68 FOR BETTER CROPS 



however, go hand in hand with the phosphate: neither is complete 

 without the other. They should be applied at the same time for 

 best results. 



Seed — Good seed is of great importance. Alfalfa seed coming 

 from Arizona, South America, or Arabia, will grow all right the 

 first year, and then will probably winter-kill the first winter, 

 especially in any of the northern states. We find that the very 

 best seed in the world, that which is freest from dangerous 

 weeds and which possesses the greatest vitality, is produced in 

 our own United States, particularly in the northwestern part. 

 Also it is better if grown on non-irrigated soil. 



In some of the far southern states, an enemy constantly to 

 be fought is the Johnson grass. In some of these states alfalfa 

 seed is produced, and is very likely to be mixed with this pest. 



Alfalfa for the Poultryman — The poultry man will find 

 great profit from having a run of alfalfa. This should not be too 

 small a space, but large enough so that the poultry can forage at 

 will without injuring the plants, and so that he may cut the hay 

 regularly and save it for winter feeding. Poultry thrive upon a 

 diet composed chiefly of alfalfa, with some grain in addition. 



Alfalfa for the Dairyman — ISTo Other food forms SO good a 

 basis for the ration of a dairy cow as alfalfa, the reason being 

 its extreme richness in protein, and its easy digestibility, and 

 the additional reason that the cows love it so, and eat it so 

 greedily. Alfalfa growing countries have a great advantage 

 over other countries in the dairy business, so that it is well for 

 the dairyman, wherever he is situated, to begin to consider how 

 he may make his own soil an alfalfa-growing soil. It has been 

 found that the cost of milk production can be cut square in two 

 by the use of home-grown alfalfa. A ton of alfalfa hay, early 

 cut and nicely cured, as food for the dairy cow is worth as much, 

 pound for pound, as the best wheat bran. In order to get its 

 full feeding value, it should be ground. Even ordinary alfalfa 

 hay is w^orth nearly as much as wheat bran; so that it is clear to 

 the eastern dairyman, who must pay $25.00 a ton for wheat bran, 

 a field of alfalfa yielding no more than three or four tons per 

 acre is a veritable gold mine. Governor Hoard lias found that 

 with alfalfa in the dairy ration, it is necessary to use only about 

 half the amount of grain that must be fed when other forage is 

 provided. In truth, with alfalfa hay and corn silage, little or 

 no feed is needed to keep the dairy cow in the most profitable 

 producing condition. We thus emphasize the importance of 

 alfalfa to the dairyman, because among the many thousands of 

 eastern dairymen, the margin between cost of production and 

 selling price of their products is so small that they are in a 

 rather discouraged condition, and this condition, alfalfa will 



