130 AtPALFA 



well started four or five crops each year may be had. 

 Cut when in bloom, rake into windrows when well 

 wilted, cock the following day and leave until fit to put 

 in stacks or barn, which will be only a day or so. 

 Alfalfa is permanent when well started on weU-drained 

 land unless pastured by heavy stock in wet weather. 

 It may be pastured by light stock except when very 

 wet. Dry fall seasons make the late cuttings much 

 lighter than the earlier ones. As a food for all kinds 

 of stock it is regarded as having no equal. ' ' 



MISSOURI 



H. J. Waters, dean of the Missouri station, says: 

 " Alfalfa has been tried many years in various portions 

 of this state, and while not fair to say that it will not 

 succeed in special localities, and quite generally along 

 the western border, especially in the northwest, it does 

 not appear from our observations and experience that 

 it will prove a profitable crop in most portions of Mis- 

 souri. We are not yet satisfied as to the exadl cause 

 of this failure; in fadl, it may be attributed to a 

 number of causes. On the stiff clay soils the hard-pan 

 is rather too near the surface to allow alfalfa to root 

 deeply enough. On one or two occasions we have had 

 a good stand ruined on such soils by too much rain in 

 early summer. Tile-draining does not seem to remedy 

 this, as we have tested it on a piece of the same kind 

 of land thoroughly drained, with the same results. 

 Again, the alternate freezing and thawing in early 

 spring, especially when the soil is saturated with 

 water, is very injurious. Our people find it difi&cult 

 to secure a good stand and to follow any pradlical plan 

 that will hold the weeds in check until the alfalfa 



