Nature- Study Agriculture 



The soil 

 it needs 



and makes milk in dairy 

 cows. There are varie- 

 ties of it that do well 

 on the dry lands of the 

 West; and few crops 

 are better able to with- 

 stand alkali in the soil. 

 Alfalfa is very deep- 

 rooted, and it should 

 have soil at least four 

 feet in depth (Fig. 93). 

 The soil must not be 

 sour. Lime should be 

 added if there is not 

 already plenty in the 

 soil. 



Since the new plants 

 start slowly, the seed 

 should be put into very 

 thoroughly prepared 

 soil, as free as possible 

 from weed seeds. Young 

 alfalfa plants need a 

 compact soil, and for 

 this reason, after plow- 

 ing, the ground should be allowed to settle for several 

 weeks before the seed is sown. 



Inoculation When alfalfa is to be planted in a field for the first 

 time, it is advisable to inoculate the field by scattering 

 over and harrowing into each acre three or four hundred 

 pounds of soil from an old alfalfa field. Or, as we saw 



Preparing 

 the soil 



International Harvester Co. 



FIG. 93. A lo-foot alfalfa root. (It ex- 

 tends parallel to the spade handle.) 



