122 AGRICULTURE. 



sues. It makes excellent pasture for horses and 

 hogs ; however, it will not bear too close feed- 

 ing, as it does not sprout from the stem but 

 from the roots, and the "vitality of the root 

 may be impaired if the young stems are grazed 

 as fast as they appear," Alfalfa is not a good 

 green food for cattle and sheep, as it causes 

 them to bloat, though it is believed by some 

 that if a supply of dry roughage is put where 

 they can get it while feeding on alfalfa and 

 clover pasture, that stock will not suffer from 

 bloating.* Soiling (see " Principles of Feed- 

 ing") also may be practiced with alfalfa. There 

 is no farm crop of greater value as hay. Alfalfa 

 hay is richer in digestible nutrients than red 

 clover hay, and from three to five, or as many 

 as seven, cuttings may be made from an alfalfa 

 field annually. It should be cut for hay when 

 it first begins to bloom. Alfalfa hay should be 

 handled as little as possible to get it into the 

 stack or barn, as the leaves, which are the best 

 part of the hay, drop off when dry. The hay 

 should be sheltered from rains. The second 

 crop of alfalfa (in Colorado and similar localities 

 the first is used) should be cut for seed, as the 

 blossoms ripen more uniformly, and this crop 

 seeds better — probably because there are a 

 greater number of insects to fertilize the flowers. 



Henry's Feeds and Feeding, p. 20i. 



