SEEDING AND CUTTING. 209 



tion of good dry rich land, with plenty of lime in it, 

 or else applying liberally of lime before planting. 



Deep plowing and somewhat high fertilization for 

 the potato crop. Planting as early as practicable 

 of a very early -maturing variety of potatoes. 



Very careful cultivation that will conserve all 

 possible moisture and destroy the weeds well. 



Digging as early as possible and immediate prep- 

 aration of the soil for alfalfa. 



Inoculating when needed with soil from a success- 

 ful alfalfa field or a sweet clover patch and sowing 

 the seed as soon as there is a good seedbed and 

 enough moisture in it. Covering the seed about an 

 inch deep with the harrow. 



Leaving the alfalfa alone, no matter how high it 

 gets, leaving all the growth to protect it in winter. 



Fall Seeding After Wheat. It is often desirable 

 to sow alfalfa after a crop of grain. This is prac- 

 tical enough if the season proves not too dry. Al- 

 falfa best follows a crop of winter grain, since that 

 ripens earlier than spring sown grain. Perhaps the 

 worst defect in the practice of following alfalfa 

 after wheat arises from the fact that if the land 

 is as fertile as it ought to be to grow a heavy crop 

 of alfalfa the wheat is apt to lodge. There are 

 soils, however, so well balanced that they will grow 

 both excellent wheat and heavy crops of afalfa. I 

 have seen in France wheat as high as oxens' backs, 

 yet not lodged at all, growing on alfalfa sod, and 

 destined to grow alfalfa again in the regular rota- 

 tion. 



