334 A YEAR IN AGRICULTURE 



Procure about 200 pounds of the soil upon which alfalfa 

 or wild sweet clover has grown and apply to each acre just 

 before seeding. Harrow it in at once. A cloudy day is 

 preferable for this work, since sunlight may kill many of 

 the bacteria before they get into the soil. 



Use good, clean, tested alfalfa seed, from twelve to fifteen 

 pounds per acre. On a small plot the seed may be sown 

 broadcast and carefully harrowed in. 



Cutting alfalfa hay. The crop is harvested the second 

 summer after planting as a most valuable hay. Three, four, 

 or five cuttings may be obtained during a season. The hay 

 should be cut as soon as the shoots of the new growth begin 

 to appear at the crown of the old growth. 



Notebooks records. The student should keep a notebook 

 record of every step in the operation, recording the cost of 

 preparation of the ground, the seed, etc., and if the project 

 continues two summers the returns from the hay crop should 

 be added to the record. 



HOME PROJECT 7 



SOIL FERTILITY AND ALFALFA 



Purpose. This project contemplates the handling of one 

 acre of land in four plots. Two of these plots are untreated, 

 and farm manure, limestone, and phosphorus are applied to 

 the other two. Two plots, one treated and one untreated, are 

 sown to alfalfa, and the other two put into a rotation, only 

 one crop of the rotation appearing at a time. Wheat, corn, 

 oats, and clover is the rotation suggested. This may be 

 varied to suit varying conditions. It is suggested that the 



