1991 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
195 
WHAT TO DO FOR ALFALFA. 
I have five acres of Alfalfa which went 
into Winter Quarters in fine condition; a 
first-class stand of from six to eight inches 
growth. What shall I do in the Spring, 
give it a dressing of chemicals, or of barn¬ 
yard manure? If chemicals, what kind? 
Lyndonville, N. Y. s. j. 
Prof. E. B. Voorhees writes in reply 
to this: “I should recommend that the 
Alfalfa be covered with a reasonable 
dressing of good yard manure, say at 
the rate of eight to 10 tons per acre. 
This may be applied between now and 
Spring, if the land is reasonably level; 
if not, then 1 should apply it in Spring 
just before the plants start. I am a 
strong believer in dressings of manure 
upon permanent crops, as I believe that 
the soluble portions, being washed 
down, strengthen and stimulate the ear¬ 
ly growth of the plant.” 
There has been so much interest mani¬ 
fested in the crop that we repeat parts 
of a circular issued by Prof. Voorhees 
last year: 
Alfalfa grows well on varying kinds 
of soil, provided the subsoil is open and 
porous; the most favorable is a rich, 
somewhat sandy loam, warm and friable 
with a deep and loose or gravelly sub¬ 
soil, well supplied with lime. A dense 
clay or hardpan subsoil is most unfavo’- 
able. Although a rich soil is preferable. 
Alfalfa sometimes does well on poor, 
well-drained gravelly land. While the 
plant requires much water, it will not 
flourish where the ground is saturated 
or flooded. It is especially desirable that 
the soil be supplied with an abundance 
01 lime. The plant is a heavy feeder, 
and will not thrive on soils deficient in 
plant food. The fertilizers applied 
should contain mainly potash and phos¬ 
phoric acid, and while Alfalfa is a legu¬ 
minous plant capable of obtaining at¬ 
mospheric nitrogen, it responds quickly 
to applications of nitrogenous manures. 
These should be spread broadcast and 
harrowed in thoroughly. The following 
applications per acre are recommended: 
First year before seeding, 35 bushels 
Slone lime; 150 pounds acid phosphate; 
100 pounds muriate of potash; 75 pounds 
nitrate of soda; after seeding, 10 tons 
manure. The lime may be applied the 
Pall previous to seeding, and well har¬ 
rowed into the soil; the fertilizers shou’d 
be applied just previous to seeding, and 
well worked into the surface soil. The 
manure should be applied late in the 
Fall after cutting has ceased; it should 
be fine, and evenly spread, and will 
prove serviceable both in protecting the 
plants and in furnishing food that will 
be well distributed throughout the so'l 
by the Fali and Winter rains. Second 
and succeeding years, 10 tons manure; 
150 pounds acid phosphate; 100 pounds 
muriate of potash. The fertilizers may 
be broadcast, either in Spring or Fall, 
and manure applied as recommended 
for first year. 
The treatment of the field for the sea¬ 
son preceding should be such as most ef¬ 
fectually to subdue all weeds, and cause 
the sprouting and destruction of any 
seed in the ground, hence, farmyard ma¬ 
nure should not be used for at least one 
year before sowing, as it favors the 
growth of weeds. The soil should re¬ 
ceive careful and thorough preparation 
—this is very important—in order to se¬ 
cure a full stand. If the subsoil is hard 
or compact, subsoil plow should be used 
Pure seed is essential; only that which 
is bright, plump and clean should be 
used. The seed resembles that of Red 
clover, but is larger, and, when fresh, 
has a greenish-yellow color. Experience 
has demonstrated that, in order to se¬ 
cure a good stand, it is best to sow 30 
to 35 pounds of seed per acre. The seed 
should be sown broadcast the last of 
April, or the first of May, without any 
protective crop; it should be covered 
with a very light harrow or a weeder, 
and lightly rolled. The growth of weeds 
should be checked early, and as soon 
as the weeds are large enough to be 
clipped by slightly raising the cutter- 
bar, the mowing machine should be 
used. If the clipping is not too heavy, 
it can be left on the field, and will serve 
as a mulch during the dry weather. This 
destruction of weeds in the early growth 
is very important, besides, frequent cut¬ 
ting is helpful in establishing the young 
plants. On rich soils, two crops are 
sometimes secured the first Summer, but 
on poor soils, or in a dry season, no crop 
can be expected until the second year. 
Alfalfa should be cut qvery time it be¬ 
gins to blossom, whether the growth is 
short or tall, unless a seed crop is de¬ 
sired; if left until fully blossomed, the 
quality of the product is reduced, besides 
the plants are injured, and subsequent 
crops are smaller. The chief value of 
Alfalfa is as a green forage or soiling 
crop. After the field is well established, 
three or four cuttings are usually secured 
in a season. It is not a safe pasture for 
cattle and sheep, for it is likely to cause 
bloat. When animals are given all they 
will eat, the fodder should be allowed 
to wilt before it is fed. Alfalfa hay is 
a palatable and very nutritious fodder; 
much time and care, however, are neces¬ 
sary in curing it. 
Delaware Co. Cows.— The dairy cow.s 
are in fair condition, and are quite well 
up in price, being worth from $.30 to $10, 
according to the cows. The report that 
cows are cheap in price will not apply to 
Delaware County; it may be the case in 
some parts, still I doubt it. Feed has not 
been very high, milk and butter have 
brought a fair price, and farmers have to 
keep all their cows by buying feed. Most 
farmers saw in the early part of the .sea¬ 
son that the hay crop would be light and 
made arrangements to meet it by putting 
in corn, so they will not have to sell, and 
they are asking a good price. e. j. w. 
Granton, N. Y. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
‘‘a square deal.” See our guarantee8th page. 
k STEEL 
^WHEELS 
I- FARM WAGONS 
B/an; size waoted. Any width of 
tire. Hubs to fit any axle. 
No blackamith’s billa to pay. 
No tires to reset. Fit yonr old wagon 
with low steel wheels with wide 
k tires At low price. Oar catalogue 
k tells yon how to do it. Address 
^EMPIRE MFC. CO.. Quincy, III. 
AH FeHiHxBrs 
for truck gardens and early mar¬ 
ket crops should contain from 3 % 
to 10% of 
Nitrate of Soda 
if the object is to develop the earliest 
and b^st yields. Its effects are instan¬ 
taneous, as all the nitrogenous content 
is immediately available for producing 
rapid growth. A postal request will 
procure you free pamphlets and Hat 
of daatera in Nitrate of Soda, if ati 
dressed to John A. IWyers, 12-0 
John St., Xew York City 
78-TOOTH HARR0Wm$5.48 
for a S.foot, 180-pound, IH-toolh, 2.hon« Harrow. 
$1.1:3 for a lO^^i-foot, 21U.pound, 102.tooth, S.horae Harrow 
98.88 for a 26-foot, SOO-pound, ISO-tooth, 4-hor«e Harrow. 
OuAranteed the bestgenuine Boss highest grade, heavy 
seasoned oak harrow made. AT THKSI! srKCllL PKU'BS 
we ship direct from the factory In Southern Wisconsin 
or Minneapolis, the point nearest you. The freight will 
amount to noth- rS’eyTiol 
Ing compared jfl. / L (b8\ I I 
the money anred- I A 
' a, an aa aa I 
CElin lin linilCVR you Uve within sou mlles or 
vbllll HU niUllCI Chicago or Minneapoiis (if far¬ 
ther send 11.00), cut this ad. out and send to us, state 
whether 78, 102or l.'iO-tooth harrow.we willsend the har¬ 
row to you by freight C. O. D., subject to examination. 
You can examine it at your freight depot, nnd If found 
perfoetly aallafnctorj nnd oxnrily aa roprrarntod, the eijunl of 
harrowa that others aril at doable the price, then pay the 
freight agent our special price and freight charges. 
THESE ARE THE HIGHEST GRADE WOOD HARROWS 
made, made for us undercontract by one of the best mak¬ 
ers In this country. The bars are made from 2x2K-tnch 
high grade selected seasoned oak. eveners are made from 
2x4-inch best seasoned oak; teeth are one-half Inch 
square, highest grade drag steel with dagger point or 
square center point; sections are independent and con¬ 
nected with evener by eye bolts, so as to secure a perfect 
hitch, allowing the sections flexibility and vibration 
without permitting the teeth to drag or follow each 
other. The two-horse harrow consists of center section 
and two next sections adjoining. The four-hone eonaUta 
oralltheaectlonallluatrated. AT OUR SPECIAL 96.48, 
97.18 and 90.88 PRICES we furnish draw bars to 
match the number of sections, complete with connec¬ 
tions. Our special prices are based on the actual cost 
of material and labor, less than dealers can buy In 
carload lots. For aatoulahlngly low prices on all kinds of 
wood, steel and diae harrows, write for Harrow Catalogue. 
SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO.', CHICAGO. ILL. 
6/)e NEW SEPARATOR BOWL 
Note the few parts and the simplicity of construction. With 
tills device a bowl weighing only 8 pounds when assembled for 
use skims thoroughly 4(X) pounds of milk per hour. As com¬ 
pared with weight, the number of parts, and the ease of clean¬ 
ing and operating, more milk can lie skimmed with less labor and better general 
results tliaii througli tlie use of any other cream separator or creaming system 
in existence. Tliis is the bowl now used in 
Empire Cream Separatiors. 
It is now first being introduced in this country on a general sales basis. It possesses proven .su¬ 
perior merit to the complicated heavy bowls with a multiplicity of jiarts or corrugated rough sur- 
I'aced ilevice, which are difficult to clean and operate. The interior device consists of only a cen¬ 
tral feed tube and four inverted cones which divide the bowl into compartments, thus giving the 
milk several distinct separations. , 
Few parts witli nothing but flat surfaces make this new Empire bowl exceptionally easy to clean; 
tlie smaller size and lighter weight make it turn easy; tlie several separations in the different 
compartments make the skimming thorough. 
1 Our new catalogue for 1901 contains much of interest to every owner of milch cows. fiend your 
address. We’ll do the rest. 
United Sta^tes B\itter Extractor Co., Bloomfield, N. J. 
DON'T HHLE A MAN 
to ran this cultivator. Yourllttle boy can doitjustas well. Thatlsbecausethe 
KR.AUS K CULTIVATOR- 
Is eaaierto operate than all others. A slight touch of the foot moves the en¬ 
tire muohliie to right or left Instantly. Only successful cultivator for work¬ 
ing hillside rows. Each gang has convenient lever for lifting and regulating. 
A center lever for spreading or closing gangs to suit wide or narrow rows 
Unusually strong and well made. Pin or spring hoe or spring tooth. Two. 
three or four shovels on each gang. Wo also make the C'urpo Walklng t)ul- 
tlvator. \V rite lur free eutulogiie. 
TKe Akron Cultiva-tor Co„ Dept. D, Akron, O. 
THE ARLINGTON SWIVEL PLOW 
with Coulter, Jointer and Ground Wheel. 
This is the ideal plow for 
They 
are made 
la two 
sizes with 
wheel and coulter, 
and two Lizes, 
wheel, coulter 
and Jointer, 
plowing side hill lands or for 
plowing back and forth without lands. This plow 
is equipped with a specially con¬ 
structed moldboard that makes It 
work equally as well as the regular 
sod plow. The reversible jointer is a 
special new feature of groat value. You 
will see how It operates by looking at the 
above cut. Send for catalogue, prices, etc. 
THE BELCHER « TAYLOR A. T. CO. 
Box 75 OMcopoo FallOg M* 
cider Machinery.—Send for oatalogne to Boomer & 
SoBOhert Presa Co., 118 West Water St., SyraonaeiN.Y 
-rii r—r—(—r—r-|—r—f 3 
"riri r—I——1—r~r“r 
irriir~i——1—f—1—r- 
r OH r I r 
( I I 26m. 
r—r—r—; zoih 
AMERICAN 
FIELD AND HOG FENCE 
^ FULLY GUARANTEED. 
Beat steel wires heavily galvanized. Strong, 
economical, efficient, durable. Local agents 
evei^where. If no agent in your town write 
to the makers. 
American Steel & Wire Co., Chicago or New York. 
RULL-STRONG! 
....pia-TiaHT.... 
An Illinois farmer said that aft* 
or harvest be had fully 200 bush¬ 
els of loose oats on the ground 
that he could not secure any ben- 
eflt from, because the fence 
around the field would not turn 
hogs. Figure the loss tor yourself. 
He also said, all this would have 
been saved If he had used the 
Kltselman Woven Wire Coiled 
Sprins Fence, and the value 
would nave gone a long ways 
towards paying cost of the fence. 
With the Duplex Machine 
any farmer can make it hlmseU 
at the actual cost of the wire. 
Catalogue free for the asldhg. 
„ KIT8ELMAN BRoC^ 
Box 0*8. Munole. led- 
100 SIZES. 
GRAIN AND 
FERTILIZER. 
^SPECIALLY VALUABLE to the farmer who 
^ wishes to drill Corn. Peas. Beans, 
etc. Will not clog in trash or foul 
ground. Full particulars about this and other 
Superior Implements In Catalogue No. 44. Write 
for it; it’s FREE. A postal-card will bring it. 
THE SUPERIOR DRILL CO. 
SPRINGFIELD. OHIO. 
— ■ 
