54 



Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



FIG. 47. An end-gate seeder. 

 [Courtesy S. Freeman & Sons Mfg. Co.] 



Most of the growers reporting success in improving a stand recom- 

 mend disking or otherwise cultivating the field before reseeding. After 



reseeding a harrowing is generally 

 given. The time to do this work is 

 almost invariably specified as early 

 spring before the old alfalfa starts, 

 although there are some who, upon 

 getting a thin stand by spring sow- 

 ing, resow in the fall. An abund- 

 ance of rainfall is, of course, very 

 favorable. A method of thickening 

 a stand, which was mentioned quite 

 a number of times, is that of allow- 

 ing a crop of alfalfa to go to seed 

 and shatter out, later harrowing 

 the seed into the soil. Some grow- 

 ers recommend frequent clipping of 

 the old alfalfa until the young 

 plants get a start. Here are some 

 reports on the subject: 



Neosho county: "Very little suc- 

 cess if the field is thin all over. 

 Bare patches can be brought out 

 by reseeding, but if a thin stand 

 I would plow up." 



Wabaunsee county: "I have 

 spent a great deal of money trying 

 to thicken the stand, but always 

 without success." 



FIG. 48. Not many growers use the 

 old-fashioned hand method of sowing. 

 i -[ Courtesy Farmers Mail and Breeze.} 



Ness county: "Yes. Disk, sow the seed, and then harrow. Do it in 

 the early spring." 



Cherokee county: "Disk twice in February or March and sow the 1st 

 of April." 



