TIME OF GUTTING. 



Alfalfa ought to be cut whenever it needs cutting, 

 whether in meadow or pasture. It is the life of al- 

 falfa to cut it now and then. It disappears and is re- 

 placed by other plants in eastern soils when not cut 

 occasionally. In the west this is not so true, yet in 

 almost any region alfalfa is healthier and better to 

 be cut now and then. 



Time to Cut. One knows that alfalfa needs cut- 

 ting when he sees a cessation of growth, an appear- 

 ance of bloom, a dropping off of the lower leaves and 

 especially when he notes shooting out near the sur- 

 face of the ground small new 'sprouts or buds, as 

 though the plant was about to make a new growth. 

 As soon as these shoots appear, cut the crop as 

 promptly as possible. The earlier it is cut after 

 these shoots start the better the hay will be and the 

 more nutritious, also the stronger will be the new 

 growth. Thus the total amount of forage produced 

 by a field of alfalfa is very directly proportioned to 

 the promptness with which it is cut after it is ready. 



It has already been pointed out, however, that it 

 is dangerous to mow alfalfa too soon. To cut it 

 before these basal -shoots have started may weaken 

 it and in the case of newly-sown alfalfa may also 

 destroy it. 



Bloom not a Test. One can not safely judge of 



(293) 



