feed their own hay are finding it advantageous to grow a mix- 
ture of grasses and legumes. Here are some of the reasons: 
], Better stands of hay are secured. Northeastern fields vary 
as to soil, fertility and drainage. Sometimes one legume or 
grass is better adapted to part of the field than are others. 
9, A mixture of seeds gives insurance against a seeding fail- 
ure. Weather and soil conditions are often so unfavorable 
at seeding time that one legume or grass will germinate 
and catch, while the others will not survive. 
3. A grass sod in the legume crop helps protect the crowns 
of Alfalfa or Clover during severe winter weather. 
. The grasses grow more luxuriantly and utilize part of 
the extra nitrogen supplied by legumes. 
A legume-grass mixture generally results in finer stemmed 
legumes. 
4 
5 
6. Grasses help prevent lodging of the legumes. 
7. Mixed hay cures faster. 
8. Mixed hay tends to give a good crop for a longer period. 
Grasses replace the legumes as they die. 
Many G.L.F. dairymen are finding that it is profitable 
to improve their pasture. Individual farms require individual 
treatment. Land which is too rough and rolling to be plowed 
and seeded can often be brought to a more productive level 
by the application. of lime, plus superphosphate, mixed fer-_ 
tilizer or barnyard manure. Generally, the lime, plus super- 
phosphate or mixed fertilizer will increase the percentage and 
growth of Wild White Clover and grass without the addition 
of any seed. 
Where it is possible, Northeastern farmers will generally 
find it profitable to increase the pasture production by plow- 
ing, seeding and fertilization. 
Alfalfa, because of its deep and extensive root system, is 
drought-resistant and produces big yields of forage. It does 
require well limed soil and good drainage. About 8-12 pounds 
of Alfalfa per acre is generally used when seeded as the 
only legume with Timothy or Brome. On fields not ideally 
suited to Alfalfa, part of the Alfalfa is replaced by varying 
amounts of Clovers, G.L.F. Grimm, Northern Variegated, and 
Northern Common Alfalfa seed is grown in the northwestern 
states which have severe winter conditions similar to those 
of G.L.F. territory. Plants from this seed are very hardy 
and withstand our northern winters and give large yields of 
high protein hay. 
Fertilizer For Hay and Pasture Seedings— 
Most hay and pasture seedings in G.L.F. territory 
are made with or on oats, wheat, or barley. Usu- 
ally the fertilizer recommended for these crops is 
adequate to start the seeding. (See small grain fer- 
tilization.) It should not, though, be counted upon to 
maintain the resulting hay or pasture mixture in 
a productive state for several years. Where legume 
seedings are being made without a nurse crop on 
land that was well manured the previous year or 
following a heavily fertilized crop like potatoes, 300 
~ to 600 pounds to the acre of 20% superphosphate is 
- usually adequate. However, on light soils or where 
only moderate amounts of manure and commercial 
fertilizer have been applied and for permanent 
_ pasture that has been plowed for reseeding, 300 to 
500 pounds of 5-10-10, 8-16-16, or 0-20-20 will 
Ladino Clover is the outstanding legume for pastures. 
However, Ladino is being successfully used by many dairy- 
men as a perennial legume on fields not well adapted to 
Alfalfa. Ladino Clover is particularly useful in a hay mixture 
where the second crop or aftermath can be used for grazing. 
G.L.F. Ladino Clover seed is produced in the best areas of 
the West. It is of high purity and makes vigorous growing 
plants. 
Medium Red Clover often produces a good hay crop on 
land where Alfalfa may not do well. Medium Red Clover does 
best on well limed, well drained soil, but tolerates unfavorable 
conditions better than Alfalfa although not as well as Alsike. 
It yields a first and second cutting of hay the year after 
seeding, but only a few plants survive to produce hay the 
second crop year. From 3 to 4 pounds is often used with 6 
pounds of Alfalfa, or up to 6 or 8 pounds per acre when 
Red Clover is the main legume and Alfalfa is not used. 
Alsike Clover thrives on fields which are a little too wet 
for Red Clover or Alfalfa. It perhaps tolerates a little more 
acidity; it makes a very fine stemmed, palatable hay, but 
makes only one crop a year. On fields of variable acidity 
and drainage, 2 to 3 pounds of Alsike in the hay mixture 
often insure a stand of legumes in areas of the field which 
otherwise would be occupied only by grasses. 
Timothy, the most popular grass, is seeded at a variable 
rate from 5 to 8 pounds per acre, depending upon how well 
legumes are adapted to the fields. Timothy serves a very 
useful purpose in producing high yields of mixed grass and 
legume hay. It is very palatable and nutritious when cut 
early. Timothy, when grown alone does not make good 
dairy hay. 
Smooth Brome Grass is being used in place of Timothy 
on some farms which have good Alfalfa soil. It withstands 
drought and is very palatable. It provides for aftermath 
grazing. While Smooth Brome makes a good hay plant, it is 
also able to withstand reasonably close grazing. It should be 
used only on highly fertile, well drained soil. While Brome has 
many advantages, it has the disadvantage of being difficult 
to sow, owing to the large chaffy seed. It is generally mixed 
with the Oats or with the fertilizer and sown shallow. 
Orchard Grass when properly managed and grazed early 
and closely makes a vigorous growing productive companion 
to legumes. It withstands summer heat and dryness rea- 
sonably well. Unless it is closely grazed it tends to grow in 
bunches and become coarse and unpalatable. Orchard grass is 
not recommended for hay, since by haying time it becomes 
woody and unpalatable. However, it is excellent for pasture 
or grass silage. 
Reeds Canary Grass is a tall-growing, coarse grass par- 
ticularly adapted to wet soils where Orchard or Brome grass 
will not thrive. 
RECOMMENDATIONS 
usually give better results. (See Page 14 for a re- 
port on the fertilizer situation.) 
Top Dressing—Hay and Pasture—superphos- 
phated manure has been a standard recommendation 
for the top dressing of established seedings for many 
years, There is not always enough manure, though, 
to cover all the land that may’ profitably be top- 
dressed. Recent research indicates, too, that many 
farmers are not using sufficient potash on Ladino 
clover and alfalfa. When superphosphated manure 
is not available such grades as 0-20-20, 0-19-19 plus 
borax, or 0-14-14 are normally recommended. Rec- 
ommended rates of application range from 300 to 
700 pounds an acre a year depending on the grade 
and the natural fertility of the soil. New Jersey 
recommendations are generally higher than New 
York and Pennsylvania. 
