1 6 AI,FAI<FA 



a well-set alfalfa field five years old, five feet below the 

 surface, there would be from ten to thirty roots to each 

 . square foot, averaging an eighth of an inch in diam- 

 eter, reaching diredlly from the surface. With this 

 fa<5l known, the value of alfalfa as both a subsoiler and 

 fertilizer is more easily appreciated. 



CLIMATE AND SOIL 



Alfalfa likes a warm climate with a moderate rain- 

 fall and a deep alluvial soil of calcareous origin. It 

 has more than the usual variability in adapting itself 

 to the changes in environment, and this affords an 

 argument in favor of "home-grown seed," or using 

 seed from a locality similar to that in which it is desired 

 the future crop be grown. Without detradling from 

 this statement, it may be said there are certain limits 

 which determine the largest prosperity for alfalfa. 

 The limit for rainfall — underground soakage and irri- 

 gation not considered — is between fourteen and forty 

 inches. The plant does not grow to be a valuable 

 crop in regions with a less annual rainfall than four- 

 teen inches, unless there is evident underground soak- 

 age, or it can be irrigated; and in regions receiving 

 over forty inches of rainfall it does not appear to 

 thrive well. The mean between the extremes men- 

 tioned, twenty -five to thirty inches, gives best results. 

 Alfalfa may be said to respond to irrigation as does no 

 other crop. It requires a sufficient supply of moisture 

 at a certain time in its growth to enable it to be most 

 prosperous, and the intelligent irrigator is abundantly 

 rewarded for his painstaking in proper watering. 



Alfalfa succeeds in a variety of soils, but reaches 

 its greatest perfedtion on the deep alluvial sandy loams 



