138 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



This then is true: to get maximum crops of 

 alfalfa, to grow it as though you were growing a 

 weed, make your land alkaline with lime, instead of 

 having it acid. Then get it dry, add proper amounts 

 of fertility, and the only troubles you will have will 

 be in caring for the crops of hay and. some day in 

 breaking your tough alfalfa sod. 



Where the Lime Soils Lie. — ^Where probably 

 are soils already filled sufficiently with lime, and 

 where are they deficient from the standpoint of the 

 alfalfa plant? 



In no part of the arid and semi-arid region has 

 there been found evidence of any need of lime in 

 the soil. Often there will be found from 1>4% to 

 4% of carbonate of lime in those soils. This would 

 be equivalent to from 30 to 80 tons of this substance 

 in the top foot of soil of each acre. 



Coming eastward it is doubtful if any part of 

 Nebraska, Kansas or the Dakotas need lime, except 

 in their eastern portions or in especially sandy parts. 

 It seems certain that the western portions of these 

 states have lime enough already. Southeastern Kan- 

 sas needs lime, so doubtless do parts of Oklahoma 

 and the Indian Territory. 



Texas has a great diversity of soils. Parts of 

 Texas are tremendously supplied with carbonate of 

 lime. There alfalfa is almost a weed, suffering only 

 from lack of sufficient rainfall. Eastern Texas, on 

 the other hand, needs lime very badly indeed to 

 make alfalfa thrive. Along rivers the alluvial soils 

 are usually well stored with lime. 



