78 



and should be worked at frequent intervals the first summer. 

 This means no returns the first year. Again, alfalfa can 

 not be made a paying crop on poor, unproductive soils. Al- 

 falfa ground must be sweet and in good physical condition 

 if the returns from the crop are to justify the necessary 

 expense. Most of the black prairie soils of the Corn Belt 

 can be made good alfalfa land by the application of lime- 

 stone to the soil. 



Alfalfa should be made a money crop rather than used 



BALING ALFALFA HAY ON CLOVEEDALE FARM 



This field made over five tons of hay per acre, the year after 

 it was sown 



as a soil-building legume. If alfalfa is grown it is grown 

 for the hay and large quantities of phosphorus and potas- 

 sium are removed from the soil in the hay. On the other 

 hand some nitrogen is stored in the roots and the physical 

 condition of the soil is undoubtedly improved. In actual 

 practice, then, alfalfa improves good land but cannot be 

 considered in connection with poor land, as it is not a 

 profitable crop to grow on unfertile soils. 



