1905. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
THE ALFALFA MEN TALK. 
Soil Best for Inoculation. 
There has been much said and written about Alfalfa 
and inoculation the past year which has been mislead¬ 
ing, and misunderstood by those who do not under¬ 
stand the nature of the plant. I have had seven years' 
experience with Alfalfa; two years in Colorado, where 
it grows to perfection without inoculation, and live 
years in Connecticut where inoculation is necessary. 
The present season, 1 am in the Alfalfa section in New 
York, near Syracuse. In the Spring of 1900, I took 
charge of a farm near Hartford, Conn. On June 4, 
J sowed one-fourth of an acre to Alfalfa. It came up 
and looked well. I cut it three times for soiling, cut¬ 
ting the last crop about October 1. In the Spring of 
1901 the Alfalfa was nearly all gone. About this time. 
I learned of soil inoculation and thought I would try 
it. The director of Storrs Experiment Station sent me 
some inoculated soil and seed for experiment. 1 sowed 
the seed and inoculated soil April -22, using the soil on 
a marked plot about Sxl2 feet. In two months it was 
plain to see where the soil had been applied, as the Al¬ 
falfa was rank and dark green. The rest of the field 
looked yellow. 1 believe in inoculation, and I think we 
are just learning the possibilities of it and of Alfalfa 
growing the East. About August the same year I seeded 
more Alfalfa on a well-prepared seed bed, using 500 
pounds bone meal. 200 pounds muriate of potash and 
1,000 pounds lime; 200 pounds of seed per acre, also soil. 
The results were good. I also used culture from Wash¬ 
ington, Alfalfa meal an4 soil for inoculating. The 
meal gave the most nodules, culture gave none, but I 
think Alfalfa soil the practical way. I believe Alfalfa 
can be grown on well-drained soil, well manured, limed 
and inoculated. If Sweet clover grows naturally in¬ 
oculation will not be necessary I believe in seeding 
alone about August 1, as the weeds will not choke the 
young Alfalfa plants as in Spring seeding?; clip about 
September 15. The growth after this will be six to 
12 inches, which must be left for Winter protection 
1 think this important. We must study out the wants 
of the soil and the conditions which make Alfalfa grow 
best. T differ from Mr. Clark in regard to soil inoc¬ 
ulation for Alfalfa. I shall watch his experiment with 
interest. Montague hamm. 
Some “Musts" of Alfalfa. 
1 have known about Alfalfa from boyhood, have been 
familiar with it for 30 years and have grown it success¬ 
fully on many soils, from a stiff clay upwards. The 
failures which 1 have seen have been accounted for by 
the non-performance of some of the essentials. 1 here 
are certain “musts,” not “shoulds,” to be observed to 
secure success. Here they are from my experience. 
First of all the seed must be pure, of high germinat¬ 
ing power, and of the highest possible vitality. If I 
doubted my own proficiency in these determinations I 
would consult the nearest experiment station. 1 may at 
once say that 1 have had cause to consult experiment 
stations on various subjects, from New Jersey to Wis¬ 
consin, and in every instance have met with prompt and 
valuable—and sympathetic—assistance. The soil must 
have lime; either as one of its natural constituents, or 
it must be added. If the soil is deficient then the lime 
for best results—and that is what 1 am after—must be 
incorporated with the soil some months before seeding, 
for reasons which will appear later on. I he land must 
have efficient drainage, either natural or. as in the case 
of clay and heavy clay loams, artificial. The land must 
be fertile to a depth of at least nine inches. Beyond that 
depth the tap root, in its search for water, will take 
care of itself. I know of one tap root, IS years after 
seeding, dug out of a railroad cutting near Woodbridge, 
Suffolk. England, which measured vertically (52 feet. 
Alfalfa is singular in this respect that, while it will 
withstand without injury (to my knowledge) —28 de¬ 
grees of cold, and a drought from May 24 to September 
29, when it has once well started, it is extremely tender 
and delicate, not to say finicky, when first germinated 
and during its first two months’ growth. The baby- 
rootlets demand baby food right at hand at the start 
in a sweet and acceptable form, and that is why lime, 
if added to the soil, should have time for its reactions 
to have become modified before seeding. The seed bed 
must have thorough preparation. A deep plowing in 
the Autumn, about two tons of lime per acre, if neces¬ 
sary, incorporated with the soil with a disk or spring- 
tooth harrow; to be followed during the Winter by 
plenty of well-rotted manure. Then, as soon as possible 
in the Spring, start the harrow and roller until the top 
two or three inches are fine and mellow, and the imme¬ 
diate subsoil is firm, not hard, down to the depth of the 
furrow. Early springing weeds can thus be killed. 
Finally—although I have grow n it both with and with¬ 
out a nurse crop—I would always, if 1 could, grow it 
alone, and always seed in the Spring as soon as danger 
of frost was over fin Ohio this w-ould be by May 20) 
because, a sharp frost will injure the young plant when 
under about four months old. I would sow never less 
than 25 pounds to the acre, with a seed harrow, and go 
over the ground twice, crosswise, to make sort of even 
distribution. Cover the seed about an inch deep with a 
light spike-toothed smoothing harrow and roll down. 
WORKERS FOR TIIE AI’PLE CONSUMERS’ LEAGUE. 
Fig. 208. 
I have not touched on the subject of inoculation because, 
by a faithful observance of the above “musts” which 
were early drilled into me, 1 have always succeeded 
without it; and 1 have often wondered whether inocu¬ 
lation would succeed where either of the “musts”—per¬ 
fect seed, lime or drainage—was neglected. 
Knox Co., Ohio. JAS. l. waldon. 
Alfalfa “Don’ts.” 
Don’t wait until September or Spring to sow it. Sow 
it now-. Don't sow any "nurse crop.” Don't sow on 
fre-hly plowed land, no matter how nicely prepared. 
Don’t let weeds or grass get over six inches high with¬ 
out clipping. Don’t clip or mow when wet with rain 
or dew. Don’t let it stand if turning yellow; cut it. 
Don’t sow old seed. Don’t sow less than 25 pounds per 
acre, one-half each way. Don’t sow on land that will 
not raise 250 bushels of potatoes per acre. Don’t sow 
25 acres, sow five. Don’t pasture it. Don't put any of 
the rotten manure anywhere but on your Alfalfa plot. 
Don’t depend on “culture” cakes or soil from some dis¬ 
tant field. Don’t let water ever stand on it. 
Don’t let it go if a thin stand, disk in more seed. 
Don’t be afraid you will kill it. Don’t replow the land; 
FRUITS SHIPPED IN PARAFFIN. Fig. 269. 
disk it. Don’t wait for it to “stoolit never does. 
Don’t be satisfied with a thin stand. Disk in more seed. 
Don’t try to cut hay until it takes the field. Don't let 
weeds ever get over six inches high. 
Don’t sow on any land not well underdrained. There 
are two varieties,—yellow and purple bloom,—otherwise 
the same. Don’t sow the yellow. Don’t leave your land 
rough; use a roller or a plank float. Don’t give it up. 
Kansas. GEO. PURDY, 
631 
CLOVER IN THE WHEAT STUBBLE. 
A man in this vicinity had clover in his wheat stubble that 
came in blossom (new seeding). He mowed it and made it 
into hay. Would it not have been better to leave it on the 
land? 
The above question comes from western New York 
and hardly seems possible this year in Columbia County, 
where we have had no rain worthy of the name since 
March, and not only the clover but much of the Timothy 
seeding is burned up, and the earth so hard that at this 
writing (August 7) it is impossible to replow. Well. I 
rejoice at the good fortune of the “man.” A number of 
years ago I had a similar experience, and for some days 
halted between two opinions. Finally, toward the last 
of August, l put in the machines, with the bars set high, 
and mowed about six acres of clover in blossom in rye 
stubble. We took off it enough hay to winter 30 ewes. 
The clover started again, and unquestionably stooled out 
and made a better growth for the mowing. The next 
year I cut a most satisfactory crop of hay off the same 
land, and never could see that I did it any harm by mak¬ 
ing hay of the clover. Under like conditions I should 
do the same. There were at least five tons of hay, worth 
$50, and 1 had most of its manorial value in what we 
drew out from the sheep. Had I left it on the land, 
much of the clover would have been smothered out, 
mice would have made their nests in it, and I never 
would have seen $10 value from it. I am satisfied I cut 
a better crop of hay the next season than I would had 
I left it on the land. 
I think I have answered the question. It will be 
noted that both these cases were of unusually rank 
growth, and cases that do not often occur. Again. I 
feel very sure that it will always pay to rush the mowing 
machine over the stubble. The clover will grow 
stronger and better for it. The clover, stubble, and 
whatever rag or other weeds there may be, will act as 
a mulch and decay, and not be a nuisance in the bay next 
season, neither will the weed seeds mature and produce 
a crop in the future to annoy us. 
EDWARD VAN ALSTYNE. 
PROCESS LIME FOR BORDEAUX MIXTURE. 
I wish to take issue with A. N. Brown in his con¬ 
demnation of process lime for making Bordeaux Mix¬ 
ture as stated by him on page 5(57. 1 am as much sur¬ 
prised that Mr. Brown should condemn process lime 
for making Bordeaux as he is that Prof. Slingerland 
should recommend it I made and used process lime 
Bordeaux one year before Prof. Slingerland made his 
tests, and although it was satisfactory l did not at that 
time think it superior to Bordeaux made with stone 
lime. This season I have been especially interested in 
the sticking quality of the process lime Bordeaux used 
by F. M. Soper of Magnolia, Del. In his extensive 
apple orchards Mr. Soper has sprayed thousands of gal¬ 
lons of Bordeaux this Summer and had used process 
lime exclusively in making it. The trees sprayed May 
24 and 25, 10 weeks ago, are at this date, August 5, 
as completely covered with Bordeaux as though the 
work had been done within the past week. I never saw 
Bordeaux stick as this does. Under separate cover I 
am mailing you twigs from a Nickajack tree sprayed 
May 24, so you may see how the Bordeaux is sticking. 
These twigs were cut August 2 and are from the lower 
outer portion of the tree which gets the drip during 
rain storms from the portions above. There have been 
a good many heavy rains since May 24. On August 
4 I saw Mr. Brown’s apple trees, but as Mr. Brown 
was not at home I did not learn when the trees were 
sprayed last, nor what kind of Bordeaux was used. 
The point is that although some mixture was still stick¬ 
ing to the leaves, it was only a small amount compared 
with the process lime Bordeaux on Mr. Soper’s trees. 
Let Mr. Brown revise his opinion, but still insist that 
the manufacturers of process lime shall be more careful 
in sieving or bolting their product so as to keep out par¬ 
ticles of grit. It seems to me that if we could get pro¬ 
cess lime entirely free from grit, it would be ideal for 
making all kinds of spray mixtures. c. p. close. 
Delaware Experiment Station. 
R. N.-Y.—The leaves were still well covered with the 
deposit from Bordeaux. We never saw a better case 
of “‘stick.” Readers will remember that “process” lime 
is different from stone lime, because it has been ground, 
sifted and handled so as to remove the impurities. 
MARKETING PRODUCE BY TROLLEY.— My farm is lo¬ 
cated about 25 miles southwest of Cincinnati, on the Cincin¬ 
nati. Georgetown and Portsmouth traction line. I am engaged 
in truck farming, raising berries and many kinds of vegeta¬ 
bles. All produce is shipped by trolley, one man going along to 
sell it. While he is gone the others are getting another loatT 
ready for the next shipment. The rates from our station 
are 10 cents per bushel and 15 cents per barrel. That is 
about half what it would cost to market tlie produce by 
wagon. Beside this saving in the money cost of marketing 
our crops the trolley enables us to handle much more pro¬ 
duce with less expense for labor. It would require one-half 
more help to market the same crop by means of wagons 
that it does to do by trolley, not counting the wear and tear 
of teams and wagons, R, p, T,, 
Batavia, Ohio, 
