SEEDING AND CUTTING. 215 



Virginia, under the direction of C. V. Piper, J. M. 

 Westgate and Nicholas Schmitz of the Department 

 of Agriculture, J. F. Jack is sowing what may 

 be well termed an alfalfa ranch. His estate consists 

 of nearly 2,000 acres along the Rappahannock River. 

 When Mr. Jack took this land much of it was in a 

 most impoverished condition. 



The land is first plowed and planted to corn with 

 250 pounds per acre of raw bone meal. Sometimes 

 other fertilizers are used. The plowing is deeper 

 and more thorough than the land has ever known 

 before. 



Next, at last cultivation of corn, crimson clover 

 seed is sown at the rate of about 20 to 30 pounds 

 per acre. A small growing wild hairy clover is 

 found on these fields that probably inoculates the 

 crimson clover and it grows well. In May this 

 crimson clover is knee high all over the fields. Then 

 it is turned under, plowing about 8 inches deep. Lime 

 is put on, either ground limestone at the rate of 

 about 2 to* 3 tons per acre or burned lime. Intensive 

 cultivation is given the land till August, the pur- 

 pose being to store the land with as much moisture 

 as possible. 



Then men come and sow with hand labor inoc- 

 ulating earth. This Mr. Jack can get from Eis 

 own farm, though originally he had it shipped to 

 him from sweet clover beds along the Potomac 

 Eiver. Immediately behind the men who distribute 

 the earth walk other men with wheelbarrow seeders 

 and distribute alfalfa seed. Behind these men come 



