262 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



hay has sold for $4 to $6 per ton during the past four 

 years. The best crop for seed depends on the weather ; 

 sometimes the first flowers set best, and again the later 

 ones do better ; on my bottom land the plant grows too 

 large for seed, unless in a dry time. If seed is ripe, cut 

 only while damp or in the early morning, rake into rows 

 immediately or early the next morning, haul with a 

 "Monarch" rake, and use a stacker. Last year and year 

 before I obtained four bushels of seed to the acre, and it 

 cost me 60 cents per bushel for cleaning. Used ordinary 

 threshing outfit, and set hind end of thresher 10 inches 

 lower than front. The seed has sold here during four 

 years for $5 to $8 per bushel. Horses and sheep should 

 not be pastured on the alfalfa, as it pays to mow and haul 

 it to them, either green or dry. It makes good pasturage 

 for cattle, but they must not be turned on when the ground 

 is frozen, nor when they are hungry, as it is necessary to 

 start them gradually to avoid bloating. Mine never 

 have bloated, and I feed milch cows in the early spring 

 and on the fourth crop in the fall. Alfalfa ripened and 

 threshed has little value, as it breaks up into dust and 

 chaff. My stand improved every year; was about at its 

 best the sixth year, and continues about the same for an 

 indefinite time. If it gets a fair start, and is cut three 

 times, a good stand can be kept; but if it is pastured, and 

 the weeds are not eaten, it is apt to thin itself. A neigh- 

 bor plowed under alfalfa for green manure, but the next 

 year it grew up as thick and strong as if not plowed* 

 We do not need manure here. I have seen several pieces 

 of fairly good alfalfa on high prairie, with some gumbo 

 in the soil, but it grows best where the subsoil is fairly 



