ALFALFA I'OK SWINE 225 



Stems they would have before them if no mowing was 

 done, while the hay secured is as \'aluable as the same 

 quantity from meadows not used as pasture. 



A plat of thrifty, well-estabhshcd alfalfa suitably 

 fenced and used for pasturing swine of whatever age can 

 scarcely fall short of being among the most profitable 

 parts of any farm upon which swine husbandry is given 

 attention. 



In the summer of 1907 an agent of the United States 

 agricultural department interviewed "about 150 of the 

 most successful swine-growers and pork-producers of 

 Kansas and Oklahoma on the subject of crops used for 

 feed. . . . The main pasture crops for hogs in 

 this region are alfalfa, wheat, oats and rye, ranking in 

 importance in the order named." 



Bulletin No. iii. Part IV, of the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry, sums up what was learned from the investiga- 

 tions, and what it says of alfalfa is as follows: 



AliFALFA PASTURES 



"It is the testimony of 95 per cent of the farmers 

 interviewed in this region that there is no l^etter pasture 

 for hogs than alfalfa, where it can be grown success- 

 fully. Those who ha\e failed with it as pasture owe 

 their failure to two causes. First, the alfalfa has been 

 pastured before it has become well rooted. Young al- 

 falfa is too tender a plant to stand severe treatment ex- 

 cept under very favoral)le circumstances. There are a 

 few farmers who have pastured it the same year it was 

 sown and the alfalfa has survi\ed, but this was on rich, 



