I60 AI<FAI<PA 



and in the spring, with or without grain crops, at each 

 season, but the best results are obtained by sowing in 

 the spring either alone or with a light seeding of 

 grain. About one bushel of barley per acre makes an 

 admirable nurse-crop, and at the same time gives a 

 very good yield of grain. During the first year, if 

 sown alone, a mowing-machine is usually run over to 

 cut the weeds. If sown with grain no special treat- 

 ment is necessary after the grain is cut. It is advis- 

 able, as a rule, not to pasture the first year, although 

 in exceptional circumstances, when the growth is un- 

 usually large, it might be pastured to a Umited extent. 

 Thorough experiments in determining yield per acre 

 and digestibility by feeding to sheep show that the 

 best results are obtained by cutting when the plants 

 are about one-third in blossom. One lot of alfalfa for 

 five years gave an average of three cuttings per year, 

 there being four cuttings one year, two cuttings 

 another year, and three cuttings in each of the other 

 three years. The average yield was from seventeen to 

 twenty tons of green hay per acre annually. 



' ' In curing great care must be taken not to allow 

 it to lie in the hot sun too long and dry the leaves so 

 that they will fall off. It is permanent after being 

 well started, as farmers have alfalfa that has grown 

 for about twelve years in succession without being 

 reseeded; but it does not seem to endure pasturing 

 very well, as animals eat very close to the crown of 

 the plant. The alfalfa seems to thrive best in warm 

 weather, with frequent showers. Although affedled 

 by the hot, dry weather of the summer, it is cot as 

 greatly influenced as most other plants with shorter 

 roots. If they have a luxuriant growth early in the 



