IN THE DIFFERENT STATES 1 37 



results are obtained by sowing thirty pounds of seed 

 to the acre, cross-sowing both ways, using a hand- 

 flyer, and putting in a bushel of barley to the acre 

 with it. During the first season the crop should be 

 cut as often as the weeds grow higher than the alfalfa. 

 I have never irrigated. I,ast year I had three cuttings, 

 averaging six tons to the acre, and I used the fourth 

 crop for hog-feed, with a small quantity of corn, allow- 

 ing the young pigs to run on it until they were- 

 about four months old. The hay is cut when the 

 plants are in full bloom, and it will cure in twenty- 

 four hours of dry, hot weather. I stack it the same 

 as native hay and top it with native hay, as alfalfa 

 does not turn water well. The yield of hay is 

 double that of clover here. The alfalfa has made 

 excellent pasture for all kinds of stock, especially 

 swine, and we think will produce more than any 

 grass or other clover. Some care should be taken 

 in turning on stock-cattle when very hungry, lest 

 they bloat. The native grasses are failing us quite 

 rapidly here, and nothing seems to supply our wants 

 but alfalfa. This year it has been growing stead- 

 ily, while every other grass, grain, and vegetable 

 has failed, and those negledling to plant it have dis- 

 covered their error. Many have had to give up their 

 hogs on account of the hot, dry weather, causing a 

 feilure of the corn crop, while, if they had had alfalfa, 

 they could have held the stock over. There is con- 

 siderable difiiculty in ridding land of the plant, but a 

 very strong team can plow it under. It is the best 

 crop to preserve the strength of the land that I have 

 known in my experience." 



S. W. Stilgebauer, of Red Willow County, says: 



