Ahh ABOUT ALFAI.FA. 333 



not work in the irrigated mountain states. Sow the 

 grain first. Should it not be permissible to seed with 

 barley, preference should be given to wheat or speltz as 

 a nurse crop over oats. The latter grows too dense on 

 the ground and the blades are too close to afford light, 

 sunshine, and air to the young and tender plants. 

 Grain is better sown with a drill than broadcast. 



The form of seeding seems like a trivial matter, 

 but there is good reason why all grain should be drilled 

 in where irrigation is pradliced. Young grain in an 

 ideal condition is that which has sprouted and grown 

 quickly, reaching a hight of six or eight inches with 

 good root development at the earliest possible moment, 

 so as to get the grain up to the point where the 

 abnormal evaporation of moisture ceases. Broadcasted 

 grain which receives the customary harrowing is never 

 deeply fixed in the soil. Much of it is on the surface, 

 and unless the weather following seeding be wet and 

 cloudy is likely never to sprout. That which is one- 

 half inch under the surface will start growth after that 

 which is two or more inches deep. Again, the shallow- 

 rooted plants do not have a good chance to become 

 established until after those of deeper planting, with 

 the result of deeper growth and development and 

 uneven ripening. All of these conditions are unfavor- 

 able to grain produdlion in irrigated sedlions. On the 

 contrary, in case of drilled grain, the seed is deposited 

 at uniform depth of from two to four inches, depending 

 upon the set of the seeder, is covered with a uniform 

 depth of soil, is subjecfted to the same amount of 

 moisture, and is bound to germinate more evenly than 

 broadcast grain. At every subsequent stage of develop- 



