330 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



sary to secure a stand of alfalfa in humid regions, the use 

 of a nurse-crop under such conditions is inadvisable as a 

 rule. 



When, however, experience has shown that all the 

 soil conditions are favorable, spring seeding with a nurse- 

 crop gives good results. This is especially true in the 

 northern tier of states and in Ontario. At the Ontario 

 Agricultural College just as good results were secured 

 with a nurse-crop of barley, seeding one bushel to the 

 acre, as where no barley was used. In an experiment 

 comparing wheat, barley and oats as nurse-crops, wheat 

 was the best, but not much superior to barley, while oats 

 was decidedly the poorest, all measured by the resulting 

 yields of alfalfa for 2 years. In a few instances, success- 

 ful stands of alfalfa have been secured by sowing between 

 the rows of corn at the time of the last cultivation. With- 

 out very favorable moisture conditions, success with such 

 sowing is problematical. 



395. Clipping. Some writers have recommended clip- 

 ping young alfalfa, when three or four inches high, with 

 the idea that this treatment would strengthen the sub- 

 sequent growth in a manner analogous to the pruning 

 of trees. The cases are, however, not comparable, inas- 

 much as there is no reserve store of food in the ?lfalfa 

 plant, as there is in the branches of trees. Clipping is 

 never justifiable unless weeds threaten to smother cut the 

 young alfalfa. Exact data are wanting to show the effect 

 of clipping on yields. In one experiment at Pullman, 

 Washington, the effects of clipping could easily be observed 

 for two years, the clipped plot showing weaker growth. 



At the Ohio Experiment Station, three plots of alfalfa 

 were sown June 27. One of these was clipped September 9, 

 when 12 to 18 inches high, and about 15 per cent in 



