ALFALFA 



bacteria in the dust of the seed, presumably. 

 The addition of one pound of alfalfa seed per acre 

 would assist materially in securing a good stand 

 when the day came that an alfalfa seeding was 

 desired. 



Fertilization. The ability of alfalfa to add 

 fertility to the farm, and directly to the field 

 producing it when all the crops are removed as hay, 

 does not preclude the necessity of having the soil 

 fertile when the seeding is made. The plants 

 find competition with grass and other weeds keen 

 under eastern skies where moisture favors plant- 

 life. In their first season this is markedly true. 

 There should be plenty of available plant-food 

 for the young plants. Stable manure that is 

 free from the seeds of pernicious weeds makes an 

 excellent dressing. It is good practice to plow 

 down a heavy coat of manure for corn and then 

 to replow the land for alfalfa the next season. A 

 top-dressing of manure is good, affording excellent 

 physical condition of the surface for starting the 

 plants. Eight tons per acre make a good dressing. 



If land is not naturally fertile, mineral fertilizers 

 should be applied. A mixture of 350 pounds of 

 14 per cent acid phosphate and 50 pounds of mu- 

 riate of potash is excellent for an acre of manured 



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