126 



ARID AGRICULTURE. 



CROP FOB 



SEED 



TIME TO 



HARVEST 



SEED 



Cutting close to the ground may injure or de- 

 stroy the young plants. Proper clipping great- 

 ly strengthens the plant, causing it to produce 

 larger roots and more thrifty crowns. 



The first crop should ordinarily be left for 

 seed, in our Northern mountain regions. In 

 any district north of Colorado the second crop is 

 not so certain, although it is true that the second 

 crop will often seed better than the first. This 

 is probably due to more numerous insects for the 

 fertilization of the flowers later in the season. 

 Where the season is long, so four crops or more 

 of alfalfa are cut, the first crop may be clipped 

 or cut for hay, and the second crop used for seed. 



Alfalfa for seed should be cut before it gets 

 too ripe. If allowed to stand too long or there is 

 a shower of rain after the pods are fully ripe, 

 they will shatter and there will be much loss. It 

 is best to cut the seed crop when the alfalfa stems 

 are still more or less green, or when a majority 

 of the seed pods have turned brown. The earlier 

 ripened seed is probably best, and that which is 

 green or immature can be blown out with the 

 fan. 



STACKING 

 FOR SEED 



The alfalfa bundles or gavels from the self- 

 rake should be piled together for protection from 

 rain and to prevent shattering, by handling as 

 lar^e bundles as convenient. When thoroughly 



