416 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



will eat with great satisfaction. Some poultry keep- 

 ers advise wetting the leaves, or pouring boiling 

 water over them, whidh makes them freshen up 

 amazingly; others think as good results come from 

 feeding them dry. 



Meal and Cut Hay. — Alfalfa meal is admirable 

 for poultry and egg production. Where alfalfa is 

 not grown and the hay is therefore unavailable 

 doubtless the meal is a profitable source of vege- 

 table food and protein. It stimulates egg production 

 and is thought to have some influence in making the 

 eggs fertile. 



For home use, where alfalfa hay is available it 

 is well to cut the hay in very short lengths, the 

 shorter the better proibably, choosing very early 

 cut, tender and well cured hay for this purpose. 

 This will doubtless do nearly or quite as well as 

 alfalfa meal, and the leaves from the feeding barn 

 will do best of all since they are most digestible of 

 any part of the alfafa plant. 



It is noticeable that when alfalfa is available in 

 winter egg production is greatly stimulated. 



