SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OP FARM LABOR. 7 



The ordinary method of seeding to clover and grasses in the region 

 studied is to drill in timothy at the time of seeding wheat and broad- 

 cast clover in the spring before the ground has settled. The dry and 

 hot weather in summer has a tendency to burn out the young clover 

 in wheat. Hence, the practice of preparing wheat stubble and seed- 

 ing both clover and timothy in August obviates this difficulty and 

 this method of seeding is, being more generally practiced. 



The results obtained seem to justify the additional labor required 

 for preparation and seeding. The writer has observed many excel- 

 lent crops of clover obtained by this method of seeding, whereas by 

 the old method it is quite common to see an overabundance of white 

 top and other weeds. Where seeding clover in wheat is still done, 

 clipping the wheat stubble in July or August has resulted in a better 

 and cleaner growth the following year. 



The practice of mixing alfalfa with clover and timothy for August 

 seeding is strongly recommended by a few farmers in order not only 

 to assist in inoculating the soil with the alfalfa bacteria, but also to 

 improve the quality of hay. The following seed mixture has given 

 good results : 5 to 6 quarts of alfalfa, 4 quarts o red clover, 3 quarts 

 of alsike clover, and 2 to 3 quarts of timothy. This will usually give 

 two cuttings annually, and sometimes three cuttings. The first 

 will be largely of timothy and clover and the later cuttings almost 

 pure alfalfa. 1 



Under good weather conditions, clover and timothy hay requires 

 very little handwork except in loading and storing, and a hay loader 

 is used on many farms. The advantage of its use, however, is 

 doubtful with clover and alfalfa. Hay caps for protecting alfalfa are 

 used only on a few of the farms visited, but those who do use them 

 believe that they are of decided advantage, with very little additional 

 labor in harvesting, and that the increased value of the hay, due to 

 improvement in quality, is sufficient to justify their use. This 

 improvement in quality is due to the saving of the leaves of the plant 

 and the preservation of its original green color. The soy bean, in 

 labor requirements, does not seriously compete with other field crops. 

 While the preparation of oats usually interferes with the planting of 

 corn or potatoes, ground for soy beans, on the other hand, may be 

 prepared and planted after corn has been planted, and the crop can be 

 harvested for hay before silo-filling time, or as grain after the corn 

 crop has been cut. In either case, the land can be cleared in time to 

 sow to fall grain. 



1 In order to be sure of a permanent stand of alfalfa, farmers should give attention to the essentials as to 

 the quality of seed, use of lime, inoculation, and the preparation of the seed bed for alfalfa adopted by 

 successful growers as the result of years of experience in the region and other regions having similar agri- 

 cultural conditions. 



