Alfalfa in Kansas. 275 



that extend out farther than the regular guards and pick up the lower 

 parts of the alfalfa plants can be obtained from implement dealers. 



The first season will seldom yield a hay crop, but the alfalfa is usually 

 cut once and left on the ground to protect the soil and prevent drifting. 



This year (1915) yields that have been reported run from two and one- 

 half to three tons per acre for the season (three cuttings) . Mr. W. E. 

 Young, of Wallace, obtained from his oldest stand of alfalfa two hay 

 crops and one seed crop. Ordinarily one hay crop and one seed crop or 

 two hay crops are all that might be expected, and in very dry years one 

 crop is probably all that will be obtained. The following gives some of 

 the methods used by a few men who are growing rowed alfalfa : 



Mr. J. H. Flora, Quinter, plows his ground eight inches deep in the 

 spring, after weeds have started, and then works the soil down with the 

 harrow to a firm seed bed. The alfalfa is seeded the last of May. Mr. 

 Flora first used the grain drill, but this left the seed in small furrows 

 made by the discs, and heavy rains which fell soon after the young plants 

 were up completely destroyed the stand. A garden drill was then used 

 with very satisfactory results. This left the ground more level and the 

 seed was not covered so deeply. With two men and two garden drills 

 eight acres per day were seeded in 36-inch rows. The preceding crop was 

 potatoes. Mr. Flora has fifteen acres of rowed alfalfa and expects to 

 have much more. 



Mr. A. Yale, Grinnell, first gives his field a top-dressing, during the 

 winter, of three tons of sheep manure per acre. The ground is plowed 

 six inches deep in the spring and worked down to a good, firm seed bed 

 with the harrow. Seeding is done the last of May or the first of June, 

 using the grain drill for seeding. Rows are thirty-six inches apart. Mr. 

 Yale has eight acres of rowed alfalfa and expects to seed forty acres more. 

 He obtained three cuttings this season (1915), yielding nearly three tons 

 per acre. 



Mr. W. E. Young, Wallace, prefers corn ground for seeding rowed 

 alfalfa. He lists the ground early in April and harrows the ridges after 

 each rain till the last of May. He then splits the ridges, running the 

 lister about four inches deep and the subsoiler one-half inch deep. Mr. 

 Young has had good success in securing a stand by this method. Some 

 farmers in his county have complained that the rabbits eat the alfalfa 

 crowns and destroy the stand. Mr. Young has had no trouble from this 

 source, as by listing the crowns are covered with soil and the rabbits are 

 unable to get to them. To level the ridges Mr. Young uses a weed cutter 

 with knives, followed with the harrow, and once with the shovel cultivator. 



From the results that have been obtained by these farmers it would 

 seem well worth while for others in the western fourth of the state to try 

 a few acres of rowed alfalfa, but do not expect too much of the crop at 

 first. 



At present prices forty acres of alfalfa would keep an ordinary family 

 in good circumstances year after year. I think it the most profitable 

 crop we can raise. If it gets the proper culture it will not die out in a 

 long time. It helps to enrich the rest of the farm, especially if fed to 

 stock and the manure is put back on the land. I have built up two worn- 

 out farms with it. A Brown county correspondent. 



