SUMMARY OF ALFALFA SOWING. 481 



past years. On new fields one must add inoculation 

 to the list of things to be done, and on some fields 

 liming. 



Sowing Alfalfa in the Cornbelt. — Let us recapitu- 

 late these steps, which are needed anywhere east of 

 the Mississippi Eiver and along the 40th parallel: 



First, make the land rich with manure. 



Second, if it requires liming, lime it, at any time 

 or season you prefer. Turn half the lime under, 

 apply half after plowing. 



Third, plow the land deep, preferably some weeks 

 before seeding. 



Fourth, get busy as soon as the land is ready to 

 work in April. Harrow, drag and rake a seedbed 

 reasonably fine and smooth. 



Fifth, distribute the inoculated soil and harrow it 

 in. About 200 pounds to the acre will serve, sown 

 broadcast; much more would be better. One must 

 harrow to cover it as fast as it is sown or else sun- 

 light may destroy the bacteria. 



Sixth, come on with the drill, sowing 15 to 20 

 pounds of alfalfa seed, 3 pecks of beardless spring 

 barley and 400 to 500 pounds of phosphatic fertilizer 

 per acre, unless you are very sure that the land will 

 not respond to phosphorus. 



Seventh, float the land smooth with a plank drag. 



Thus sown you will not fail once in twenty years 

 to have alfalfa. Nor is it a slow or troublesome 

 work, nor so very costly to do. 



Alternative Nurse-Crops in the Cornbelt. — Oats? 

 I earnestly advise against their use; the growth is 



