28 
ALFALFA 
ing have developed. Where alfalfa is cut 
for hay the beekeeper can secure only a 
part, and often only a small part, of the 
nectar. There lias been much diversity of 
opinion as to the best time for cutting' 
alfalfa; but the general practice is to cut 
in early bloom, or when the new basal 
shoots which produce the succeeding crop 
are just starting, while a few advocate 
waiting until the plants are in full bloom. 
Where alfalfa is cut at the beginning of 
bloom it is of but little value to the bee¬ 
keeper; and it is, therefore, desii’able to 
locate in sections where seed is raised. 
Such fields yield nectar in great abundance 
for several weeks. 
THE CULTIVATION OP ALFALFA. 
When the conditions for its growth are 
favorable, alfalfa is a sturdy plant, and, 
unlike its near relative, sweet clover (which 
is a biennial) it is a perennial. Some fields 
have been reported half a century old. 
While it draws on the fertility of the soil 
it keeps the ground well supplied with 
nitrogen for the use of later crops. Its 
ability to survive dry periods, which would 
kill other plants except sweet clover, 
adapts it to arid and semiarid regions. 
Nothing is superior to it as a forage crop. 
Not only is the food value high, but crop 
after crop can be taken off in a single sea¬ 
son. 
While alfalfa is better adapted to all 
parts of the United States.than was gen¬ 
erally imagined, the varieties thrive best 
where there is plenty of hot sunshine and 
deep, rich soils, and they make their rich¬ 
est growth in the hottest weather. To the 
entire range of elevation in this country, it 
seems to be equally adapted. One can find 
a southern variety flourishing in the Im¬ 
perial Valley, 100 feet below sea level, and 
in the San Luis Valley, 7,500 feet above. 
In Colorado, the Grimm, the Baltic, and 
the Hardy Turkestan grow in altitudes 
higher than 8,000 feet. While alfalfa has 
been most extensively planted in the West, 
particularly in the regions opened to culti¬ 
vation by irrigation projects, its culture 
has been found highly profitable of late 
years in the older soils of the East, in 
places where its habits are understood. It 
does almost equally well in the hilly and 
gravelly land of New England, and the 
clay and loam of the corn belt. 
Most pronounced advantages of its culti¬ 
vation have been observed in alkaline soils 
in the West. Here the long taproot, pierc¬ 
ing layers of subsoil to a depth of 10 to 
20 feet, leaves millions of openings for air 
and moisture and brings up stores of plant 
food to enrich the soil; the roots them¬ 
selves when they decay furnish a heavy 
store of nitrogen. Naturally rich in pot¬ 
ash, lime, and phosphate, the soils lack the 
nitrogen and organic matter, both of which 
are liberally supplied by the growth of al¬ 
falfa. The same is also true of sweet 
clover. See Sweet Clover. 
WELL-DRAINED, WELL-LIMED, FERTILE SOIL. 
On the other hand, wide as the range of 
alfalfa seems to be, there are some distinct 
conditions which must be met before its 
cultivation can be successful. It demands 
ALFALFA GROWING IN NEVADA. , 
In and near Reno it has been found that bees increase the seed crop threefold. 
