Alfalfa in Kansas. 



31 



perience that after the first year the alfalfa itself is superior to tile as a 

 drain in deep soil; but, in my judgment, shallow soil should all be tiled." 

 (See pages 216 to 224.) 



SOIL ACIDITY. 



Pale, sickly and dying plants often indicate an acid soil a sour soil, 

 a soil deficient in lime. Constantly wet soils are nearly always sour. 

 There are sour soils, however, that are not wet. The usual method of 

 testing for soil acidity (see page 237) is as follows: With a spade, 

 trowel or other implement, make an opening in the soil. Insert a piece 

 of blue litmus paper, obtainable at any drug store, and press the soil 

 firmly against it. In ten minutes carefully remove the paper. If it has 

 turned red, or if red spots appear on it, the soil is acid and needs an 

 application of lime, and sometimes manure as well, to correct this acidity 

 and to make it sweet and productive a condition necessary for success- 

 ful alfalfa growing. The litmus paper needs to be carefully handled, as 

 the perspiration on a person's fingers very often reddens the paper. 





1 



FIG. 19. There are few Kansas regions in which limestone may not be had within hauling 

 distance, and farmers will do well to look into the cooperative purchase of portable lime pul- 

 verizers. [Courtesy Power Farming.} 



