THIRTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL CONVENTION. 51 



The greatest difficulty is in getting the first crop cured, as 

 it is generally ready to cut at the rainy season in the early part 

 of the summer, along the latter part of June. 



We have found it a great help after the alfalfa has been cut, 

 and partially dried, to cock it and cover it with a hay cap. Two 

 years ago we saved more than the price of the hay caps in the 

 first cutting by having them ready to put on the alfalfa. We 

 cut on Monday, cocked it in the afternoon and put on the hay 

 caps the next morning. It rained all that week, the next Monday 

 we had almost as good hay as the next cutting, which was cut 

 without any rain ; so much for the hay caps. 



In growing alfalfa, I think it is absolutely essential it should 

 be cured either in the cut or in the windrow. If you cock it up it 

 takes a long while to dry out. I think the best thing to do with 

 alfalfa, unless the season is too rainy, is to rake and turn it over 

 often. It does not do to let it dry in the sun because you lose the 

 leaves, the most nutritious part. It must be cured in the windrow 

 or in the cock if you want to get the best quality. 



President: Are there any questions you would like to ask 

 Mr. Dickerson? 



Member: Do you have any trouble in the heating of the 

 barn? 



Mr. Dickerson : No, we have had no trouble. This year 

 the first crop was put in damp; some said it would spoil. It has 

 come out very nicely. I think you can put alfalfa hay in the 

 barn a little wetter than clover. It is dangerous to put hay in 

 the barn wet from dew or rain. If it is the dampness from the 

 plant itself I think you can put it in pretty reasonably heavy. 



We have not attempted to raise alfalfa by growing a nurse 

 crop with it, for the reason that I felt if we attempted to grow a 

 nurse crop it would dry out during the summer. I think it could 

 be done on a richer soil. 



We plant our alfalfa the latter part of September or the 

 latter part of August. The first year we kept it disked up to the 



