WORK ON THE HOME FORTY 159 



five hundred pounds to the acre, though it seemed 

 like a conspicuous waste. The warm rains and 

 days of April and May brought a fine crop of 

 weeds ; and about the middle of May I turned 

 Anderson loose in the fields with a scythe, and 

 he mowed down everything in sight. 



After that things soon began to look better 

 in the alfalfa fields. As the season was favor- 

 able, we were able to cut a crop of over a ton 

 to the acre early in July, and nearly as much in 

 the latter part of August. We cut forty tons 

 from these twenty acres within a year from 

 seeding, but I suspect that was unusual luck. I 

 had used thirteen hundred pounds of commer- 

 cial fertilizer to the acre, and the season was 

 very favorable for the growth of the plant. I 

 have since cut these fields three times each year, 

 with an average yield of five tons to the acre for 

 the whole crop. 



I like alfalfa, both as green and as dry forage. 

 When we use it green, we let it lie in swath for 

 twenty-four hours, that it may wilt thoroughly 

 before feeding. It is then fit food for hens, hogs, 

 and, in limited quantities, for cows, and is much 

 relished. When used dry, it is always cut fine 

 and mixed with ground grains. In this shape it 

 is fed liberally to hens and hogs, and also to 

 milch cows ; for the latter it forms half of the 

 cut-food ration. 



While the crops are growing, we will find time 

 to note the changes on the home lot. Nearly in 



