342 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



In some semi-arid regions, notably India and Algeria; 

 alfalfa for hay is grown in this manner both with and 

 without irrigation. In these countries, however, labor is 

 much cheaper than in America. 



Thus far the culture of alfalfa in rows in the United 

 States has been mainly with the idea of producing seed 

 crops. The success already attained leads to the belief 

 that the method will come into wide use. The area 

 particularly adapted to this method of seed-production 

 is that east of the Rocky Mountains, where the annual 

 rainfall lies between 14 and 25 inches, and west of the same 

 mountains, where the precipitation is between 12 and 20 

 inches. Such conditions supply sufficient moisture if the 

 alfalfa is planted thinly in rows 30 to 40 inches apart and 

 cultivated frequently. Furthermore, it is under just 

 such conditions of drought that seed setting is favored. 

 Irrigable lands cannot be economically utilized in this 

 manner, as they will produce 3 to 5 cuttings of hay from 

 broadcasted alfalfa, while the unirrigable lands rarely 

 produce more than one such cutting. 



Fairchild has described an interesting method of alfalfa 

 culture in Algeria, where the alfalfa is grown in double 

 rows 40 inches apart, and every second year a crop of 

 durum wheat is grown between the rows. 



406. Alfalfa in mixtures. Alfalfa is not commonly 

 employed in grass mixtures, mainly because the especial 

 peculiarity of the crop namely, its ability to produce 

 two or more cuttings is thereby impaired. 



In humid regions, alfalfa as a rule does not withstand 

 the crowding of other grasses such as are usually employed 

 in mixtures. It is not so well adapted for this purpose as 

 is red clover. 



In irrigated regions, especially at high altitudes, where 



