PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES 26: 



LOUISIANA. 



Prof. W. R. Dodson, Director Louisiana experiment 

 station. — Alfalfa has been grown by the Louisiana sta- 

 tions since 1887. At the time the stations were estab- 

 lished there was little or no alfalfa grown in the state. 

 From the very first experiments conducted by Dr. W. C. 

 Stubbs, it was apparent that the plant was well suited 

 to the alluvial lands of the Mississippi and Red rivers. 

 Dr. Stubbs never lost an opportunity to advocate its cul- 

 ture, and the great progress made in securing its exten- 

 sive cultivation is largely due to his efforts. Alfalfa is 

 now extensively grown in the Red river bottoms, and a 

 very large percentage of the sugar planters grow it for 

 soiling and for hay for the plantation mules. We get 

 from four to seven cuttings per year. The average is 

 about I J'2 tons for the first three cuttings, but less for the 

 last cuttings. The station one year secured a harvest of 

 12 tons of cured hay per acre; six tons in a season is a 

 good yield. Were it not that one or more of these cut- 

 tings will fall due during a rainy season, when it is diffi- 

 cult to cure hay, we would go into the business very 

 extensively in this state. As to the quality of the hay or 

 forage, there is no question about its place at the head of 

 the list of desirable forage crops. The sugar planters 

 find it especially desirable to mix with their cheap mo- 

 lasses, as the former is rich in protein and the latter rich 

 in carbohydrates. In the southern portion of the state 

 best results are secured by planting in the fall. In the 

 northern portion good results are secured from early 

 spring planting. We use from 25 to 30 pounds of seed 

 to the acre. Some planters use more than this. Land 



