ALFALFA 
II 
PAGE 
The Leaves and Stems as a Top Dressing. 61-63 
The leaves and stems which fall on the ground to become in¬ 
corporated with it amount to about one ton a year, which 
accounts for the fact that the first nine inches of soil in which 
alfalfa had been grown was found to contain more than half 
the nitrogen contained in the soil to a depth of nine feet, 8.9 
pounds out of 17.0 pounds in all. There is an accumulation 
of plant food in the upper portions of the soil which is of 
material benefit. Elements of plant food contained in 1,000 
pounds of leaves, page 36. Fodder analyses of leaves, p 27. 
Analyses of ash of leaves, p. 92. Fodder analyses of stubble and 
roots of alfalfa, p. 63. Analyses of ashes of stubble and 
roots, page 92. Elements of plant food in 1,000 pounds of 
stubble and roots, page 63. 
The Soil and Its Relation to Alfalfa Growing . . . 63-77 
Weld county soil described, page 63-64. Ash constituents and 
nitrogen removed by 1,000 pounds of hay grown on this soil, 
page 64. Analyses of the ashes of the plants and roots of 
alfalfa grown on the soil. Chemical analyses of the five 
sections of this soil, page 65. The mechanical analyses of 
this soil, page 66. Physical condition of soil is good, and 
from a chemical standpoint the supply of phosphoric acid, 
potash and nitrogen is abundant. The total mineral con¬ 
stituents removed by a four and a half ton crop of alfalfa 
hay from this soil is 677.88 pounds; carbon dioxide not in¬ 
cluded. Respective amounts of the several constitutents, 
page 67. The nitrogen in the hay amounts to 200.79 pounds. 
Though the plant food in this soil is very abundant the ash 
content of the hay is about the average. Similar data rela¬ 
tive to Otero county soil, page 68. Analysis of Otero county 
soil, page 69. The plant food removed by the hays grown on 
these two soils bears no relation to the relative quantities 
shown by their chemical analyses. The ground water seems 
to have but little or no influence upon mineral matters taken 
up. Magnesia studied as a criterion. Composition of 
ground water encountered in Otero county soil, page 70. The 
sum of the lime and potash-magnesia included with the former 
and soda with the latter—is constant within narrow limits 
and suggests a partial interchange of functions, page 71. 
The magnesia and soda in the ash of the Otero county hay 
was not affected by the magnesia and soda in the ground 
water. Ashes of hays grown in alkali soils in Larimer county 
contained two or three times as much soda as the Weldor 
Otero county samples. 
Otero County Ground Water and Larimer County 
Seepage Water Stated in Grains Per Gallon. 72 
The ground and seepage waters differ wholly from the river 
waters used in irrigation. These waters do not sustain ihe 
same relation to plant feeding that solutions do in water cul¬ 
tures. Analyses of ashes of the Weld county and Otero 
county hays given for comparison, page 74. 
