356 FIELD CROPS 



contain a liberal supply of lime, the addition of a ton to the 

 acre on at least a small portion of the field as an experiment 

 is advisable. Alfalfa will not thrive on sour soil. Lime 

 is the proper corrective. 



467. Preparation of the Land. One of the greatest 

 essentials for success in the production of alfalfa is a properly- 

 prepared seed bed. Few crops depend so much on this. 

 As it is very desirable to have the land free from weeds 

 before alfalfa is sown, it is usually well to have some culti- 

 vated crop precede it. In the South, this may be cowpeas, 

 cotton, or corn, though cotton and corn are not often removed 

 early enough to allow the seeding of alfalfa the same season. 

 Early potatoes leave the land in excellent condition for 

 alfalfa. A small grain crop, while not as desirable as a culti- 

 vated crop, may precede alfalfa, as it can be removed in time 

 to allow the preparation of the land for late summer seeding. 



While plowing is desirable, it is not always necessary. 

 If the land was plowed for the preceding crop and has been 

 kept free from trash, disking often gives as good results as 

 plowing. When the land is plowed, the work should be 

 done several weeks before seeding to give the soil time to 

 settle and become firm. Alfalfa grows best in a soil that is 

 fine and mellow on the surface, but is fairly compact beneath 

 so that it will hold moisture well. Where alfalfa is sown 

 on corn land in the spring, thorough disking and harrowing 

 will put it in good shape. The same thing is true where 

 alfalfa follows a small grain crop, particularly if the land was 

 plowed for the small grain. On sandy land, it is well to sow 

 the seed in grain stubble or to scatter a light top-dressing of 

 straw over the field to protect the young plants from injury 

 by the blowing of the soil particles. 



468. Sowing the Seed. The usual method is to sow from 

 12 to 20 pounds of alfalfa seed to the acre without a nurse 

 crop, sowing the seed with a broadcast seeder and covering 

 it by a light harrowing. The heavier rate of seeding is de- 



