288 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 
In fact winter irrigation is often a very good thing. 
It saves water, for one thing, that might otherwise 
be lost for lack of storage, and no one ever heard of 
there being enough water to satisfy all needs in 
summer time. 
Care must be taken, however, not to let the alfalfa 
be flooded in cold weather, which might cover over 
the crowns and freeze into a solid sheet of ice which 
would destroy the plants entirely. In truth in ir- 
rigated regions there is no easier way of destroying 
alfalfa than to let it be flooded in winter and freeze 
solid to the ground. This makes it much easier 
plowing in the spring. 
Alfalfa does not want to be too wet when growth 
starts in spring, since that makes the ground cold 
and retards growth. One or two waterings will 
usually be sufficient before the first crop is cut. 
It is usually well to water alfalfa shortly before 
cutting, as this starts off the second crop promptly 
and vigorously. In irrigated lands one should get 
the hay off the land as quickly as he ean, since 
growth is usually very prompt and very rapid after 
cutting. One watering when the crop is about half 
grown is usually advisable. Here, of course, one 
must be governed by his soil and water supply, and 
somewhat by climate as well. There are soils that 
respond to double the water that other soils require. 
Loose sandy or gravelly soils will use vast amounts 
of water, and when this can be given the yield may 
be splendid. 
As a rule the yield of hay is nearly proportioned 
