SUMMARY OF ALFALFA SOWING. 493 



Second, the alfalfa must have its lime, manure, its 

 phosphorus, its good seedbed, its inoculation. Given 

 these things, it is the easiest crop to grow that I 

 know, and the most profitable. I know also that 

 one cannot tell what alfalfa is going to do before 

 the second year. It may look most unpromising 

 the first year and splendid the year following." 



Alfalfa in Middle Georgia. Loring Brown grows 

 alfalfa near Atlanta with splendid success. The 

 soil is typical of a vast region of red clays. He 

 teaches the use of abundant supplies, of lime, prefer- 

 ably ground limestone, which is now available at 

 reasonable rates. He also grows cowpeas, which 

 he feeds well to make a strong growth for turning 

 under. He disks and turns under the cowpeas in 

 late August, and then thoroughly works the land to 

 make a good seedbed. He uses inoculated soil and 

 applies 600 pounds of acid phosphate, 300 pounds 

 of bonemeal and 100 pounds of potash per acre. 

 Now comes the astonishing part of his advice the 

 use of 50 pounds of seed to the acre. This he says 

 makes so thick a stand that crabgrass can get no 

 foothold the next year. He sows in September or 

 October and cuts the next year from 4 to 10 tons 

 per acre of hay. Personally, I believe half the 

 amount of seed would give as thick a stand, and that 

 it pays in any case to harrow alfalfa once or twice 

 in summer in that latitude. He top-dresses with 

 acid phosphate some time during the year, usually 

 after the first cutting, I think. 



Loring Brown has a dairy and also many fowls. 



