AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



783 



All good corn land is also adapted for 

 the growing of alfalfa, such as is not 

 subject to overflows by water for any- 

 great length of time, and which has a 

 sufiSciently deep and retentive soil, so as 

 to prevent a protracted drouth from 

 killing the plants. Alfalfa prefers a 

 deep and rich soil, since its roots pene- 

 trate the soil from 18 to 20 feet, if the 

 condition of the soil admits of it. 



This does not infer that alfalfa should 

 oe sown only on land which admits the 

 jlant to send its roots to that depth. A 

 tortile soil IX or 2 feet deep, will an- 

 sver very well, and will give good 

 results. Owing to its deep rooting, 

 a falf a grows better here in very dry 

 than in very wet seasons, as my land is 

 ill the Platte River bottom, where the 

 fertile soil is but from 4 to 6 feet deep, 

 below which is sand and gravel, and 

 next water. 



The seed should be sown as soon as the 

 soil is sufficiently warm for the seed to 

 germinate, and not earlier. 



About corn-planting time I consider 

 the proper time to sow the alfalfa seed 

 in Nebraska; say from May 1 to 15. 



The land on which alfalfa is to be 

 grown should be well prepared for it. It 

 is best to fallow the land in the Summer, 

 previous to seeding. A heavy coat of 

 stable manure applied at the time when 

 fallowed, is very beneficial, and will 

 prove to be of great good for years ; use 

 from 20 to 25 loads per acre. Deep 

 Fall plowing should follow the Summer 

 fallow ; and on land subject to drouth, 

 or high rolling prairie, with clay sub-soil, 

 I would sub-soil the land about 2 feet in 

 depth. 



The following Spring, and immediately 

 before seeding, the land should be well 

 harrowed and pulverized, when about 

 15 pounds of good seed should be sown 

 to the acre, and be slightly covered by a 

 brush-drag. 



Should it happen that immediately 

 after the sowing of the seed a heavy rain 

 settles the soil, then the covering of the 

 seed with a brush-drag, or light wooden 

 harrow, is not needed ; but if a dry spell 

 should follow the seeding, then after the 

 brushing in, a roller should be run over 

 the field, to make the surface soil more 

 compact and retentive. 



During the first season of its growth, 

 alfalfa should be cut but once ; leaving 

 a rather high stubble. 



This cutting should be done just in 

 time to prevent, any weeds from matur- 

 ing their seed, if possible. 



The " after growth " of the alfalfa in 

 the first season should be allowed to re- 

 main, and serve as a winter protection 



for the young and yet somewhat tender 

 plant. All pasturing of stock oi;i, it in 

 the first season should be avoided. 



On suitable soil, such as I have men- 

 tioned, I find alfalfa to be perfectly 

 hardy, in dry seasons as well as excep- 

 tionally cold and severe Winters, if 

 treated properly. As food for stock of 

 all kinds, I find alfalfa to be equal to the 

 very best of fodder, red clover included, 

 if properly cured and cared for. 



The second year it may be cut twice 

 without injury to the young plants; and 

 in the third year and thereafter, three 

 cuttings at the proper time is the rule 

 here ; while in some parts of Texas 

 (near Austin) I know that alfalfa fields 

 were cut even 4 times. 



For hay, alfalfa should be cut as soon 

 as the first seed pods have well devel- 

 oped. It should, after cutting (if pos- 

 sible), not become too dry and brittle, 

 so as to lose its leaves, when raked or 

 worked by the hay-loader. 



When stacked or haulded into the 

 barn, on each layer of clover should be 

 given a liberal sprinkle of salt. This 

 should be followed up to the end of the 

 storage of the alfalfa ; and I venture to 

 say that there is nothing better for 

 milch-cows, cattle or horses than alfalfa 

 clover hay, thus treated and cured. 



Alfalfa is not a pasturage plant, but 

 "moderate" pasturage will not injure 

 it, after it is once well established, say, 

 in the Fall of the second year and 

 afterwards. 



Care should be taken not to allow 

 stock to pasture too long at a time on it, 

 when first let into an alfalfa field. One 

 of my neighbors once lost several val- 

 uable milch-cows by their becoming 

 bloated. Stock should be allowed but 

 an hour at a time, or even less, to feed 

 on green alfalfa when first driven to it. 



Cattle should not be allowed to enter 

 an alfalfa field at all, as long as alfalfa 

 is wet with heavy dew or rain, unless 

 they are, and have been used to pastur- 

 ing on it for sometime ; and even then I 

 believe it to be dangerous, if they are 

 allowed to fill themselves. 



It is said by parties who ought to 

 know, that alfalfa, if grown on suitable 

 land, is very profitable for 20 years 

 without re-seeding, provided that it is 

 occasionally treated to a dressing of 

 top-manure in the Fall, and after the 

 last cutting has been done. 



The same parties informed me that it 

 is not good policy to take a crop of seed 

 from young and promising fields, but 

 that it is best to postpone the seed 

 harvest until a field of alfalfa has be- 



