52 OBSERVATIONS OF A RANCHWOMAN 



preparing for, sowing, and harvesting alfalfa, 

 which may not be wholly uninteresting in 

 the telling, even to him who loves not the 

 land. 



In the first place, Alfalfa is the stand-by 

 of the Arid Belt. Without going into 

 botanical distinctions, it is sufficient to say 

 that it is a variety of clover, but in those 

 sections where it flourishes the superior of 

 both clover and timothy. Ton for ton it yields 

 more than either ; not only that, but here 

 in New Mexico four cuttings in one season 

 are not uncommon, and a yield of three tons 

 per acre is considered by good judges a con- 

 servative estimate. In nutritive and muscle- 

 forming qualities as hay it has no equal. 

 Work-horses fed only on alfalfa keep in fine 

 form and spirit, so long as they are given 

 enough, or, more important yet, sufficient time 

 in which to eat. The careless Western horse- 

 owner's bony steeds must lay the blame of 

 their appearance to his indifference, not to 

 alfalfa- feed ing. Horses used for speeding- 

 purposes require grain, although I have seen 

 even this disputed by the trainers of young 

 trotters ; but as the condition of our roads 



