488 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



grass, which, after it becomes established produces 

 much more luxuriantly than ever before. As there 

 are thousands of good farmers on this soil type it is 

 worth while for them to try to establish alfalfa. 



I suggest taking advantage of the fact that grass 

 seeds do not live very long in the soil. Let the field 

 be enriched well, giving what underdrainage it 

 needs, and plant it to corn or tobacco. Keep the 

 crop absolutely clean of crabgrass during the entire 

 summer and fall. In winter plow as deeply as pos- 

 sible so as to throw up a fresh soil to the surface. 

 Half the lime should be turned under at this plow- 

 ing, half applied afterward. Sow the alfalfa early, 

 according to the season, but usually in March, as 

 soon as danger of very hard freezes is over. Fer- 

 tilize it heavily and do not omit the 80 pounds to the 

 acre of nitrate of soda. Thus we will get a strong 

 quick growth and a root strong enough to admit of 

 harrowing, should crabgrass come in midsummer. I 

 should test here the use of half a bushel of winter 

 rye to the acre, sown out of season with the alfalfa, 

 but I should sow half the field with no nurse-crop 

 whatever, assuming that the preceding year's use 

 of the land has been as described. Very thorough 

 inoculation is a great help in making the alfalfa 

 start off vigorously, thus getting ahead of weeds and 

 grasses. One would not dare to sow alfalfa in this 

 mid-southern region during May or June. At that 

 time weeds start so fast that I should fear they 

 would overtake the alfalfa. 



Handling Spring-Sown Alfalfa. — A 1 1 o w the 



