352 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



ougM to be cut because of tbe immensity of the 

 fields and the dearth of labor. It is best there, as 

 elsewhere, to mow and stack the surplus, letting 

 the new growth come up strong and fresh. 



If there is any difficulty in pasturing alfalfa in 

 Argentina arising from its liability to bloat animals 

 I have been unable to discover any mention of it in 

 repoTts from that country. It is probable that there 

 is some loss when hungry cattle are suddenly turned 

 to rank alfalfa. Being constantly on it, and having 

 access to native grasses more or less mixed with the 

 alfalfa the loss is probably very slight. 



Finishing Cattle on Alfalfa. — The carrying capa- 

 city of alfalfa pasture in Argentina is estimated at 

 from 2 to 41/2 animals per square (4.17 acres) the 

 year round, or in round numbers from % to 1 ani- 

 mal per acre. An animal there always means a beef 

 animal, and it is estimated that a pasture will carry 

 four times as many sheep as it will cattle. This 

 is a curious estimate as it is usual to estimate 8 

 sheep to one steer. This estimate is for breeding 

 cattle. For fattening it must be reduced slightly. 

 Except in the winter alfalfa pasture will fatten three 

 to five rough animals per square, in five to eight 

 months. Eough, thin work oxen are fattened in 

 that time. There is a large business of raising feed- 

 ers on poorer lands north or south on native grasses 

 and driving tKem in great herds to the alfalfa fields 

 to be fattened. As the beasts approach within a 

 few months of the age at which they should start 



