play an important 

 part in Indiana agriculture. 



As with all crops that are new to the farmer or to the local conditions, 

 there is much to be learned about alfalfa before it can be successfully 

 produced. The nature of the plant must be carefully considered and its 

 habits of growth, its needs in the way of plant food, the soils best suited 

 to it, and its cultural requirements must be understood. Without such 

 knowledge much disappointment is likely to result, and no one should 

 attempt to raise alfalfa without first making a thorough study of the 

 subject. 



Recognizing the value of the crop and its possibilities for better agri- 

 culture, this station began experiments with it a number of years ago 

 with the purpose of finding out its cultural requirements. In recent years 

 these experiments have been conducted in large numbers throughout the 

 state, on all the principal soil types and in practically every county. As 

 a result of these investigations, there has been collected a large amount 

 of valuable information concerning the requirements of alfalfa, its be- 

 havior under different surroundings, and the best methods of dealing 

 with it. 



This circular is prepared with a view to answering the more important 

 of the many questions that come to the station from farmers desiring to 

 try this crop. 



SOILS FOE ALFALFA. 



Many people make the fatal mistake of expecting alfalfa to do well 

 on soils that are not fit to properly produce any kind of a crop. There 

 is just as much need of care in selecting and preparing soils for alfalfa 

 as for any other crop and probably more, because of its deep rooting 

 habits and large plant food requirements. 



Deep, loamy soils with open subsoils are undoubtedly best for alfalfa, 

 but there is plenty of evidence to show that it may be successfully pro- 

 duced on almost any type of soil, from light sandy or gravelly loams and 

 mucks to heavy clays, providing that they are well drained, sweet and 

 properly supplied with available plant food. In 348 tri'als conducted by 

 this station during the last five years, 68 out of 83 clays, 167 out of 188 

 loams, and 69 out of 77 sandy soils gave satisfactory results. Failures 

 seemed to be due to factors other than the types of soil. 

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