1 14 ALFALFA 



INDIANA 



Prof. W. C. I,atta, of the experiment station, 

 I^afayette, says that alfalfa has as yet been tried only 

 in a small way in Indiana; not sufficiently to determine 

 whether it will prove a success or failure. It has 

 grown well in some cases, but as a rule it has not done 

 well, owing to the compadl nature of the subsoil. ' ' In 

 places where it has succeeded I think it may be 

 attributed largely to the location and charadler of the 

 soil that permits the roots to penetrate freely into the 

 deeper subsoil, containing plenty of underlying mois- 

 ture. Experience leads us to think that the preparation 

 of the seed-bed is also very important, as the young 

 plants are rather feeble the first year and liable to be 

 choked out by the stronger growths. We have usually 

 sown broadcast, in the spring, fifteen to twenty pounds 

 to the acre. We clip at intervals during the first year, 

 the purpose being to hold the stronger growths in 

 check and thus give the alfalfa a better chance. In a 

 few instances we have cut for hay the second time in a 

 season, but in the majority of cases our soil becomes 

 too dry too push up a second crop worth cutting. Our 

 plots have been almost too small to give reliable data 

 as to yield; it has been, rather light, however, seldom 

 exceeding one and one-half tons per acre. With our 

 small yields the curing in the ordinary way, by 

 means of the hay-tedder, has not been at all difficult. 

 We have found alfalfa quite permanent when well 

 started. It comes to its best in about three years, and 

 has maintained itself in the sward much longer. On 

 our naturally drained, shallow soil it suffers the most 

 from dry, hot weather. I do not think alfalfa is 



