IN THE DIFFERENT STATES III 



inclosed with levees, the size of each piece to be gov- 

 erned by the ' fall ' to the land. Seed may be sown 

 here in the spring or summer, fifteen to twenty pounds 

 to the acre, broadcast, and harrowed in with a light 

 harrow. We have no weeds here, and, in case of 

 early seeding, there will be 1,500 to 2,000 pounds of 

 hay, but no seed, the first year. We irrigate altogether 

 from ditches, applying water three or four times a year; 

 first, as soon as the ground becomes dry in the spring; 

 second, just before cutting the first crop; third, just 

 before cutting the second crop, and sometimes after we 

 cut the third crop. I<ess water is needed after the first 

 year. The plant does not winter-kill here, and is at its 

 best by the second year, continuing vigorous for at 

 leas^t fifteen years. 



' ' The most essential thing for alfalfa is plenty of 

 water, and, having that, a gravel foundation is far 

 better than one of clay for obtaining large results. 

 There are sometimes two cuttings in a year, and some- 

 times three, depending on the season, with an average 

 yield each time of two or three tons. Hay is cut when 

 it is in bloom, raked as soon as wilted, and allowed to 

 cure in the cock, then stacked in large stacks with 

 horse-forks. The first crop is best for seed, as it takes 

 nearly a whole season to mature good seed; this is cut 

 and stacked as the hay is, and then thrashed from the 

 stack. The cost of the hay in the stack is $1 .00 a ton; 

 of baling, $2.50 a ton; and of thrashing and cleaning, 

 ten bushels out of every one hundred. The price of 

 hay has ranged from $15.00 a ton down to $3.00, with 

 an average for six years of about $6.00, while the price 

 of seed has averaged about $5.00 a bushel. The pre- 

 ferred bale weighs from 100 to 150 pounds. The 



