312 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



Land intended for alfalfa should be made very rich by 

 plowing under legumes or applying farmyard manure. 

 In addition, from 200 to 400 pounds of acid phosphate, 

 Thomas slag or bone meal, with 100 pounds of muriate 

 of potash, should be applied per acre. If the land is acid, 

 which may be determined by testing with blue litmus 

 paper, an application of 25 bushels of lime should be 

 made. It is generally best to use the unslaked lime, 

 which may be applied with a manure spreader, a grain 

 drill or broadcasted over the land and covered with a 

 harrow. Land intended for alfalfa should be carefully 

 cultivated in hoed crops or summer fallqwed so as to de- 

 stroy weeds, the worst enemy of alfalfa during the early 

 stages of its growth. Alfalfa may be seeded either fall 

 or spring. When fall sown it can be cut for hay the next 

 summer, whereas, the spring sown crop should be clipped 

 several times during the first season and left to mulch the 

 ground. Alfalfa seed is sometimes infested with dodder, 

 which grows as a parasite on the plant. The orange- 

 yellow threadlike appearance of dodder gives warning of 

 its presence, and it can be easily destroyed by cutting and 

 burning if taken at the outset. Alfalfa is frequently at- 

 tacked by leaf spot in the eastern states. The disease is 

 easily recognized as its name indicates, and persistent 

 clipping will generally eradicate it. The amount of seed 

 to sow varies, but 20 pounds will answer as a rule. Al- 

 falfa should be cut for hay when coming into bloom, as 

 it yields more nutrients per acre at that time, and succeed- 

 ing crops yield better. Alfalfa is not more difficult to make 

 into hay than is Red clover. It may also be pastured 

 to advantage, though there is some danger of bloat, and, 



