Alfalfa in Kansas. 151 



The necessity of moisture for crops immediately succeeding alfalfa is 

 indicated by such reports as these : 



Mitchell county: "Leaves the soil very dry usually. The soil is rich 

 in plant-food elements left in the roots, especially the nitrates. These 

 cause luxuriance in small grains in early spring and suckering in maize. 

 Crops burn without plenty of moisture." 



Montgomery county: "Increases plant growth in wheat, kafir and all 

 field crops. Sometimes this stimulus causes too much leaf surface, that 

 must be maintained during the dry months." 



Cloud county: "In cornfields, wet year, heavy crop; dry year, nothing, 

 even less than on ground where alfalfa has not been planted." 



Lane county: "Depends on the season. If plenty of moisture, corn will 

 do well; if dry, will not do anything. It is the same with wheat." 



Morris county: "It seems to enrich the land, producing lots if a wet 

 season. Corn sometimes burns quickly if the year following happens to 

 be dry." 



Reno county: "Corn seems to go too much to stalk, and can not stand 

 drouth. Wheat goes too much to straw, and lodges. Kafir is best to 

 follow." 



Cloud county: "Crops after alfalfa are usually light unless there is 

 abundant moisture." 



Republic county: "It takes lots of moisture to mature crops following 

 alfalfa." 



Shawnee county: "Corn in a dry year is almost a failure; in a wet 

 year it gives large yields." 



Labette county: "It increases the growth of stalk and leaf particularly. 

 Kafir gave us eighteen tons of silage per acre in 1914 on alfalfa sod 

 broken the winter before. Corn is likely to be injured by drouth on 

 alfalfa sod, due to excessive growth." 



(See pages 462 to 468, and Fig. 138.) 



BEST CROPS TO FOLLOW ALFALFA. 



Analysis of the data at hand indicates that the best crops immediately 

 to follow alfalfa are those best able to resist dry weather, or crops not 

 expected to mature grain. The grain sorghums, such as kafir, milo and 

 feterita, silage crops, and crops intended for forage, such as "cane," are 

 best. Potatoes are also said to do quite well in regions where they are 

 ordinarily successful. Corn is preferred before oats and oats before 

 wheat. However, small grains grow too rank, and lodge ; corn for grain is 

 liable to "fire" or "burn"; and neither small grains nor corn may be de- 

 pended upon to mature grain unless there is a great abundance of 

 moisture. 



A few reports on this subject are quoted : 



McPherson county: "Some of the sorghums, or next best, corn for the 

 silo, because unless conditions are very good only a drouth-resistant plant 

 will produce grain." 



Jewell county: "'Cane,' kafir or some similar crop, more drouth-re- 

 sisting." 



Labette county: "Kafir or some other surghum for grain or silage. 

 We do not use 'cane,' on account of lodging. Kafir will stand up well and 

 mature a crop well without injury from drouth." 



