RUSSELL- 
HECKLE’S 
ALFALFA Ranks High « 

Make Your Choice from these 
3 TOP NOTCH ALFALFAS 
and SAVE MONEY 
OKLAHOMA 
ALFALFA 
Oklahoma Alfalfa 
has a reputation for 
productivity where- 
ever Alfalfa is grown 
from the Ohio River 
South. It stands our 
winters splendidly, 
and withstands our 
summer heat and 
i em,” ..: drouths equally well. 
We have always rec- 
Oklahoma Alfalfa ommended it because 
“Oklahoma Alfalfa 
can take it.’’ It is produced under much 
more severe weather conditions than it 
has to face in the South. We have 
watched it for years on some of the big- 
gest Alfalfa fields in the Mid-South—it 
is “plenty good,’’ to use a slang expres- 
sion, and year after year yields quantity 
and quality of hay equal to the best. 
Our own representative inspects the 
growing Oklahoma Alfalfa fields each 
year, picks out the most desirable lots 

and ships the seed to our warehouses, 
where they are carefully cleaned on the 
most improved machinery. 
KANSAS ALFALFA 
Kansas is the next state north of Okla- 
homa and weather conditions under which 
Kansas Alfalfa is grown are the same 
or harder than Oklahoma Alfalfa faces— 
very cold winters and hot dry summers. 
Kansas Alfalfa is favorably known all 
over the United States. 
DAKOTA 12 ALFALFA 
Originated in the Dakotas to meet the 
terribly severe weather conditions preva- 
lent there, where the temperature goes 
down to 15 or 20 degrees below zero in 
winter, with extremely hot summers in 
the mountain valleys. This seed has built 
up a strong resistance to winter-killing, 
an ability to produce a strong, vigorous, 
very productive crop of alfalfa under the 
most unfavorable conditions. 
INOCULATE ror SURER STANDS AND HIGHER YIELDS 
If not inoculated, young plants have to depend on whatever nitrogen is available 
in the soil, usually not a fifth of the large quantity they require. 
When inoculated, 
the bacteria soon supply all the nitrogen the plants require and assure a vigorous 
growth. Lack of inoculation has caused many alfalfa failures. 
page 13. 


INOCULATED 40% Increase 
EM = 
by i Ae j ; 





feet) 
. a Ds Aa: Ve ay 

RUSSELL-HECKLE .. .. 
Use Nitragin. See 
Experiments made by the Univer- 
sity of Wisconsin report a gain due 
to inoculation of 1,151 pounds per 
acre of alfalfa hay. The Minnesota 
station found that inoculation in- 
creased the yield by 1,729 pounds 
per acre. A gain of 1,120 pounds 
per acre of alfalfa hay was ob- 
tained by the Illinois Agricultural 
Station. These large increases em- 
phasize the importance of inocula- 
tion and show the bigger net prof- 
its made passible by the simple 
method of inoculating the seed. 
[8] 
“the seed bed—a firm seed bed is desir- 
® More Pasture... 
® More Green Foliage... 
® More Dry Hay Per Acre... 
HOW-WHEN- 
How Much to Plant 
Fortunate is the farmer who has soil 
that will grow alfalfa. The pity is that 
it won’t grow on all soils for it furnishes 
more green forage, more pasture, and 
more dry hay per acre than any known 
variety of hay or grass. Alfalfa is really 
an aristocratic plant, for it must have a 
fertile, well-drained soil with some lime, 
phosphate and good inoculation. 
Alfalfa will stand cutting for hay three 
to five times in a season on each acre. 
It is a very succulent and nutritious graz- 
ing plant and is relished by stock, cows, 
sheep and hogs. One acre will carry 1000 
lbs. of live stock. Pound for pound of 
dried feeding matter, it is worth more 
than any other forage. 
As a soil builder, there is nothing bet- 
ter—extremely deep rooted, it withstands 
drought better than most other legumes. 
In the South, alfalfa usually lasts 4 or 5 
years without reseeding, sometimes long- 
er, depending on presence of weeds, 
weather conditions, etc. Do not pasture 
so closely as to injure the crown or new 
shoots. 
Alfalfa requires a sweet soil—if your 
soil is acid, apply some time ahead of 
seeding, the fall previous to seeding if 
possible, at least three tons ground lime- 
stone per acre broadcast and harrow this 
in. It will not grow on acid soil. Sow 
on good loam or clay or medium sandy 
soils, provided they are well drained to 
a depth of at least 4 feet. Avoid soil 
with a ‘‘hard-pan’’ close to surface, for 
it prevents drainage. Avoid low spots’ 
where water stagnates or freezes—alfalfa — 
cannot: stand ‘‘wet feet.’”” Sow on a bed - 
free of weeds—if possible, sow on land — 
which has been in some cultivated crop. — 
Plow previous fall if possible, or at least 
several weeks in advance of seeding. 
Then disc and harrow frequently to set 
able as it conserves moisture. 
Plant in March and April, September 
and October. May be sown with a grain 
drill with seeder attachment, with a spe- 
cial alfalfa drill, a wheelbarrow seeder or 
a hand seeder. We favor wheelbarrow 
seeder with 14-foot hopper, putting it 
down evenly with little chance of blow- 
ing by wind. Should be covered to bring 
it in contact with soil moisture. Sow 20 
to 25 pounds of seed per acre. Many of 
the most successful growers sow 30 to 35 
pounds. Wait until there is sufficient 
moisture before you plant, then cover 
about one inch. Some roll the seed in, 
using corrugated roller or cultipacker. 
This conserves the moisture and is a 
great help in getting good stands. 
Poor land is not suitable to alfalfa, un- 
less well manured, or you can first turn 
under a crop of sweet clover (that has 
been inoculated) or soy beans. 
Never pasture alfalfa the first season 
and only lightly the second season. Never 
graze too closely and never turn stock 
into it when ground is wet or frozen. 
Cutting Hay. Cut your hay when blos- 
soms first appear or when in full bloom. 
If blooming only sparingly or not at all, 
then cut when new shoots begin to grow 
on lower part of stems. Hay cut early 
is more palatable and has higher protein > 
content. Set mower so as not to injure 
crown. b 
Curing Hay. The less handling of the 
hay after it begins to dry the more 
leaves remain, and much of the feeding 
value is in the leaves. Rake the hay be- 
fore it becomes brittle and cure it in the 
cock unless weather is very uncertain. | 
Do not put in barn until well cured. ; 
Cultivating. So long as the stand is 
satisfactory and seems to be making good 
growth, leave it alone. If, however, crab 
grass, Alfalfa’s greatest enemy in the 
South, begins to crowd in, a cultivation © 
after each mowing will help to keep down 
the grass and should not injure the al- — 
falfa in the least. Use a spike tooth or 
spring-tooth harrow. Do NOT use a disk 
harrow. 
For Quantity Prices 

