12 BULLETIN 693, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



land as well as irrigated land; the dry land is almost of necessity 

 devoted to the production of grain exclusively, whereas the irrigated 

 land is set aside for alfalfa, sugar beets, and truck or garden crops. 

 It will be seen that this arrangement makes it impossible for some 

 of these men to use grain at regular periods in rotation with sugar 

 beets. Each crop has its adaptations, and these characteristics must 

 be taken into account in planning the work of the farm. With this 

 situation facing the grower, there is a natural tendency to allow sugar 

 beets to follow beets upon the same field for several yea.rs; likewise, 

 the hay crop is not disturbed for a comparatively lo]ig period. 



Alfalfa is regarded as an essential crop in all of the rotations which 

 were suggested. It is usually seeded along with grain, although 

 occasionally it may be started without a nurse crop. After a stand 

 has been obtained, the field is cropped annually for periods ranging 

 from three to eight years. It is quite a common practice to leave 

 the alfalfa for four to five years. Three to four cuttings are made 

 per season, and the yields vary from 3 to 5 tons per acre each year. 

 Generally speaking, the greater part of the hay is fed upon the farm. 

 In the Provo and Garland districts the alfalfa weevil has damaged 

 the crop, seriously in recent years. This insect appears to work ex- 

 tensively upon the first crop, and if its activity is not checked the 

 second crop may be shortened materially. When much damage is 

 suspected, cultivation is recommended. This treatment has proven 

 to be effective m averting a loss which would otherwise occur.^ 



The Provo estimates indicate that alfaha is grown upon the same 

 piece of land for about five years. After breaking, grain was sown 

 the first year on approximately 50 per cent of the farms which were 

 visited. In a few cases grain was used for two years after plowing 

 up the aKaifa. The sugar beet sometimes follows alfalfa, though 

 this is not considered good management, because the alfalfa roots 

 interfere to quite an extent with the early cultivation of the young 

 beets. The use of grain immediately after plowing up the alfalfa 

 gives the grower a chance to subdue the latter crop in part, and the 

 soil can be tilled the subsequent season without pulling out or dam- 

 aging the sugar beets. The potato was reported in four rotations, 

 following grain in three cases, and coming after sugar beets on the 

 fourth farm. However, the potato does not figure here as an im- 

 portant crop, doubtless because potato diseases have damaged the 

 crop appreciably within the last two or three years. The rule seems 

 to be to plant beets after a crop of grain, which means the second 

 year after breaking, then beet culture is continued for five years or 

 more on the same ground. On a few farms the beet has been grown 

 continuously for periods of 10, 12, and even as high as 18 years. 



I Farmers' Bulletin 741, "Alfalfa Weevil and Metliods of Controlling It." 



