480 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 
Successful Practice in Ohio—On Woodland Farm 
this is our habit: The land was last year in corn, 
carefully cultivated to keep it free from weeds. Ma- 
nure was applied to the corn. In the fall if con- 
venient, otherwise in winter or early spring, the 
land is well and deeply plowed. When spring opens 
and danger of hard freezing is over, but before the 
time of spring frosts has passed, probably the first 
week in April in the latitude of Columbus, we go on 
the land with the disk harrow. This is followed by 
the plank drag or smoother; then follows usually a 
spike-tooth harrow, which yet further levels and pul- 
verizes, then the drag again to make the land smooth 
for the drill. If one disking and dragging make a 
good seedbed that is all that is given. 
Then follows the drill with three compartments: 
one with alfalfa seed, one with beardless spring bar- 
ley, and one with fertilizer. The drill distributes 15 
to 20 pounds of alfalfa seed to the acre, one bushel 
or a little less of barley and 400 to 500 pounds to 
the acre of fertilizer. The fertilizer is either a high 
grade of acid phosphate or basic slag. We are yet 
uncertain which pays the better, although liking ex- 
tremely well the results of the basic slag. The al- 
falfa seed is usually dropped behind the drill, some- 
times in front of it. The plank drag follows the 
drill to leave the land level and to cover all the seed. 
With one team on the disk harrow, two on drags and 
one on the drill, the work is continuous and about 10 
acres a day are sown. The land has had inoculation 
from our having grown alfalfa all over the farm in 
