SUMMARY OF ALFALFA SOWING. 511 



growing alfalfa. One can afford to be liberal in his 

 purchases of phosphorus when this is the one ele- 

 ment that he must buy. We have had no difficulty 

 in growing corn on alfalfa sod to a maximum yield 

 of more than 100 bushels of shelled corn per acre 

 over a 50-acre block, which nearly satisfies us that 

 we are on the right road. 



Potash for Alfalfa. — On "Woodland Farm are cer- 

 tain low spots, once pond bottoms, with black soil 

 and appearing rich, that are so deficient in potas- 

 sium that they have refused to grow corn or alfalfa 

 without potash. This substance works a miracle on 

 these spots and makes corn ear splendidly and al- 

 falfa show fine thrift. We use commonly muriate 

 of potash, once in three or four years, at the rate of 

 200 pounds to the acre. On our clay soils we note 

 no need of this compound. Each man must experi- 

 ment for himself in order to know what his own 

 soil type lacks ; nearly always it will be phosphorus, 

 occasionally potassium and usually nitrogen as well. 



Weeds, Foxtail, Crabgrass and the Alfalfa Har- 

 row. — Foxtail will come in alfalfa meadows despite 

 all one's care. It may do little harm; it may seri- 

 ously choke the alfalfa. Crabgrass comes less often, 

 and is worse when it comes. Of weeds only a few 

 trouble ; the broad-leaved plantain is one of the most 

 common. Usually it is a sign of needed underdrain- 

 age. We have tested nearly all modes of harrowing 

 alfalfa to rid it of grass. The disc is the most com- 

 mon implement. We found it efficient enough but it 

 decreased the yield of the alfalfa in some instances 



