198 BETTER DAIRY FARMING 



Alfalfa Hay 



331. Comparative yield. — The crop for roughage which 

 produces the greatest yield and the greatest amount of digestible 

 protein per acre is alfalfa. In the production of total digestible 

 nutrients it is equalled only by corn. These facts are shown by the 

 following table, given by Henry and Morrison. 



Yield per 

 acre, lbs. 



Alfalfa hav 4372 



Clover hav 2624 



Timothy hay 2340 



Corn (ears and stover) 3574 



These figures are averages of country-wide returns and do not 

 represent what may be expected in every locality. However, they 

 leave no doubt as to the widespread superiority of alfalfa, and 

 explain why its acreage is so rapidly increasing. A good stand, 

 once secured, will last for at least five years. Every dairy farmer 

 should consider first the possibility of growing alfalfa for his 

 roughage. 



332. How to get a stand of alfalfa. — Three things are of 

 prime importance for growing alfalfa successfully: (1) a well- 

 drained, fertile soil; (2) lime; and (3) inoculation. 



The soil selected for growing alfalfa must be well drained. The 

 crop will not live on wet land and is particularly sensitive to 

 standing water during the winter months. On certain hardpan 

 soils where the water table comes close to the surface in winter, 

 alfalfa culture is very uncertain due to winterkilling. 



333. Good soil necessary. — Alfalfa will not do well on a poor 

 soil. It is not a crop suitable for building up the latter as is clover. 

 Unless the soil will produce a good yield of other crops such as 

 corn or wheat it is not suitable for alfalfa until manured and 

 fertilized. 



334. Lime indispensable. — Certain crops do best on an acid 

 soil, others will not grow at all on such a soil, while still others are 

 rather indifferent to this condition. Alfalfa and red clover are 

 crops which simply will not grow where the soil is acid. Acid soils 



