IN THE DIFFERENT STATES 117 



paring the ground kills the weeds and makes available 

 the large supply of nitrogen in just the condition de- 

 sired by the young alfalfa plant. In western Kansas 

 the land has not been cultivated long and weeds are 

 not so persistent, but often the moisture is deficient. • 

 Spring seeding succeeds best under these conditions, 

 because there is then more moisture in the soil. 



"We prefer to sow with a press-drill, mixing the 

 seed with an equal part of either bran or coarse corn- 

 chop (meal), drilling half the seed one way and cross- 

 drilling with the other half. We sow twenty to thirty 

 pounds per acre, according to the condition of the 

 land. If seeded in the spring it should be mowed 

 three or four times in the summer to keep the weeds 

 in check, the mower being set high. If seeded in the 

 fall no treatment is necessary, and the following sum- 

 mer a good growth may be expedted. 



"We cut when, say, one-tenth of the plants have 

 come into blossom. Early cutting insures heavier 

 succeeding crops, and the early cut hay has much 

 more feeding value than that cut when in full bloom 

 cr later. Alfalfa may be cut three to four times per 

 year in ordinary seasons. We cut and cure so as to 

 preserve intact on the stems all the leaves possible, 

 the method depending upon the weather. 



' ' Alfalfa from one seeding can usually be expedled 

 to endure ten years. In some cases it dies out in 

 three or four years, and in other instances fields fifteen 

 to twenty years old are yielding heavy crops. A rea- 

 sonable amount of pasturing, such as ordinary grasses 

 will stand, does no injury, but unfortunately in most 

 cases it is excessively overpastured, and seriously 

 injured if not killed. Sheep and horses injure it most. 



