Alfalfa in Kansas. 289 



ALFALFA MACHINERY. 



By F. A. WIRT and R. E. WISEMAN, 

 Department of Farm Machinery, Engineering Division, Kansas State Agricultural College. 



The title of this article will be used in the broadest sense of the word, 

 and will include machinery used in the preparation of the seed bed, 

 planting, cultivating, harvesting, threshing, cleaning seed, and main- 

 taining fertility. Under the name of the machine a short description 

 will be given, followed by a few words on operation and care. Selection 

 and care of machinery in general will be treated briefly. 



PREPARATION OF SEED BED. 



Plows. 



These are so well known that a description hardly seems necessary. 

 Of the three general kinds the walking plow, sulky plow, and engine 

 gang the second named is used by far the most. Walking plows in 12, 

 14 and 16 in. sizes are used for gardens and small irregular fields. Two 

 horses will do for the 12 in. and three on the larger sizes. The common 

 sizes of riding plows in Kansas are the 16-in. sulky and 12-in. gangs. 

 The frame machine with a tongue is preferred to the frameless. If 

 more than three horses on the sulky and four on the gang are to be 

 worked, the teams should be hitched in tandem. When more than the 

 number mentioned is worked abreast, side draft becomes very trouble- 

 some. 



FIG. 225. The rotary disk plow. [Courtesy Moline Plow Company.] 



For tractor use several companies have put out attachments for 

 their horse gangs. By removing the depth lever and adding a lever that 

 can be handled from the tractor, and with the proper hitch, these plows 

 are giving good results. Tractor gangs of the 2-3 and 3-4 sizes have been 

 sold in great numbers the past two years. The self -lift construction 

 makes it possible for one man to operate both the tractor and the plow. 



