254 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



teria, preferably by taking infected soil iiCm a well-estab- 

 lished alfalfa field, where root tubercles are found in 

 abundance or from land where Sweet clover (melilotus), 

 has been growing successfully for several years. Infected 

 Sweet clover soil serves just as well as infected alfalfa 

 soil for the inoculation of alfalfa fields. As a rule, the 

 best results are secured from summer seeding. The land 

 should be thoroughly prepared and made as free from 

 weeds and foul grass as possible and then seeded between 

 June 15 and August 15, if the conditions are favorable. 

 Under exceptional conditions good results are obtained 

 from earlier and later seeding. Three cuttings are usually 

 obtained in the northern part of the state and four in the 

 southern part. The average yield is five or six tons per 

 acre. A liberal use of farm manure in getting the alfalfa 

 started is advantageous and on some soils the application 

 of lime is necessary in order to correct the acidity of the 

 soil. As a rule, the yield is increased by adding to the 

 soil some form of phosphorous. A yield of 8^ tons of 

 thoroughly air-dry hay has been obtained where a special 

 effort has been made to make the conditions favorable. 



INDIANA 



C. M. Ginther, Wayne county writes in Orange Jiidd 

 Farmer, July 8, 1905 : — *'Up to last year there had not 

 been half a dozen attempts to grow alfalfa in Wayne 

 county, not because there was no desire on the part of 

 the farmers to raise the crop, but because the farmers 

 knew absolutely nothing about the methods to pursue in 

 order to get a fair stand. Last year, however, a number 

 of agriculturists in the county determined to try the crop. 



