PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES 26 1 



also grown it in England, without any irrigation, and 

 now have 45 acres. The land is bottom rising to second 

 bottom, with vegetable loam and some gumbo in the 

 upper portion, and loam subsoil, similar to surface, but 

 somewhat paler, for 15 feet down. Well water is found 

 by digging 11 to 22 feet through the soil, which is 

 usually moist except in dry weather, when the upper two 

 or three feet are not. It has been found best to plow six 

 inches deep, in August or September ; to roll or level with 

 a heavy float about April 13, then harrow, and broadcast 

 25 pounds (or drill 20 pounds) of seed to the acre. T 

 broadcast all of mine, and harrow and roll or level. The 

 best time for sowing here is April 14 to 30, as it almost 

 invariably rains here about April 20, and frosts have 

 never hurt my crop, nor does it winterkill. Mow first 

 when the weeds are six to nine inches high, and, if worth 

 hauling, stack; if not, let lie; generally mow again about 

 July 4 to 20, and stack; there may be one-fourth to one- 

 half ton of hay per acre. The second season we cut 

 three times, unless we ripen seed, and obtain from one- 

 fourth to one ton each cutting; after this it grows about 

 a foot high by October. For hay, mow as soon as 

 about half full of flowers, rake the same morning, 

 and haul in one or two days, as the leaves fall if 

 dry. It does not heat nor mold here if the sap is half 

 out and the straw long; I use the ''Acme'' hay har- 

 vester, making stacks with rounded ends, nine steps 

 long by five wide, and top out with straw or hay, taking 

 care to keep the middle well filled. The total cost of hay 

 in stack is about $1.50 per ton, the land being valued at 

 $15 per acre, or $60 with a good stand of alfalfa. The 



