492 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



of course. The result has been splendid. We have 

 used 500 pounds of acid phosphate to the acre and 

 80 pounds of nitrate of soda at the time of growing, 

 and each year afterward about 400 pounds, of acid 

 phosphate, sometimes in early spring, sometimes 

 after taking off the first cutting. 



Nevertheless, we have made partial failures. 

 Certain galled, washed and eroded hillsides that had 

 grown nothing for decades we sowed to alfalfa. On 

 some of these hillsides we had glorious success, bet- 

 ter when they faced the south. To conquer a red 

 gall in that Southland is a difficult thing. We did it 

 by extra amounts of limestone, extra amounts of 

 manure and fertilization as well. On certain galled 

 hillsides that faced the north we did not succeed so 

 well because the frosts of winter lifted out our 

 young plants. There we think August seeding, or 

 else spring seeding, would be better. On some of 

 the most stubbornly barren spots we are sowing 

 melilotus, which seems to thrive. Eed galls are a 

 soil mystery, not yet fully solved, their barrenness 

 being due perhaps to the union of their phosphorus 

 with iron. However, we have some of the worst 

 scarred hillsides carpeted with luxuriant alfalfa, 

 erosion absolutely stopped and the land, once worse 

 than worthless, a good source of profit. 



Of the behavior of alfalfa, at Kensington Mr. 

 Huffman remarked: 



"I know two things: first, that in establishing 

 alfalfa here one one must do well each and every 

 part of the work; he cannot leave one thing undone. 



