412 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



tive value of the plant. For these reason some farmers save the 

 last cutting of hay for the hogs because it is more relished. It 

 is eaten up cleaner, as the stems are not so woody. Sometimes 

 the hay is cut up fine, wet, and mixed with other feed, and 

 sometimes it is fed ground, as tnere are now alfalfa mills 

 scattered throughout the alfalfa regions. But it is very doubt- 

 ful whether this extra expense will pay, unless it be for a ration 

 for young pigs. 



Experiences of Farmers. To avoid the expense of cutting or 

 grinding, some farmers in order to get the hay all eaten have 

 soaked it in water and fed it. This has proved very satisfactory 

 where tried. One Oklahoma farmer carried his hogs through a 

 winter by feeding them alfalfa leaves soaked in hot water for 

 one day and the next day shorts mixed with the pulp and water. 

 He feeds much alfalfa hay to his hogs and is very successful with 

 them. He puts the last cutting in shock as soon as wilted, and 

 thus cures it without bleaching and feeds it to his hogs. An- 

 other farmer carried his entire herd of hogs through the winter 

 by feeding them the pulp of alfalfa hay after soaking it in water 

 over night. He also gave them the water to drink. This was 

 all the feed they had during the winter, and they were in 

 good flesh in the spring, with smooth, glossy coats of hair. A 

 Kansas farmer was feeding a bunch of 50 fall pigs on corn. 

 During the winter they got "off feed" and were not thrifty. 

 He reduced the corn and gave a ration of two-thirds chopped 

 alfalfa hay and one-third corn meal, the two soaked to- 

 gether. The hogs began to do better, and a little later he changed 

 the ration to one-third alfalfa and two-thirds corn. The results 

 were very satisfactory, and the cost of feed was reduced from 

 $15 a month on corn to $9 a month on alfalfa and corn. So 

 alfalfa hay, as well as pasture, has a very important use on a 

 hog farm. 



Alfalfa Hay for Brood Sows. To show the importance of al- 

 falfa hay in a system of feeding, the practice of the farmers 

 around North Platte, Neb., and elsewhere may be mentioned. 

 The alfalfa hay is ground up fine or else fed whole with corn in 

 the proportion of about 5 pounds of alfalfa to 1 pound of corn. 

 This is fed to the brood sows during the winter, and they come 

 through in excellent condition on very cheap feed. In many 

 sections alfalfa hay is worth about $5 a ton on the farm. One 

 ton of alfalfa and about eight bushels of corn will keep three 

 brood sows 130 days, or nearly the whole winter. The hogs so 

 kept farrow pigs that are remarkable for their vigor and size. 



Views of the Nebraska Station. Prof. H, E. 



