TIME OF CUTTING. 295 
off as promtly as possible when once it is ready. 
I. D. O’Donnell, Billings, Mont., is so impressed 
with this truth that he mows down 400 acres at one 
clip when it is time to mow it down for the first 
cutting. As he has little or no rain to trouble him 
he can do this without fear. Once cut down he 
hustles to get it off the field as soon as he can. Thus 
his second crop comes on quickly. 
The Second Cutting —Supposing the first crop to 
be mown off June 1, the next crop will be ready in 
about 30 to 36 days. When weather conditions are 
good it will be ready in 30 days. Say the second 
crop is taken off July 4, the third crop will be slower 
to mature because of hot and dry weather; it may 
come off in 45 days or by Aug. 20. It is probable, 
however, that if there is a large amount of alfalfa 
to make into hay one will not find it possible to do 
it all as promptly as he would like, so that it will be 
the first of September or a little later when the 
third cutting is taken off. This will not permit a 
safe removal of a fourth cutting. 
No Universal Rule—No rule of universal appli- 
cation can be laid down. Almost anywhere in Amer- 
ica it can be cut three times. In Ontario it has 
been cut four times, though it is probable that to cut 
it three times would be better. There are situations 
where it will make but two crops, where the altitude 
is high. In the state of Coahuilla, Mexico, where 
I was instrumental in establishing a large alfalfa- 
growing hacienda, it may be cut every 30 days, dur- 
