30 FORAGE CROPS IN NEBRASKA. 



show that alfalfa may be sown at any time of the year from spring to 

 early fall, provided the soil is in the proper condition as to tilth and 

 moisture. In the eastern part of Nebraska summer and fall sowings 

 may be advantageous because of the weeds. The soil may be freed 

 from weeds during summer and thus the alfalfa is given a chance to get 

 a start. 



To test the relative value of sowing seed alone or with a nurse crop, 

 two one-fifth acre plots were planted with 5 pounds of seed on April 8, 

 1901. On plot No. 1 the seed was sown alone. A good stand followed, 

 with vigorous growth, though some plants were killed during the 

 winter of 1902-3. The result was entirely satisfactory. The plot 

 was disked in the same manner as No. 2. On plot No. 2 the seed was 

 sown with 2 peck of oats. On June 28, 1901, 58 pounds of oats were 

 gathered, followed by a fair stand of alfalfa b} T October. In. the 

 spring of 1902 the stand was very poor, but after being disked and 

 harrowed (March 22) there was some recovery and a good stand 

 resulted in the spring of 1903, though there had been some loss during 

 the preceding winter. The results show that a good stand is more 

 certain to follow sowing alone, the growth of alfalfa being vigorous 

 the first season, while if sown with a nurse crop the alfalfa does not 

 reach its maximum till the second season and there is some risk of a 

 poor stand. The poor results the first season are partly offset by the 

 oat crop gained. 



A third plot was treated in the same manner as No. 2, with the 

 intention of mowing the oats for ha} T , but the dry spring ripened the 

 oats prematurely. The results otherwise were similar to plot No. 2. 



A series of experiments has now been in progress for three years 

 to test the effect of combining alfalfa with various grasses. In the 

 spring of 1901 plots one-fifth acre in size were sown with the following 

 mixtures: 



Alfalfa, 5 pounds; broine-grass, 3 pounds. 



Alfalfa, 4 pounds; broine-grass, 4 pounds. 



Alfalfa, 4 pounds; bluegrass, 3 pounds. 



Alfalfa, 4 pounds; meadow fescue, 5 pounds. 



Alfalfa, 1 pound; brome-grass, i pound; red clover, J pound; white clover, J pound; 

 bluegrass, £ pound; meadow fescue, J pound; orchard grass, } pound; timothy, 1 pound; 

 perennial rye-grass, 1 pound; tall oat-grass, J pound. 



Alfalfa, 4 pounds; timothy, 5 pounds. 



In all cases there was a good stand of alfalfa the first year, and 

 scarcely any of the grasses could be found. All of the plots were 

 disked and harrowed in the spring of 1902. During this season there 

 was a good growth of alfalfa and only a little grass to be seen. This 

 result is especially noteworth}' for the plot containing only 1 pound 

 of alfalfa, with several grasses. It was not till the third year that the 

 grasses began to assert themselves. In all the plots the grass consti- 

 tuted a considerable portion of the plots except in the case of the 



