14- Growing a Field of Alfalfa for Profit and for Soil Improvement. 



Project Work Plan 



Study Involved 



Select a variety. . . 

 Buy and test seed. 

 Select ground 



Manure and plow 



Select fertilizer and lime. 



Fit the ground. 



Inoculate the seed 

 Plant. . 



Care for the crop. 

 Harvest . . 



Classification of alfalfa varieties. Varieties used locally. 



Sources of seed. Seed analysis. Adulterations and impurities. 



Alfalfa soil, lime requirements, drainage, texture. Working alfalfa 

 into rotations. 



Response of manure to alfalfa. Rate of application. 



Fertilizer. Kind, rate of application local markets. 



Lime. Response of alfalfa to lime, kinds of lime, rate, method and 

 time of application. 



Relation of fertilizer p,nd lime to nurse crops. 



The fitting program. Tilth and tillage. Importance and method of 

 cleaning the field of weed seeds. 



Methods of inoculation of seed and field. 



Methods, time and rate of sowing. Nurse crops for alfalfa. Advis- 

 ability, kinds, management. 



Disease, insect and other pests. Clipping. Winter care. 



The time of cutting. Methods of curing and handling. Manage- 

 ment in mow or stack. Pasturing alfalfa. Number of cuttings 

 per season. Time of last cutting. 



Weigh up yields. 



Dispose of crop 



Compute costs and profit. 

 Summarize project. 



Uses of alfalfa. Food value. 

 Farm accounts. 



Markets for alfalfa. Grades. 



Demonstrations with Projects in Alfalfa Growing 



15. Important varieties may be compared. 



16. Make a comparison of results on limed and unlimed portions of a field. 



17. Make comparison of areas sown with and without nurse crops. 



18. Compare a small plot on the field not inoculated with a like area of the field where 

 inoculation is good. 



NOTE. This project may well continue three or four years. At the conclusion the field will com- 

 monly be capable of more cuttings. This equity and the increased fertility of the field should be credited 

 to the project. 



References on Alfalfa Growing 



Montgomery, Productive Farm Crops (LIPPINCOTT). 



Wing, Alfalfa in America (Sanders Pub. Co.). 



Coburn, Book of Alfalfa (Orange Judd) 



Piper, Forage Crops (Macmillan) 



Graber, Alfalfa (Alfalfa Order, Madison, Wisconsin). 



Farmers' Bulletin 339, .Alfalfa; 194, Alfalfa seed; 382, Adulteration of forage plant seeds; 306, 

 Dodder in relation to Farm Seeds. Studies in Alfalfa, International Harvester Company, Agr. Ext. Dpt., 

 Chicago, 111. 



113 



