32 AtPALPA 



growth, but not exceed a month: Getting an alfalfa 

 stand successfully through the first year is the greatest 

 difficulty; the second year frequently brings perils, but 

 a discouraging field should not be abandoned too soon. 

 Often what appears to be a very poor stand will sur- 

 prisingly thicken up ; the disk-harrow is an invaluable 

 implement to aid this. After alfalfa is well started it 

 is very hardy, and is ordinarily quite equal to the 

 crowding of weeds and grasses. 



AI,PAI,FA FOR PASTURE 



Alfalfa can be and is grazed by all kinds of stock, 

 except possibly such ruminants as cattle and sheep. 

 Many have pastured it for years without the slightest 

 loss therefrom, but it cannot be said that there is no 

 danger in pasturing sheep and cattle on alfalfa alone. 

 Experience in this seems to vary so much that it is 

 impossible to give any rule universally applicable, 

 except that an occasional loss may be expedled. There 

 is no danger in pasturing hogs and horses on alfalfa, 

 the liability to bloat being wholly confined to rumi- 

 nants. Danger seems to be quite if not wholly miti- 

 gated by sowing half the quantity of seed of some 

 perennial grass with it. Kentucky blue-grass, meadow 

 fescue, orchard grass, timothy, or Bromus inermis 

 are all suitable more or less for their respedlive sec- 

 tions. Bromus inermis promises to be a favorite for 

 the purpose, especially in the drier regions, as it has 

 pradlically the same reputation for hardiness as has 

 alfalfa. 



Alfalfa pastures are very enduring when judi- 

 ciously treated. Alfalfa will not stand pasturing the 

 first year; it should be but very moderately pastured 



