212 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



will be seen from the fertilizing effect of the young 

 alfalfa turned under. And further one can judge 

 quite well by the growth of this spring sown alfalfa 

 as to the state of fitness of his land, whether maybe 

 it needs more lime, more drainage or further enrich- 

 ing. The cost need not concern you, since with good 

 inoculation present less seed need be sown in the 

 fall. Indeed 15 pounds of seed sown on a good 

 seedbed well inoculated will give a better stand 

 than will 30 pounds -sown on a poorly prepared seed- 

 bed or without good inoculation. 



Ordinarily it is of no use to sow alfalfa seed with 

 the wheat in the fall. It usually perishes during 

 winter. There are soils and climates, however, 

 where it will succeed fairly well thus sown, and by 

 this means good inoculation could be had. Five 

 pounds of seed to the acre with about 100 pounds 

 of inoculating earth should be sown then. 



All in all, to sow after wheat is a good prac- 

 tice wherever fall seeding is desired and a soil-build- 

 ing cover crop is not needed to prepare the land for 

 alfalfa growing. The one danger is that there may 

 not be enough moisture stored to give good fall 

 growth. The alfalfa must not be clipped nor pas- 

 tured the fall it is sown. The next year it is cut 

 three or f our times, as would be any ordinary alfalfa 

 field. 



Alfalfa After Spring Barley. Spring-sown grain 

 has some advantages for alfalfa sowing. For one 

 thing the soil is more easily got ready for alfalfa 

 after the grain is removed. Then these grains are 



