GRASS AND HAY 59 



The ground should, if possible, be summer fallowed the previous 

 season to destroy the weeds and conserve the moisture for the germi- 

 nation of the seed. Intertilled crops, such as corn and potatoes, 

 instead of the summer fallow, may precede alfalfa. Spring seeding 

 is generally practiced, as the fall rains usually come too late to 

 permit fall seeding. 



Some Alfalfa Don'ts. Don't fail to provide for ample inocula- 

 tion ; soil from an old alfalfa field is best. Don't sow poor or weedy 

 seed. Don't sow on a weedy soil. Don't sow on any but a sweet, 

 well-lined soil. Don't sow on poorly drained soil. Don't sow on 

 any but a finely prepared, well-settled seed bed. Don't pasture the 

 first or second year. Don't lose the leaves; they constitute the best 

 part of the hay. Don't seed a large acreage to begin with. Experi- 

 ment on a small area first. Don't give up. Many prominent alfalfa 

 growers finally succeeded only after many failures. 



(Authorities Consulted on Alfalfa. U. S. Dept. Agr. F. B. 185; 

 Cornell, B. 232; Texas A. E. S., B. 109; B. P. L, B. 519; Kan., B. 

 155 ; same, B. 109 ; Ark. B. 75 ; Wyo. B. 43 ; Ind. Cir. 27 ; Kansas 

 B.'s 85, 90, 104, 114, 133, 134, 151; Ont. Dept. Agr. B. 165; Mich. 

 B. 199; 111. B. 76; Utah B. 61; Mont. Cir. 5; S. D. B. 94; Ohio B's. 

 80, 113 and 181; Utah B. 58; Tex. B. 66; Colo. B's. 13, 110, 111 

 and 128; Ala. B. 127; Cornell B. 221; Mo. Cir. 40; Wis. B. 112; 

 Mich. B. 225; same Cir. 1; Cornell B. 237; Okl. B. 71; Utah B. 

 48; Tenn. B. 21; Kan. B's. 155 and 175; Ind. B. 122; Va. B. 

 154; Wash. B. 80; Mo. B. 72; N. J. B. 148.) 



RED CLOVER. 



Red clover is utilized both as a hay and as a pasture crop and 

 often as a soiling crop. It is sometimes used as a green-manure 

 crop to be plowed under if the ground is poor in humus. Even 

 where it is cut for hay and only the roots and stubble turned under 

 it has a marked influence in increasing the yields of succeeding 

 crops. It makes an ideal hay for cattle and in the clover sections 

 should constitute from one-half to two-thirds of the roughage ration 

 of milch cows. Sheep and young stock of all kinds make excellent 

 gains on either the pasture or the hay. In addition to its usefulness 

 as a food for animals it has a most important effect upon the land 

 in maintaining the supply of nitrogen in the soil. By means of 

 the nitrogen-fixing organism on its roots the red clover plant is 

 able to gather large quantities of nitrogen from the air and leave 

 it in the soil in a form which can readily be utilized by growing 

 crops. It not infrequently happens that the yield of a grain crop 

 can be doubled by the growing and plowing under of a crop of 

 clover. 



The most serious problem at present confronting the American 

 farmer in many of the clover sections is the increasing difficulty of 

 successfully maintaining stands of clover upon the farm. With 

 continuous cropping and the consequent depletion of the soil of 

 humus and plant food the difficulty of growing red clover is greatly 

 increased. This condition must be met and solved, since the loss 



