62 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



acre in the drill way is much less than by sowing broadcast. A 

 bushel of seed to an acre of land is 20 seeds to each square foot 

 of land if sown broadcast, which would be sufficient; but there 

 must be an allowance made for casualties. 



The quantity of good seed I have found by experience is for 

 sowing broadcast, two bushels, and for drilling, one bushel. And 

 as the saintfoin does not cover all the ground the first year, 

 which spaces are generally occupied by weeds, to remedy this, 

 when I have sown it broadcast, I have sown four or five pounds 

 of clover seed with it to tlTe acre, which has answered a very 

 good purpose, as I have then had a crop the first year. 



The saintfoin is but a slow grower at first; the second year 

 perhaps will not exceed a clover crop, but afterwards it increases 

 every year for six or seven years before it comes to its full per- 

 fection; and as that increases, the clover goes off, and makes room 

 for it. 



This valuable plant will keep in perfection for twenty years, if 

 you only give it a slight top dressing with soot or ashes, once in 

 four or five years. The first summer, nor early the next spring, 

 it should not be fed, because it will bo apt to bleed itself to 

 death; for the sweetness of it is such, that it will entice cattle 

 to bite into the knot in the ground and spoil it; but afterwards, 

 when it has gathered strength, the best method will be to mow 

 the first crop, and seed it after, which is excellent for cows and 

 sheep. 



This plant, as well as trefoil, will not thrive in a wet moist 

 soil; and as saintfoin thrives best on high grounds, it is a great 

 advantage in the article of making it into hay, as it has greatly 

 more advantage of the sun, and less to fear of mischief from wet, 

 than grass which grows in low grounds. On the high grounds, 

 the wind will dry more in an hour than it will in meadows that 

 lie low in a whole day; and often the crops of saintfoin make a 

 very good hay in the same seasons in which all the grass hay is 

 spoiled. The sun on the high grounds has also a more benign 

 influence, and sends off the dew there two hours earlier in the 

 morning, and holds it up as much longer in the evening; by 

 these advantages the saintfoin has more time to dry, and is made 

 with half the expense of common hay. 



Saintfoin for hay should be cut when it is half blossomed, and 

 managed the same as before directed for clover. If saved for 

 seed, it must be the first cutting. You may know when it is ripe 

 by the seeds coming out easily in your hand. Dry it in the field, 

 and thresh it there on a cloth, as it will shed and you will lose 

 great part of the seed if you carry it to the barn. The straw 

 will be as good as hay for horses; and the hay, when it has been 



