e 
SUMMARY OF ALFALFA SOWING. 481 
past years. On new fields one must add inoculation 
to the list of things to be done, and on some fields 
liming. 
Sowing Alfalfa in the Cornbelt——Let us recapitu- 
late these steps, which are needed anywhere east of 
the Mississippi River and along the 40th parallel: 
First, make the land rich with manure. 
Second, if it requires liming, lime it, at any time 
or season you prefer. Turn half the lime under, 
apply half after plowing. 
Third, plow the land deep, preferably some weeks 
before seeding. 
Fourth, get busy as soon as the land is ready to 
work in April. Harrow, drag and rake a seedbed 
reasonably fine and smooth. 
Fifth, distribute the inoculated soil and harrow it 
in. About 200 pounds to the acre will serve, sown 
broadcast; much more would be better. One must 
harrow to cover it as fast as it is sown or else sun- 
light may destroy the bacteria. 
Sixth, come on with the drill, sowing 15 to 20 
pounds of alfalfa seed, 3 pecks of beardless spring 
barley and 400 to 500 pounds of phosphatic fertilizer 
per acre, unless you are very sure that the land will 
not respond to phosphorus. 
Seventh, float the land smooth with a plank drag. 
Thus sown you will not fail once in twenty years 
to have alfalfa. Nor is it a slow or troublesome 
work, nor so very costly to do. 
Alternative Nurse-Crops in the Cornbelt.—Oats? 
I earnestly advise against their use; the growth is 
