68 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



forthwith. Of course if alfalfa comes up strong, vigor- 

 ous, and free from weeds, it should stand until blossom- 

 ing is well begun and then be mown for hay. 



It should not be supposed that the purpose in clipping 

 and allowing the clippings to remain on the ground is 

 primarily to make a mulch. It is to retard the weeds, 

 and as no other way equally convenient and economical 

 has presented itself, the young growths are mown and 

 left on the ground. 



In many parts of the country Crab grass (Panicum 

 sanguinalc) is the plant or weed that most persistently 

 interferes with the prosperity of alfalfa during its first 

 year, and frequent mowing is the remedy most recom- 

 mended and resorted to, but there are growers who main- 

 tain that such treatment is not best. An extensive and ve*-y 

 successful grower in southern Kansas tells the author 

 repeated experience has demonstrated to his satisfaction 

 that the advice to mow alfalfa frequently during the first 

 summer may under some circumstances be quite wrong. 

 If the season happens to be wet, and there is a rank 

 growth of Crab grass, frequent mowing causes the Crab 

 grass to set in a close sod and smother out the alfalfa. 

 He says : "My practice has been, under these conditions, 

 to let the Crab grass grow with the alfalfa until matured, 

 before mowing. The young alfalfa will usually keep its 

 head out sufficiently to breathe, and will survive until the 

 Crab grass is matured and all is cut. If allowed to 

 mature, the Crab grass will not start a second time, and 

 the alfalfa immediately springs up and occupies the 

 ground. Where the Crab grass is very rank it may some- 

 times be blown down in spots and smother out some 



