436 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



color it is evidence of a light crop of seed. Again, if the blos- 

 soms fertilize properly the flowers dry and stick to the stem a 

 few days, while if they are not fertilized they drop quickly and 

 the stems stand bare. Even before the bloom falls the circular 

 pods are visible. The pods should appear thickly set on the stems, 

 two or more in a group, to insure a good seed crop. Finally, if by 

 examination the pods are found to be well filled with seed, the 

 crop is assured, barring accidents by which the seed may be lost 

 in harvesting and thrashing. 



From the above suggestions it may seem to the novice that he 

 would be able to judge fairly well when a crop of alfalfa should 

 be left for seed; yet old growers do not find it easy to decide. A 

 grower who has had twenty years' experience writes as follows: 

 "I cannot tell when a good crop will be made until near matu- 

 rity, as the blossoms often fail to seed, and then too much rain 

 may cause well-fruited alfalfa to take a second growth and con- 

 tinue to bloom and ripen seed irregularly. Also during damp 

 rainy weather the ripe seed may sprout, or when the weather 

 turns dry the ripe pods may burst, shattering their seed." It is 

 even possible that after a crop is ready to harvest it may be lost 

 or badly damaged by excessive rain, causing the seed to sprout or 

 the pods to burst when they dry in the sun. 



Relative to saving a crop of alfalfa for seed these suggestions 

 may be given: If the weather has been wet and the alfalfa grows 

 too rank, cut for hay. If heavy rains fall while the alfalfa is in 

 bloom, or before the flowers are fertilized, cut for hay. If for any 

 reason the flowers are not fertilized and the bloom falls quickly, 

 leaving bare stems, cut at once for hay. Even after the seed is 

 formed, if excessive rains come and a second growth starts, cut 

 the crop and remove it, because it will fail to ripen seed evenly 

 and is almost certain to be an unprofitable crop, and the sooner 

 it can be taken from the ground the sooner another crop may 

 start and mature. 



When to Harvest for Seed. The harvesting depends a little 

 upon the evenness of blooming and the weather conditions during 

 the period of maturing. In a fe.vorable season, with even bloom- 

 ing and even maturing of the seed, the rule is to harvest the 

 alfalfa when a large proportion of the pods have turned brown. 

 In the average season, as the alfalfa matures, part of the seed will 

 be ripe while some of the seed is overripe and shattering and 

 some is yet immature. With such a crop it is necessary to 

 strike an average and harvest when the largest amount of plump, 

 sound seed may be saved. 



The opinions of farmers vary widely regarding the proper 



