48 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



President : Mr. Mason has something he wants to ask you. 

 Mr. Mason: Do you grow alfalfa in your section? 



Judge Lynch : Yes, we have some good sections, but we 

 have this difficulty, we are not blessed with the fertility of the 

 soil. Nature in making southern Illinois made it deficient in 

 vegetable matter. From the water it has become acid, so our 

 soil is not fit by nature to do many things that you can do in the 

 northern part of Illinois. 



I started out to say that there is nothing you cannot do with 

 your brains and energy behind it. 



The thing to do with alfalfa is to find out what the defi- 

 ciencies of the soil are, why it will not grow. When you find that 

 out go to work and overcome it. 



I found the first thing to do is to put some ground lime- 

 stone in and this puts the soil in a better physical condition. Then 

 have the ground well drained. Alfalfa will not stand wet food. 



Mr. Mason: Will tile work there? 



Judge Lynch : Yes, on the hard pan that never bothers us 

 at all. That is assigned as the reason, but get behind it and 

 study it, there is some other reason. It is more in the failure of 

 the man than of the soil. I find that if you take and put ground 

 limestone to overcome the acid, then give it all the fertility you 

 can by fertilizing all your barn manure, get your ground in thor- 

 ough cultivation. 



I would advise that you plow your ground early in the 

 spring and until the first of July disk it every two weeks. This 

 will accomplish two things : First, kill the weeds ; the other is 

 by that kind of cultivation it will retain the moisture; I do not 

 care how dry it gets after July first, your alfalfa will grow and 

 you will make a success of it. There is not a foot of ground in 

 Illinois where you cannot make alfalfa grow under proper condi- 

 tions. 



Mr. Mason: When do you sow the seed? 



