INVIGORATION FROM MOWING 243 



tober, unless I wished to weaken the roots. However, if 

 one can do the work promptly, one can take off 4 cuttings, 

 and we have frequently done so, but 3 are nearer che 

 average, and it will not always be ready to cut by June. 

 In the South it may in the Gulf States be ready to cut 

 in March or April, and then of course one can hardly 

 avoid cutting it 5, 6 or more times. 



Alfalfa Must Be Mown to Invigorate It. In humid 

 lands alfalfa will not live long unless it is periodically 

 cut. After it has grown a little while it ceases to be 

 vigorous, the leaves begin to fall and it is at a standstill 

 until it is mown ; after which it at once starts into vigor- 

 ous growth again. Sometimes when it is time to cut 

 alfalfa the growth may be insignificant, and one not 

 knowing the habit of the plant might neglect to cut it, 

 thinking it not worth while. The truth is, however, it 

 will hardly start into growth at all until it is cut off. I 

 have mowed off in late July a short growth of alfalfa 

 plants hardly worth the raking, and had at once a vigor- 

 ous growth start up that made much more than a ton to 

 the acre in 40 days. The reason for all this is a mystery 

 past finding out, but let the reader impress here upon 

 his memory once and forever that alfalfa should never 

 be cut before the shoots at the base of the stems have 

 indicated that it is ready, nor ever let it stand past their 

 coming or about 40 days' growth, no matter if it is 

 no more than 6" high. 



As I write this we have a field of 40 acres of perfectly 

 healthy alfalfa sown in April (it is now August) that 

 has been once cut with the barley nurse-crop, is now no 

 more than 6" to 8" tall and is beginning to bloom. It 



