PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES 30$ 



tive richness of the soil of this region in lime and potash 

 and its other chemical and physical characters make it 

 especially favorable to alfalfa growing. 



VIRGINIA. 



Prof. Andrew M. Soule, Director Virginia experiment 

 station, — In Bulletin No. 154 from this station we sum- 

 marize as follows : Alfalfa is being grown with success 

 in various parts of Virginia and the indications are that 

 it will do well in humid climates, providing the soil is 

 brought into suitable condition for its growth. Alfalfa 

 has many useful qualities. It yields from three to five 

 tons of cured hay in a year, and remains on the land for 

 a long period of time when once well established* It 

 grows best on deep, open, porous soils well supplied with 

 vegetable matter. The roots of alfalfa are from five to 

 15 feet in length, enabling it to draw much of its food 

 from the subsoil It thus enriches the land for succeed- 

 ing crops and opens it up to the action of air and water. 

 Land intended for alfalfa should be made very rich by 

 plowing under legumes or applying farmyard manure. 

 In addition, from 200 to 400 pounds of acid phosphate, 

 Thomas slag or bone meal, with 100 pounds of muriate 

 of potash, should be applied per acre. If the land is acid, 

 which may be determined by testing with blue litmus 

 paper, an application of 25 bushels of lime should be 

 made. It is generally best to use the unslaked lime, 

 which may be applied with a manure spreader, a grain 

 drill or broadcasted over the land and covered with a 

 harrow. Land intended for alfalfa should be carefully 

 cultivated in hoed crops or summer fallowed so as to de- 



