No. 4.] ALFALFA IN NEW ENGLAND. 149 



and it may be several days before it can be put in the mow, 

 but the caps will protect it. I have seen hay put in the mow 

 quite green which will go through a fermentation making a 

 dark-colored hay, or what is sometimes known as tobacco- 

 cured hay. This will equal the bright green hay as a feed. 

 What we want to avoid is moldy hay. The hay should be a 

 bright green, or else sap enough left in the plant to produce the 

 tobacco-cured hay. 



After the first season it may be advantageous to top-dress 

 with 200 to 300 pounds of acid phosphate, and if the field be- 

 comes weedy a thorough harrowing with a spring-tooth alfalfa 

 harrow, or a similar tool, will kill the weeds and stimulate the 

 growth. Alfalfa should always go into the winter with at least 

 6 to 10 inches of top. 



Alfalfa in the crop rotation will not only build up the fer- 

 tility of the farm, but, if introduced in proper proportion with 

 other crops, a uniform labor load can be maintained which is 

 one of the large factors in economic agriculture. 



To those who have not quite made up their minds to begin 

 the planting of alfalfa as a crop by itself I would strongly urge 

 that every farmer use at least 3 to 4 pounds of alfalfa seed 

 in his grass mixtures. For permanent agriculture lime should 

 be used previous to seeding any grass crop, and by the use of 

 lime and thorough preparation of the seed bed and inoculated 

 alfalfa seed in the mixture you will be able to grow better crops 

 of hay than you would by not using the alfalfa. It has been 

 demonstrated that timothy and alfalfa grown together will 

 yield much heavier, and the timothy will be richer in protein, 

 than if grown alone; also by this method, which will be com- 

 paratively inexpensive, one can determine the practicability of 

 growing alfalfa by itself. In this way we found that alfalfa 

 grew luxuriantly when sufficient lime was applied previous to 

 seeding. 



In conclusion, let us bear in mind these principal points: 

 alfalfa is a highly desirable feed; alfalfa will grow more nutri- 

 ents to the acre than any other plant; alfalfa will improve the 

 farm; alfalfa can be grown on any well-drained soil by the use 

 of lime, inoculated seed from hardy plants, and can be grown 

 at a profit. 



