ALFALFA—ITS GROWTH, DIGESTIBILITY, ETC. 5 
of the soil is everything, in rapid and successful germina¬ 
tion. Beingi a rapid grower, and very succulent, it re¬ 
quires a large amount of moisture to start it successfully 
and keep it growing until well rooted, as when once rooted 
it is safe. 
The amount of seed per acre necessary to secure a 
good stand for hay, is twenty to twenty-five pounds; for 
seed, twelve to sixteen pounds are sufficient. As the plant 
bears its seeds so differently from red clover, thick seeding 
is detrimental to the propagation of a large yield on ac¬ 
count of its growing not on the top like red clover, but 
upon the entire plant, from bottom to top. For hay, the 
seed on sandy soil should be sown alone; on cloddy, 
clayey soils, wheat, oats or barley in small quantity can 
be sown with it for shade. Timothy and orchard grass, 
when sown with alfalfa, serve to keep it from lodging, and 
when in sufficient quantities, they become a preventive 
of hoven in the feeding and pasturing of cattle and sheep. 
The seed should be sown with a drill, as it is much more 
evenly and uniformly distributed, and after drilling, a 
light harrowing crosswise assists in an even stand, and 
hastens germination. The time to sow depends very much 
on the soil and climate. So soon as all fear of frost is 
gone and the soil is moist and warm, sow—about April 20 
to May 10. Even earlier sowing has proved very success¬ 
ful in some soils and seasons, especially where it is done 
in old wheat or oat stubble, without previous preparation. 
CUTTING AND CURING. 
Alfalfa should be cut just before blooming, somewhat 
earlier than red clover. At that stage of its growth the 
plant contains the greatest amount of valuable feeding 
substances. 
When slightly wilted it should be raked into winrows, 
and then put into small cocks to be cured. If left to cure 
before rakinsr, the stems become hard and drv. the leaves 
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