PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES 279 



apparently essential in all cases, it would seem that where 

 soils have not been heavily manured that this point should 

 be carefully observed. 



/. P. Nelson of Monmouth county has had a very suc- 

 cessful experience in the growth of alfalfa, since he has 

 observed all of the recommendations made as to methods 

 of seeding and after-treatment. The following is a de- 

 scription of his method and the results obtained from a 

 seeding made August lo, 1904. The surface soil is a 

 medium clay loam, underlaid with a gravelly clay subsoil. 

 The crops preceding were grass and corn, and the manures 

 used were barnyard manure and 600 pounds per acre of 

 ground bone. The corn preceding the alfalfa was limed 

 at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre, and 1,400 pounds per 

 acre were applied just previous to the seeding of alfalfa. 

 Thirty pounds of seed were used per acre, and lightly 

 harrowed in and the land rolled. The germination and 

 early growth were good, and the jfirst crop was harvested 

 June I, 1905. The yield was two big, two-horse loads of 

 cured hay per acre. 



jE. T. Gill of Camden county has a sandy loam, under- 

 laid by a subsoil varying from sand to clay. He has an 

 area of 24 acres, ranging from two to six years in age. 

 The first seeding of about two acres is still growing 

 profitable crops, though not uniform in stand. The later 

 seedings show an excellent stand and large and profitable 

 crops are annually harvested. Usually four cuts are 

 made each year, which are used both for soiling and for 

 hay, with splendid results. The practice on this farm is 

 to top-dress with manure during the winter at the rate of 

 about eight tons per acre. Mr. Gill's experience leads 



