outbreak is most prevalent about one or two weeks before the first 

 cutting. In serious cases immediate cutting is very advisable as 

 the second crop will come up green and healthy and practically free 

 from the disease. When a plant is thus diseased it seems that its 

 strength and energy are thrown into the little shoots at the crowns 

 which consequently grow much more rapidly. This permits much 

 earlier cutting and also facilitates the harvesting before the hay is 



CUT 3 WEEKS BEFORE RIGHT STAGE 



Fig- 55- Cutting Too Early Kills. 



Cutting alfalfa too early is bad. The succeeding growth is so severely 

 checked that weeds and grasses spring up and choke out the alfalfa. 



seriously damaged by the disease in the way of a loss of leaves. The 

 second growth generally comes entirely free of the disease but it 

 may appear prior to the cutting of the second crop. Only in cases 

 where leaf spot is very serious, and this to be gauged by the develop- 

 ment of shoots at the crowns, is extreme early cutting desirable. 

 Generally those alfalfa fields which lack inoculation or need lime 

 are most badly affected with leaf spot. 



Dangerous to Cut Alfalfa too Early 



Cutting alfalfa before the proper stage sometimes causes such a 

 serious thinning of the stand that weeds and blue-grass soon take 

 possession of the field. While this seldom occurs instances are on 

 record where serious damage has resulted. We have observed it in 

 our experimental work where early and frequent cutting have been 

 tested out. Reports from Woodlawn Farm at Mechanicsburg, Ohio 

 show a decided injury from cutting swaths of alfalfa thru their fields 

 before the proper cutting stage in preparation for a state alfalfa 

 growers' picnic. 





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