ALFALFA 149 



to the drill marks previously made. When thus 

 sown, the plants are more evenly distributed over 

 the soil, and produce, it is thought, a more uniform 

 quality of stalk. This method meets, in part, at 

 least, the objection sometimes made to drill sowing, 

 that it does not distribute the plants sufficiently in 

 the soil. 



In the Northern and Atlantic States, also west of 

 the Cascade Mountains, and in some parts of the 

 South, alfalfa is frequently sown with a nurse crop, 

 and under favorable conditions the results are usu- 

 ally satisfactory, if the nurse crop is not sown too 

 thickly. The best nurse crops in the areas named are 

 barley and winter rye, but oats will answer also, if 

 sown thinly and cut for hay. It has also been sown 

 quite successfully along with winter wheat in the 

 spring and also with spring wheat. When sown 

 with winter wheat or winter rye, it is usually ad- 

 vantageous to cover the seed well with the harrow. 

 In many instances, however, even in these areas, it 

 is thought better to sow the seed without a nurse 

 crop, in order that the plants may have all the bene^ 

 fit from moisture and sunlight which it is possible 

 to give them. This is specially desirable when the 

 fear is present that they may succumb the first win- 

 ter to the severity df the weather. As weeds grow 

 rapidly along with the plants, the mower should be 

 run over the field from one to three times during 

 the season. If the mowing is done at the proper 

 time, it will not be necessary to remove what has 

 been cut off by the mower. It may be allowed to lie 

 as a mulch on the land. But should the growth of 



