I20 AI.i'AI.FA 



cures well in from one-half day to two days. The 

 yield of seed is two to eight bushels, and the cost for 

 thrashing and cleaning, with an alfalfa huller, is about 

 $i.oo per bushel. The ordinary thrashing-machine 

 will not take out all the seed nor clean it ready for 

 market. Compared with timothy or clover, for stock 

 purposes I consider alfalfa hay better, but for driving- 

 horses timothy is preferable, since it is not so much of 

 a laxative. As a pasture crop it is profitable and satis- 

 factory for horses and cattle, away ahead of clover for 

 hogs, and better than red clover for cattle. I consider 

 alfalfa grown without irrigation better than that irri- 

 gated, as feed, since there is not so much water in it. 

 That which is ripened and thrashed for seed does not 

 make quite such good hay as does that cut earlier for 

 hay alone, but stock will eat it and do Well. In two or 

 three years after seeding alfalfa attains its best yields. 

 Like any other feed-plant, it can be pastured down 

 until killed. Alfalfa is undoubtedly the feed for this 

 sedlion of the country, while it is a most profitable 

 crop for seed at such prices as we have been getting." 

 A Jewell County alfalfa-grower tells how a seed 

 or hay crop may be successfully harvested and saved, 

 even if but a few inches high, thus: " Take a piece of 

 sheet-iron as long as a sickle-bar and about three feet 

 wide; attach the front edge to the sickle-bar, and turn 

 up the back edge slightly; then the man on the mower 

 carries a rake and shoves off the hay in bunches, in 

 which it is left until put upon the wagon. Alfalfa 

 six inches high can be put up in this way at an expense 

 of less than $1.50 per ton, and makes the very finest 

 hog, cow, and poultry feed, a ton of it being equal to i 

 a ton of bran. We suggested this plan to a friend whi 



