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WORK ON THE HOME FORTY 159 
five hundred pounds to the acre, though it seemed 
like a conspicuous waste. The warm rains and 
days of April and May brought a fine crop of 
weeds; and about the middle of May I turned 
Anderson loose in the fields with a scythe, and 
he mowed down everything in sight. 
After that things soon began to look better 
in the alfalfa fields. As the season was favor- 
able, we were able to cut a crop of over a ton 
to the acre early in July, and nearly as much in 
the latter part of August. We cut forty tons 
from these twenty acres within a year from 
seeding, but I suspect that was unusual luck. I 
had used thirteen hundred pounds of commer- 
cial fertilizer to the acre, and the season was 
very favorable for the growth of the plant. I 
have since cut these fields three times each year, 
with an average yield of five tons to the acre for 
the whole crop. 
I like alfalfa, both as green and as dry forage. 
When we use it green, we let it lie in swath for 
twenty-four hours, that it may wilt thoroughly 
before feeding. It is then fit food for hens, hogs, 
and, in limited quantities, for cows, and is much 
relished. When used dry, it is always cut fine 
and mixed with ground grains. In this shape it 
is fed liberally to hens and hogs, and also to 
milch cows; for the latter it forms half of the 
cut-food ration. 
While the crops are growing, we will find time 
to note the changes on the home lot. Nearly in 
