CHAPTER XXVI. 



Practical Experiences of 'Alfalfa Growers 

 in the United States of America 



AliABAMA 



Prof. J. F. Duggar, Director Alabama experiment 

 station. — Alfalfa is grown in Alabama with entire suc- 

 cess on the lime soil of the central prairie region of the 

 state. This is a strip of land from lo to 20 miles wide, 

 extending southeast and northwest almost across the 

 state and into Mississippi. Beginning near Union 

 Springs, this prairie passes near Montgomery, Selma, 

 Demopolis, Greensboro and northwestward towards Co- 

 lumbus, Miss. On the prairie lands in this area alfalfa 

 affords from three to six cuttings per year, usually four, 

 and the yield is from three to six tons per acre. Irriga- 

 tion is not practiced. The seed is sown either in Septem- 

 ber or in the early part of March, usually from 20 to 24 

 pounds per acre. Almost a full crop is secured the first 

 year from fall seeding, but only from one-third to two- 

 thirds of a full crop is secured the first year from sowing 

 seed in March. It is not customary on this soil to use 

 fertilizer on alfalfa, but an application of even a light 

 coat of stable manure immensely increases the yield on the 

 poor spots. Failure has generally attended attempts to 



