PLANTERS THE COUNTRY OVER 
PLANT STANDARD ALFALFA SEED 
• alfalfa needs • alfalfa must have 
FERTILE LAND MOISTURE 
It is also hard to start alfalfa on 
poor soils. Land lacking in fertil¬ 
ity should be well manured. Good 
corn land is good alfalfa land. 
• when to cut 
When new shoots begin to grow 
on the lower part of the stems, or 
when first blossoms appear, you 
can cut your alfalfa. Or you can 
wait until plants are in full bloom. 
Let your best guide be the growth 
of the new shoots, since weather 
conditions sometimes cause the 
plants to bloom but little, or not at 
all. However, it is well known that, 
even with one less cutting, the full 
bloom stage provides a larger total 
yield of hay, plus keeping the 
stand in better condition. The num¬ 
ber of cuttings depends upon cli¬ 
matic conditions. About twice a 
season is considered safe in the 
middle west and northwest states. 
By all means do not sow alfalfa 
when the soil is deficient in mois¬ 
ture. The result, in such cases, will 
prove disastrous. 
9 when and how to sow 
To a great extent, the time to 
sow alfalfa depends upon local con¬ 
ditions. Any time after the seed 
bed can be put into condition dur¬ 
ing late spring or summer, you can 
sow alfalfa. Late summer plowings 
must be made early enough to per¬ 
mit the plants to become estab¬ 
lished before frost. Eight weeks is 
usually enough. Generally speak¬ 
ing, it is better to sow alfalfa with¬ 
out any nurse crop. 
Sow it with a grain driller with 
seeder attachment, with a special 
alfalfa drill, or with a wheelbarrow 
seeder or a hand seeder. Cover it 
to bring into contact with the soil 
moisture. 
STANDARD SEED COMPANY 
161 
