140 RESTORING WORN-OUT SOILS 
If you do not live near a canning factory, sow hun- 
garian, and if ground is much worn, plow under before 
seed ripens and sow to vetch. But if soil is fairly rich, 
cut the hungarian for hay just as seed has formed, and 
then disc thoroughly and sow to vetch. 
The following spring, in either of the above cases, 
plow under the vetch before it ripens its seed. Keep 
the ground cultivated until you are ready to sow the al- 
falfa seed, which may be any time from the middle of 
July to the first of August, the earlier the better. If 
you use care in selecting and sowing your alfalfa seed, 
you will obtain a splendid stand and crop of alfalfa. 
In case you plow under your hungarian you lose a 
year’s crop, but suppose you do; you gain more than you 
lose in the fertility you gain and the condition in which 
you get your soil. 
If your soil is not poor and you cut your hungarian, 
you will get a vast quantity of fine hay, which, as stated, 
the author regards as the best hay that can be grown on 
the farm, alfalfa alone excepted. 
Peas, hungarian and vetch planted in the manner 
stated blaze the way through the perplexities of com- 
pact, non-inoculated soils to successful alfalfa growing. 
There is no doubt about it; try it and see. 
The author has elsewhere stated that it is a great mis- 
take to allow soils to be idle. There is only one ex- 
ception, and that is when you are starting a blue grass 
pasture. 
The soil should ever be occupied in growing a crop 
intended either for grain, feeding or plowing under. 
Field corn, after it is laid by, ought always to be sown 
