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Alfalfa or Lucerne. 
essentially on lime, which is so common 
in this country, and which produces its 
rapid growth. Alfalfa will thrive well in 
any kind of soil except where it is wet; 
it is a forage plant for dry lands and it 
is known to have yielded one and two 
erops a year, in places, where other crops 
have failed entirely. Though it will do 
best in a rich sandy loam, it stands 
drought better than any other cultivated - 
grass. Alfalfa is grown more or less in 
every State or Territory in the Union, 
from the Atlantic te the Pacifie coast; in 
Canada in the Nerth. and in Mexico in 
the South. Its use as a forage plant is 
getting more and more every year. It 
is hardy and stands our winter better 
than any other kind of clover. The seed 
should be sown about one inch deep. 
The seed does best planted here in 
Louisiana in late fall, during September, 
October or November, while it is planted 
almost the year round. The way to plant 
it to be successful is as follows: The 
ground should be thoroughly plowed, 
leaving no weeds. Plow first one way 
and then crossways, making thorough 
drainage; allow no water to remain on 
the seed beds or meadow, nor around 
them. To be successful it should be 
J. STECKLER SEED CO., LTD., ALMANAC AND 
planted three consecutive years. The 
first year, work as above with 30 pounds 
of seed, broadcast. The second year, 
about the same time, 26 “pounds of the 
seed, without disturbing the ground. The 
third year, abowt the same time, 15 
pounds of seed, without disturbing the 
ground; but simply broadcasting the seed 
by hand in the gap3, for no matter how 
careful you are in sowing the seed you 
will have gaps. Then you will have a 
meadow forever. 
The first year of sowing it yields a 
good crop, if sown alone in the spring, 
which is the proper way, and after that 
will yield 3 to 7 crops according to the 
length of season. On land not irrigated 
one and two cuttings a year is the aver- 
age yield. As from one to three tons of 
hay are mowed every time, there is no 
other clover that can compare with 
Alfalfa fer a heavy cropper. 
Alfalfa is the very best fertilizer to 
| enrich a poor soil and, being -a legumin- 
; us plant, will 
store in the ground 
enough nitrogen to raise 3 and 4 good 
crops of any other kind of our cultivated 
plants. Its large carrot-like roots will 
aerate the land to a great depth and, as 
the outer part decays annually while they 
keep growing larger from the center, 
they are constantly inereasing the fertili- 
ty of the soil. 
The only cause of failure in growing 
Alfalfa, in some parts of the South, is in 
trying to raise it in too wet land or in 
letting the weeds smother the young 
plants. While Alfalfa will, when 3 or 4 
years old, kill any other grass grown 
With it, when young it needs some care, 
| and before sowing, it is a good plan to 
get rid of the weeds. If they seem to 
get the best of the Alfalfa they should be 
mowed down as often as needed. Mow- 
ing often, while fatal to the weeds, will 
benefit the young Alfalfa as new buds 
will start on the upper parts of the roots. 
Alfalfa should not be grazed the frst 
year as tramping on the crowns is 
injurious, and many promising pasture 
fields have been ruined by it. After two 
or three years the crowns of the roots 
are strong enough to stand any amount 
of grazing. 
Alfalfa is not only the best and richest 
hay plant, but is the easiest hay to cure. 
In making hay cut one day, lay it in the 
swath and cure all next day. If the sun 
has shone nicely rake it on the following 
morning, cock it up immediately after 
raking while yet damp with the dew and 
let it cure in the cock, from one to three 
days before stacking. Never turn it over 
Steckler’s Seeds are True to Name and of Best Quality. 
