28 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



When alfalfa is sown later in the siuniucr it is possible to sow 

 it alone, since by preparatory tillage the annual weeds, which 

 tend to come in during the early part of the season, can be de- 

 stroyed. Under these conditions the alfalfa is likely to make a 

 better start than when it must meet the competition either of 

 weeds or a nurse crop. The showers which almost invariably 

 come in midsummer will give, in all except soils of very coarse 

 texture, such moisture conditions as to insure quick germination 

 of the seed. 



Preparation of the Soil. — The essentials in the preparation 

 of the soil are such tillage operations as will produce a fine seed 

 bed and such application of fertilizers as will suj)ply the natural 

 deficiencies. It is a great mistake to sow alfalfa in imperfectly 

 prepared ground. The seed bed should be as perfect as possible, 

 and no amount of labor which is essential to produce a fine sur- 

 face tilth should be spared. While the selection of fertilizers 

 and the amounts of the several materials to be used should of 

 course be varied to suit varying conditions, the writer recom- 

 mends, as likely to prove satisfactory in the majority of cases, 

 the following kinds and amounts per acre : — 



Lime or marl, 11/2 to 2 tons. 



Basic slag meal, 1,500 to 2,000 pounds. 



Hioh-orade sulfate of potasli, .... 250 to 300 pounds. 



Nitrate of soda, 100 to 125 pounds. 



The following method of ajiplying the fertilizers is recom- 

 mended : — 



(1) Apply the lime on the rough furrow and disk in. 



(2) Mix together the potash and all except about 300 pounds 

 of the slag meal, ap]dy after disking the land once and work in 

 deeply by further disking or harrowing. 



(3) Just before the final harrowing-in preparation for the 

 seed, mix together the 200 pounds of slag meal and the nitrate 

 of soda, and spread this evenly and harrow it in. 



Tn case the alfalfa is to be spring sown, apply the lime in 

 the autuum, and if convenient apply the mixture of slag meal 

 and j^otash also in the autuum, although this is less essential. 

 It may be a])plied, if ]>referred, just before the first disking in 

 the spring, 



