42 A YEAR IN AGRICULTURE 



Growing 1 alfalfa. The growing of alfalfa is no longer a 

 mystery. An Illinois farmer writes, "During the unusually 

 dry period of 1913 we harvested on our farm three full crops 

 of about three and a half tons per acre and permitted a good 

 fourth crop to remain on the land for winter protection. We 

 thought that $66.50 per acre was sufficient for an unfavor- 

 able farming year like 1913. " 



There are many good reasons why more farmers should 

 grow alfalfa. There need be no fear of overproduction should 

 it result in the feeding of more live stock an operation prof- 

 itable both as a business and as a soil builder. In. brief, 

 alfalfa improves the physical condition of the soil by adding 

 organic matter and by loosening it, owing to its deep roots. 

 It improves the chemical condition by adding nitrogen and, 

 in its disintegration, by liberating other plant-foods. It fur- 

 nishes a forage food of first rank for the live stock on the 

 farm, and as long as it sells from $15 to $20 per ton it will 

 tend to fill the purse of the farmer as well. 



Soil requirements. Soil upon which alfalfa is to be grown 

 should be well drained and should contain a good supply of 

 organic matter, lime and phosphorus. On well-drained corn 

 soils, liberal applications of limestone, two to five tons per 

 acre, will usually prove helpful and profitable. In order to 

 give alfalfa a good start, some phosphorus can be applied 

 with profit. Five hundred pounds per acre of fine ground 

 steam bone-meal or acid phosphate is quickly available plant- 

 food for this purpose. Any good well-drained soil with plenty 

 of lime, active organic matter, and phosphorus will grow 

 alfalfa, providing there is no hard pan or rock within three 



