4 TIMELY HINT 132 



varieties was 765 pounds, which was secured from a plot of Baltic 

 alfalfa. 



In 1916 the yields of seed obtained from the hairy Peruvian as 

 compared with the other varieties, were practically reversed. The 

 average yield per acre from the hairy Peruvian alfalfa was 578 pounds, 

 while that from the seven other varieties was 674 pounds. The highest 

 yield obtained from any one of the four hairy Peruvian plots was 613 

 pounds per acre, while the highest yield from any one of the seven 

 other alfalfas was 787 pounds per acre, which was obtained from an 

 Algerian plot. Reports from several growers of hairy Peruvian al- 

 falfa in the Yuma Valley give results somewhat as shown above; that 

 is, some credit hairy Peruvian as producing about the same quantity 

 of seed as common alfalfa, while others state that it yields more. The 

 evidence at hand, therefore, seems to indicate that hairy Peruvian 

 alfalfa produces seed in about the same quantity as other varieties. 



Water requirements of hairy Peruvian: Since the attention of 

 alfalfa growers has been called to the importance of hairy Peruvian, 

 quite a number of inquiries have been made as to whether it is drought 

 resistant. While no definite "experiment has been carried out to test 

 the actual water requirements of hairy Peruvian alfalfa, yet it has 

 been shown that if water is withheld from the plants too long when 

 growing under irrigation the stems become very hard and woody be- 

 fore they reach the proper stage for cutting. As previously stated, 

 this variety, even with an abundance of water, has large stems and if 

 allowed to stand too long before cutting produces an inferior quality 

 of hay owing to the hardness of stems. For this reason hairy Peruvian 

 is not recommended as a drought resistant variety nor is it suited to 

 dry-farming regions. Owing to the fact that it grows through the 

 cooler parts of the year the total amount of water used by this variety 

 is probably somewhat greater than that of ordinary alfalfa. 



Regions where hairy Peruvian alfalfa may be profitably grown: 

 As stated above, hairy Peruvian alfalfa can be grown profitably only 

 in regions having mild winters, where thorough irrigation is possible 

 or where there is an abundant rainfall. The non-hardiness of this 

 variety will always confine it to the warmer alfalfa districts. The 

 sections in Arizona particularly adapted to this variety are the low 

 irrigated valleys of the State, especially in the Salt River arid Yuma 

 valleys. It cannot be grown with profit in regions having an eleva- 

 tion above 5000 feet since the winter temperatures at this altitude are 

 low enough to produce severe winter-killing; nor can it be grown 

 under dry-farming conditions because, as before stated, the hay pro- 

 duced is too stemmy and not of the best grade. 



Planting and the amount of seed: Although hairy Peruvian al- 

 falfa is a very vigorous plant and very rapid in its growth, the best 

 results cannot be expected with it unless the usual care is taken to 

 prepare the land for seeding. Land which has too much fall or which 

 is very irregular in its elevations always produces low yields. What- 

 ever slope the borders may have lengthwise, they should be perfectly 

 level crosswise because this condition permits the water to spread 



