16 FORAGE CROPS FOR THE SAND-HILL SECTION OF NEBRASKA. 



the blossom buds are forming on the ends of the shoots. This will 

 give about the maximum growth of leaf and stem. There will be 

 at this time a large percentage of water in the green matter and 

 considerable time will be necessary to cure it properly, but the hay 

 when cured will be more palatable than if it had been allowed to 

 reach full bloom. 



TREATMENT OF SWEET CLOVER FIELDS. 



If a good, strong germination of the seed is obtained early in May, 

 sufficient growth should be made by August 1 to give a cutting of 

 hay. The following year the growth will start very early and an- 

 other good cutting can usually be secured between June 1 and 15. 

 The second growth should then be allowed to go to seed, if it is de- 

 sired to continue sweet clover on the field. There is usually no neces- 

 sity of harrowing or disking the field after it has seeded, but such 

 treatment would probably assist in getting an even germination. 



Where the soil is poor the plowing under of a crop of sweet clover 

 greatly benefits it ; and even where the clover is cut for hay the decay 

 of the roots, which in a good growth has been estimated at 20 tons 

 green weight per acre, will add large quantities of humus to the soil. 



ALFALFA. 

 DIFFICULTY OF CULTIVATION. 



The crop which will eventually be of the most importance in both 

 the wet and dry valley regions is undoubtedly alfalfa, and it is hoped 

 that a more consistent effort to establish it will follow the publica- 

 tion of this circular. A great deal of it has already been sown 

 throughout this territory and many discouragements encountered. 

 Most of these have arisen from a lack of understanding regarding 

 the requirements of this crop. 



In the wet-valley region much of the alfalfa was sown where the 

 water was near the surface, and during a wet time the crop was 

 drowned out. In other cases, both in the wet and the dry valley 

 regions, fields were sown with insufficient preparation of the ground. 

 They lacked inoculation and on account of the poor character of 

 the soil failed to secure it, and so, after making an indifferent growth 

 for a number of years, the alfalfa was crowded out by weeds and 

 grasses. In nearly all such fields a few plants became inoculated and 

 are still fighting with the grasses, ever-present evidence of the hardy 

 character and adaptability of the alfalfa plant. 



Successful fields of alfalfa are to be found on sandy soils at Whit- 

 man, Hyannis, Seneca, Halsey, Anselmo, Chambers, Atkinson, 



[Cir. 80] 



