ALFALFA 43 



or four feet of the surface to interfere with the development 

 of the alfalfa root. 



Seeding alfalfa. Alfalfa may be seeded in April if the 

 soil is free from grass and weed seeds. June and July seed- 

 ing give good results, but under favorable conditions best 

 stands may be secured from August., and September seeding. 

 Many favor spring sowing with one bushel of oats per acre 

 as a nurse crop. In this case it is best to mow the oats for 

 hay before they mature. With this plan it is sometimes 

 possible to harvest a fair crop of alfalfa in August. Alfalfa 

 should not be pastured the first year. Fifteen to eighteen 

 pounds of seed per acre is sufficient. 



In order to give alfalfa the best possible conditions, the 

 ground should be prepared with great care. It should be 

 plowed in the fall or early spring, and then stirred at least 

 once a week from early spring until seeding time. Disking, 

 harrowing, and rolling the ground in order to keep it worked 

 up before seeding not only prepares a good seed-bed, but 

 helps to keep out grass and weeds and to conserve the 

 moisture. 



The ground may be prepared thoroughly after winter wheat 

 or oats have been harvested, and if there has been sufficient 

 summer rainfall to supply moisture, alfalfa may be seeded 

 and get a good start without the loss of a season's crop. 



Inoculation. When alfalfa is sown for the first time in a 

 field, inoculation is necessary to establish a permanent crop. 

 The alfalfa plant will not get enough nitrogen from poor soil 

 to insure successful growth without the aid of the bacteria 

 which are able to utilize the free nitrogen of the air. These 



