92 Richard Frotscher^s Almanac and Garden Manual 



at Citrouelle, iu this country, died out every summer, not being- 

 able to withstand the hot suns of our climate. Discouraged, but 

 not dismayed, I determined to test the matter on a small scale at 

 first. Having procured some seed in March, 1876, 1 ])laijted them 

 on a border in my garden, and gave neith.-r manure nor work that 

 season. The early summer here that year was very dry • there 

 was no rain w^hatever from the first ot' June to the 23d of July • 

 and from the 2d of August to the 15th of November not a drop of 

 rain fell on my place. Yet during all this time, my Alfalfa re- 

 mained fresh, bloomed, and was cut two or three times. On the 

 1st of November I dug some of it to examine the habit of root- 

 growth; and to my astonishment I found it necessary to go 22 

 inches blow the surface to reach anything like the end of the top 

 roots. At once it was apparent that the plant was, by its very 

 habit of growth, adapted to hot and dry climates. It is indeed a 

 '' child of the sun." 



Encouraged by this experiment, in which I purposely refrained 

 from giving the Alfalfa any care beyond cutting it occasionally, 

 last year, I proceeded on a larger scale, planting both spring and 

 fall, as I have done again this year to ascertain the best season 

 for putting in the seed. My experience teaches that there is no 

 preference to be given to spring sowings over those of autumn, 

 provided only, there be enough moisture in the soil to make the 

 seed germinate, which they do more quickly and more surely than 

 the best turnips. Two winters have proved to me that the Alfalfa 

 remains green throughout the winter in this latitude, 25 miles 

 North of Mobile, and at an altitude of 400 feet above tide-water. 

 Therefore I should prefer fall-sowings, which will give the first 

 cutting from the 1st of March to the 1st of April following. This 

 season my first cutting was made on the 1st of April ; and I have 

 cut it since regularly every four or six weeks, according to the 

 weather, to cure for hay. Meanwhile a portion has been cut 

 almost daily for feeding green, or soiling. Used in the latter way 

 {for under no circumstances must it ever be pastured), I am able to 

 give my stock fresh, green, food, fully four weeks before the na- 

 tive wild grasses commence to put out. I deem it best to cut the 

 day before, what is led green, in order to let it become thoroughly 

 wilted before using. After a large number of experiments with 

 horses, mules, cattle and swine, I can aver that in no instance, 

 from March to November, have I found a case when any of these 

 animals would not give the preference to Alfalfa over every kind 

 of grass (also soiled) known in this region. And, w^hile Alfalfa 

 makes a sweet and nutritious hay eagerly eaten by all kinds of 

 stock, it is as a forage plant for soding, which is available for at 

 least nine months in the year, that I esteem it so highly. The hay 

 is easily cured, if that which is cut in the forenoon is thrown into 

 small cocks at noon, then spread out after the dew is oft next 

 morning, sunned for au hour, and at once hauled into the barn. 

 By this method the leaves do not fall ofi", which is sure to be the 

 case, if the Alfalfa is exposed to a day or two of hot sunshine. 



It has been my habit to precede the Alfalfa with a clean crop 

 — usually Rutabagas, after which I sow clay peas, to be turned 



