88 SOILING CROPS AND THE SILO. 



farmers. Under favorable conditions it would be 

 easy to obtain abundant supplies of green food from 

 alfalfa from spring until fall at a less cost than it can 

 be obtained from any other source. 



Green alfalfa is not only relished by horses, 

 cattle, sheep and swine of all ages, but it is specially 

 adapted to their needs. When fed freely to young 

 animals it promotes a large and vigorous growth. 

 Along with suitable grain adjuncts, it will fatten 

 animals quickly and will give them a fine finish. 

 Lambs can be raised upon this food alone, in addi- 

 tion to the milk furnished by their dams. And with 

 but a limited addition of more carbonaceous food, 

 swine may be raised upon it until ready for the block. 

 Of course during the fattening period, grain must 

 be the chief reliance. But to no class of stockmen 

 is green alfalfa of more benefit than to dairymen. It 

 is excellent for milk production, and the long season 

 during which it is accessible further accentuates its 

 value. Of course, in the green form, it should be 

 fed with some restriction to horses at work, but for 

 all other classes of horses it makes excellent food. 

 It is also helpful when fed to fowls. Other things 

 being equal, meat and milk cannot be produced any- 

 where more cheaply than in areas possessed of high 

 adaptation for growing alfalfa. 



The yields of green food furnished per acre for 

 the season vary with the number and strength of the 

 cuttings to be obtained. There are localities in 

 which alfalfa will grow, and yet the yields obtained 

 are not equal to those which would be obtained from 

 an equal area of red clover. In these it should not 

 be grown, The number of cuttings obtained per 



