314 DRY LAND FARMING 



Preparing the land. Ordinarily, when preparing the 

 land for alfalfa, the plan is to be commended, at least in 

 areas where the land is new, which begins the work one 

 year before the seed is sown. The preparation consists 

 in summer-fallowing the land, or in growing on it a cul- 

 tivated crop to get the moisture well into the land. This 

 is very important. The plan is also excellent which be- 

 gins such preparation by applying about 10 loads, that is, 

 about 10 tons of farmyard manure to the acre before 

 the land is plowed for the summer-fallow or the culti- 

 vated crop, because of the favorable influence which it 

 exerts on soil inoculation (see p. 316). Preparing the 

 land thus leaves it in a clean and moist condition at the 

 close of the season. The following spring the disc, fol- 

 lowed once by the harrow and again at intervals if neces- 

 sary, should put the land in good condition for receiv- 

 ing the seed. Such a seed bed should be moist, fine on 

 the surface, and more or less firm below. When the 

 land is plowed for the fallow or for the cultivated crop, 

 it should be plowed deeply. Should the seed be sown 

 on breaking, it should also be plowed deeply and well 

 pulverized on the surface. 



Sowing. In the areas of the dry belt that lie south- 

 ward, hardihood in the plants with reference to standing 

 cold in the different varieties does not call for serious 

 consideration, but this is not true of the northern areas 

 thereof. In the latter, preference should be given to seed 

 that has been grown well northward, as in Montana or 

 on similar parallels. Drough-resistant varieties are be- 

 ing introduced, but none of these have up to the present 

 time shown superiority in this respect which would 

 justify supplanting the varieties commonly grown with 

 them. 



Usually the aim should be to sow alfalfa seed as 

 early as the danger from frost to the young plants ceases. 

 This, in the northern areas of the dry belt, would be in 



