ALFALFA CULTURE IN NEW ENGLAND 33 



soil. That acidity stands for failure, hence test the soil of a new 

 field before planting it and make sure that the reaction of the soil 

 is right at the outset. 



The two forms of lime most used in agricultural practice are air- 

 slaked lime and ground limestone. They are both good undoubt- 

 edly but those of you who have had the pleasure of hearing the late 

 Joseph E. Wing give in his inimitable way his reasons for using 

 carbonate of lime for alfalfa fields are convinced of the desirability 

 of always using ground limestone. The only way in which we are 

 likely to fail is in not using enough. The growing of alfalfa resolves 

 itself, then, into a chemical problem. 



Selection and Preparation of Field. 



For the first planting of alfalfa on one's farm it is preferable to 

 select a field of good sandy loam. It might still further be defined 

 as good corn land soil. 



It is best to use a field that has been under cultivation the 

 previous season in some hoed crop, and is thereby well cleaned of 

 weeds. In the spring the first operation is to broadcast over the 

 field a good application of eight cords of stable manure per acre 

 if available, to be plowed in deeply and thoroughly. The manure 

 is doubly valuable to use here, not only for the plant food it con- 

 tains but for its humus and for its physical effect in the soil, making 

 it more friable and materially increasing its water-holding capa- 

 city, but perhaps the most valuable benefit is that it carries into 

 the soil the numerous bacteria that it contains and that are so 

 helpful in creating a productive soil. 



Lime. 



The lime necessary should now be applied at the rate of at least 

 two tons of air-slaked or four tons of ground limestone per acre 

 and thoroughly harrowed into the soil. The seed bed should be 

 made firm below and fine and loose on the surface for the following 

 reasons: a firm, compact soil is very much the best for capillary 



