TIME OF CUTTING. 295 



off as promtly as possible when "once it is ready. 

 I. D. O'Donnell, Billings, Mont., is so impressed 

 with this truth that he mows down 400 acres at one 

 clip when it is time to mow it down for the first 

 cutting. As he has little or no rain to trouble him 

 he can do this without fear. Once cut down he 

 hustles to get it off the field as soon as he can. Thus 

 his second crop comes on quickly. 



The Second Cutting. Supposing the first crop to 

 be mown off June 1, the next crop will be ready in 

 about 30 to 36 days. When weather conditions are 

 good it will be ready in 30 days. Say the second 

 crop is taken off July 4, the third crop will be slower 

 to mature because of hot and dry weather; it may 

 come off in 45 days or by Aug. 20. It is probable, 

 however, that if there is a large amount of alfalfa 

 to make into hay one will not find it possible to do 

 it all as promptly as he would like, so that it will be 

 the first of September or a little later when the 

 third cutting is taken off. This will not permit a 

 safe removal of a fourth cutting. 



No Universal Rule. No rule of universal appli- 

 cation can be laid down. Almost anywhere in Amer- 

 ica it can be cut three times. In Ontario it has 

 been cut four times, though it is probable that to cut 

 it three times would be better. There are situations 

 where it will make but two crops, where the altitude 

 is high. In the state of Coahuilla, Mexico, where 

 I was instrumental in establishing a large alfalfa- 

 growing hacienda, it may be cut every 30 days, dur- 



