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this afternoon why alfalfa is a desirable crop and to outline the 

 methods that must be followed in order to assure its success. 



Alfalfa is a soil enriching crop because it has the power to in- 

 crease the content of nitrogen in the soil. For example, we have 

 raised seven tons of alfalfa per acre at New Brunswick. We had 

 one ten acre field of alfalfa that gave us an average yield of six 

 tons of field cured hay per acre. We expect to average at the 

 College Farm, five tons per acre of field cured alfalfa hay. The 

 average lOO lbs of alfalfa hay will contain 2^ to 3 lbs. of nitrogen, 

 equivalent to 15 or 18% of protein. 



After the removal of the crop there are left in the soil very 

 large quantities of roots and stubble, which increase the content of 

 nitrogen. Alfalfa is, therefore, a soil enriching crop because it adds 

 nitrogen to the soil. Moreover it has another feature that is not 

 recognized as widely. It has the ability to improve the soil be- 

 cause of its deep rooting habits, and because of its ability to open 

 up channels which are followed by the roots of succeeding crops. 

 Further arguments are hardly needed to convince us that wherever 

 possible we should grow alfalfa, and should make it a part of our 

 crop rotations. It should be grown wherever farm, dairy or beef 

 animals are kept. A ton of alfalfa is worth as much for feeding 

 purposes as a ton of wheat bran. 



But while we recognize the value of the crop, and admit the 

 desirability of growing it, we cannot but admit also that there are 

 certain difficulties to overcome in the growing of alfalfa that cause 

 many people to fail and to become discouraged. I think though 

 that people who have had some experience in alfalfa growing con- 

 sider the difficulties not at all impossible to overcome. That is, 

 when the demands of the crop and of the soil are recognized, the 

 growing of alfalfa is no more difficult than the growing of clover. 



We learn, as we begin to grow alfalfa, that while there are soil 

 types better adapted to this crop than other soil types, we also learn 

 that practically every type of soil will grow alfalfa provided cer- 

 tain conditions are met. Whatever the soil type may be, it must of 

 all things be well aerated. A soil compact enough to prevent the 

 proper circulation of air is not well suited for the growing of al- 

 falfa. We must have a soil that is deep and one that is well aerated. 

 We must have a soil that is not acid. We learn a great deal about 

 lime when we come to study alfalfa growing. 



Crops differ in their lime requirements. There are those that 

 will grow by preference on sour soil, and there are even legumes 

 that will prefer a sour soil. We have a wide range, in other words, 

 in the needs of different crops for lime, but of alfalfa it may be said 

 safely that there is hardly any other crop that will make as great a 

 demand on the soil for lime. Therefore for the growing of alfalfa 

 successfully we must provide not only a well drained soil, but one 

 abundantly supplied with lime. 



Some years ago we were carrying on experiments in southern 

 New Jersey on a very light, sandy soil, whose owner had previously 



