480 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



Successful Practice in Ohio. — On Woodland Farm 

 this is our habit: The land was last year in corn, 

 carefully cultivated to keep it free from weeds. Ma- 

 nure was applied to the corn. In the fall if con- 

 venient, otherwise in winter or early spring, the 

 land is well and deeply plowed. When spring opens 

 and danger of hard freezing is over, but before the 

 time of spring frosts has passed, probably the first 

 week in April in the latitude of Columbus, we go on 

 the land with the disk harrow. This is followed by 

 the plank drag or smoother; then follows usually a 

 spike-tooth harrow, which yet further levels and pul- 

 verizes, then the drag again to make the land smooth 

 for the drill. If one disking and dragging make a 

 good seedbed that is all that is given. 



Then follows the drill with three compartments: 

 one with alfalfa seed, one with beardless spring bar- 

 ley, and one with fertilizer. The drill distributes 15 

 to 20 pounds of alfalfa seed to the acre, one bushel 

 or a little less of barley and 400 to 500 pounds to 

 the acre of fertilizer. The fertilizer is either a high 

 grade of acid phosphate or basic slag. We are yet 

 uncertain which pays the better, although liking ex- 

 tremely well the results of the basic slag. The al- 

 falfa seed is usually dropped behind the drill, some- 

 times in front of it. The plank drag follows the 

 drill to leave the land level and to cover all the seed. 

 With one team on the disk harrow, two on drags and 

 one on the drill, the work is continuous and about 10 

 acres a day are sown. The land has had inoculation 

 from our having grown alfalfa all over the farm in 



