ALFALFA TUK SWINE 22/ 



lots and move the hogs from one to the other as occa- 

 sion requires. 



"The length of the season durmg which this pasture 

 is furnished also varies. Alfalfa is ready for pasture on 

 the average from the middle of April in southern Okla- 

 homa to the middle of May in northern Kansas. In 

 many cases it will do for grazing earlier, but it is not best, 

 as the ycjung alfalfa has not the start it should have for 

 heavy pasturing, nor has it the strength in the plant. 

 When not pastured too early it will furnish feed at the 

 rate mentioned during nearly the whole season until 

 October in the north and November in the south. In 

 some years the pasture season will continue a month later 

 in the autumn, depending on- the rainfall and the late- 

 ness of cool weather. In some seasons, if the summer 

 is unusually dry and hot, the pasture will become short ; 

 but usually pasture for the number of hogs previously 

 specified can be depended on for about seven months of 

 the year in the southern limit of the territory named and 

 for about five months in the northern limit. This rule 

 will apply to other sections of the country in the same 

 latitude as Oklahoma and Kansas. While many farmers 

 pasture alfalfa fields to their full capacity, in some sec- 

 tions, especially in northern Kansas, it is customary to 

 run about half as many hogs as the alfalfa fields will 

 support. This practice permits the cutting of the usual 

 number of crops of hay, though the yield of hay is, of 

 course, reduced. 



"Alfalfa not only furnishes a great amount of pas- 

 ture, but it is of a character that goes to make bone and 

 muscle. It belongs to the leguminous family of plants, 



