August 2, 1889.] 



SCIENCR 



83 



of about fifteen tons per acre of green fodder, after having been 

 down to grass from the original seeding six years. 



From the analysis of alfalfa for different years as grown at the 

 station, at the period of full bloom it was found to contain 67.46 

 per cent of water. With the figures of the analysis as the basis, it 

 is found, that if the fifteen tons of green fodder, having a composi- 

 tion like the above, were converted into hay, they would be equal 

 to 5.6 tons of hay per acre. The chemical composition of this hay 

 is shown by analysis to be much like red-clover hay, and to 

 contain nearly as much albuminoids as does wheat-bran. The 

 total amount of fertilizing matter removed from one acre by the 

 crop for the year was very large. Especially is this true of the 

 nitrogen, potash, and lime. Alfalfa is pre-eminently a lime-loving 

 plant, and it is generally recommended to apply a good dressing of 

 lime to the soil before putting down to alfalfa. 



In a feeding trial made at the station during the past winter, the 

 digestibility of alfalfa hay was determined. The subject for ex- 

 perimentation was a four-year-old Jersey cow, in milk about two 

 months when the trial was made. Feb. 23 the feeding of alfalfa 

 hay was begun. Twenty-five pounds per day were offered, and, 

 during the five days on which the dung was saved, an average of 

 24.31 pounds, or 389 ounces, per day were eaten. The amount of 

 dry matter consumed per day was 322.7 ounces. 



By comparison of the results with those for the digestibility of 

 clover hay as found by Armsby, it is found that alfalfa is consider- 

 ably more digestible than red clover. Especially is this true for 

 the albuminoids and nitrogen-free extract. 



Some notes from station experience, on the method of preparing 

 the soil for planting out lucerne-seed and for curing the hay, 

 may be of interest to those who contemplate making a trial of this 

 crop. 



Perhaps the best time to sow alfalfa is in the spring. The earli- 

 ness will depend on the condition of the soil, moisture, and warmth. 

 A crop that is to hold the ground, so long as we expect alfalfa to 

 produce profitably, should have a faultless seed-bed prepared for 

 it to start on. This is especially desirable where the first year's 

 growth may be expected to be small, and may be overcome by 

 weeds if any exist with it, and care is not taken to reduce them to 

 a minimum. It would be well to specially prepare a suitable piece 

 of land with a late summer fallow, or some crop which can be 

 kept hoed free from weeds. Then, when the land is in good con- 

 dition to work in spring, make a nice bed, and, if there is likelihood 

 of many weeds starting on it, wait a week for them to germinate, 

 harrow up well, and at once sow the alfalfa-seed if it is to be broad- 

 casted. If it is to be drilled and cultivated the first season, the 

 harrowing before seeding may be omitted. Roll the soil with a 

 moderately heavy roller after sowing the seed. This will compact 

 the soil about the seed, and hasten germination. 



Having the crop started, one has only to watch the growth, and, 

 if vigorous enough, it may be cut the first season. If allowed to 

 stand too long, alfalfa becomes hard and woody in the stalk : hence 

 a part will be wasted. It will also draw too largely from the roots 

 for the good of the succeeding crops : so it seems best to cut it 

 during the first period of good weather after the blossoms begin to 

 appear. If designed for soiling, it should be wilted before feeding, 

 to be sure that animals will not eat enough to cause hoven. This 

 can be done by cutting feed one day ahead in fair weather, or 

 longer if there is an appearance of storm. 



If designed for hay, it must be very carefully handled, for like 

 all the clovers, and to a greater extent perhaps, its leaves will drop 

 off during the curing and housing, and leave only a mass of bare 

 stalks instead of the bright green leaves and blue blossoms which 

 ought to stay on for the best hay. 



A good time to mow is in the afternoon, so it will wilt but not 

 dry much before night. The next forenoon or toward evening, 

 after the leaves become tough, pitch together into small cocks 

 from the machine-swath. 



Two active men can pitch from three to five swaths together 

 quite fast, and, if wide barley-straw forks are used, there will be 

 little use for a rake. After the cocks are made, they should stand 

 two or three days before pitching over ; then put two or three into 

 one, if making well, and observe to turn every forkful bottom up, 

 and spread out the thick green bunches so they will be brought 



into contact with the dry portions. All the work of pitching, from 

 the first to the final mowing away, must be done when the alfalfa 

 is tough, but not wet from dew in the morning or evenmg. Never 

 handle clover when it rattles, for the leaves will be broken and. 

 wasted. A second or third handling will be needed before the hay 

 will be fit to store. The drawing should be done early in the fore- 

 noon ; and, if the bottom layers of hay are wet, the cocks can be 

 overturned from the sun, and, after a few minutes' exposure, will 

 be dry enough to load. Alfalfa or other clover hay made in this 

 way comes out fresh and bright, and retains its leaves and flowers 

 to an extent beyond the belief of those who are accustomed tO' 

 rake clover with a horse, open out the hay to the sun, and pitch it 

 in the heat of the day. The value saved will be worth all the extra 

 time, if any is required. 



The result of the station experience with lucerne or alfalfa may 

 be summarized as follows : i. That lucerne or alfalfa may be suc- 

 cessfully grown in New York State ; 2. That when once estab- 

 lished, it thrives well upon clay land, but will probably do better 

 upon good light loam ; 3. That seed two years old loses its vitality, 

 and fails to germinate (undoubtedly many of the failures to secure 

 a stand of plants may be traced to poor seed) ; 4. That the seed- 

 bed must be well prepared, and in this latitude it seems best to 

 plant out the seed in the spring, and with no other crop (the seed 

 should be but lightly covered by rolling the ground) ; 5. That for 

 seven successive years at the station three and four cuttings per 

 year have been taken from the plats ; 6. That last year, the sixth in 

 succession, the plats yielded more than fifteen tons per acre of 

 green forage, equal to 5.6 tons of alfalfa hay ; 7. That alfalfa 

 should be cut in early bloom, before the plants become woody ; 8. 

 That it should be cured largely in the cock to produce the best 

 quality of hay ; 9. That by chemical analysis the hay was found 

 to be more nitrogenous than good red clover; 10. That cattle,, 

 sheep, and horses all relished the hay, and seemed to do well ; 11, 

 That it was found to be more digestible than red-clover hay ; 12. 

 That if farmers would try this crop, it is advisable to begin 

 with a small piece of well-prepared land, in order to see whether 

 alfalfa does as well with them as it has at the station; 13. That 

 probably success with alfalfa will depend largely upon having fresh 

 seed, a good, carefully prepared seed-bed, and in covering the seedi 

 lightly with soil. 



HEALTH MATTERS. 



Pneumonia. — Drs. C. W. Townsendand A. Coolidge. jun., of 

 Boston, from a study, published in T/ie Medical News, of all the. 

 cases of lobar pneumonia treated at the Massachusetts General 

 Hospital, from the first case, in 1822, up to the present day, find 

 that (i) in the thousand cases of this disease treated between those 

 dates there was a mortality of 25 per cent ; (2) the mortaHty has 

 gradually increased from 10 per cent in the first decade, to 28 per 

 cent in the present decade ; (3) this increase is deceptive for the 

 following reasons, all of which were shown to be a cause of a large 

 mortality, — {a) the average age of the patients has been increasing 

 from the first to the last decade, (b) the relative number of com- 

 plicated and delicate cases has increased, (c) the relative number of 

 intemperate cases has increased, {d) the relative number of foreign- 

 ers has increased ; (4) these causes are sufficient to explain the 

 entire rise in the mortality ; (5) treatment which was heroic before 

 1850, transitional between 1850 and i860, and expectant and sus- 

 taining since i860, has not, therefore, influenced the mortality rate ; 

 (6) treatment has not influenced the duration of the disease or of 

 its convalescence. It must, however, be admitted that the present 

 treatment of expectancy — a treatment which makes the patient as 

 comfortable as possible, preserves his strength, and avoids every 

 thing harsh — is certainly far more agreeable to the patient than 

 the former heroic method. After these studies, we cannot but 

 admire the regular and uniform manner in which pneumonia — 

 that type of self-limited diseases — has run its course in all these 

 years, uninfluenced by the varying treatment it has received. 



Dr. Brown-Sequ-\rd's Hypodermic Fluid. — The extraor- 

 dinary statements made by Professor Brown-Sequard as to the 

 efficiency of hypodermic injections of fluid expressed from certain 

 tissues of young animals in senile debility have been to a certain 



