Soiling Crops. 155 



lieve, has been a source of discouragement to many 

 others in attempting to raise lucern. Dealers in 

 the Eastern States had little call for it at that time, 

 and still, for that matter, they order a few bags at a 

 time. This time I sowed the seed with a light seed- 

 ing of barley, and cut the barley for a soiling crop. 

 The lucern was just at a stage where it came on 

 with a rush, and my seeding was a success. I never 

 weighed the amount per acre, as I have often wished 

 I had, but the second year I obtained three cuttings 

 from it. That, I am sure, gave me more forage than 

 from any other acre I ever had in soiling crops. The 

 soil was a deep gravelly loam. 



Lucern is somewhat more difficult to cure than 

 clover. But as a soiling crop to feed in connection 

 with com, it has no superior. Corn, as will be seen 

 on page 12, is very deficient in albuminoids, and 

 requires bran, shorts, pea meal, linseed, or cotton- 

 seed . meal to supply the deficiency ; but green corn 

 or ensilage, fed with lucern or Hungarian millet, 

 makes a good ration. The two fed together make 

 the most desirable combination that can be grown. 

 Its ability to withstand great drought, owing to the 

 great depth to which its roots go for food, and its 

 tremendous yield per acre of most succulent and 

 nutritious forage, make it second to none as a soiling 

 crop. One seeding will last for years. It is a crop 

 that answers well to liquid manure. 



Where land is suitable for it, it should be given 

 the first place in the list of soiling crops. It is fit 

 to cut in the spring, nearly as soon as rye. 



