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DIANAPOLIS
N0V9  1
BLIC
VOL. LXI
INDIAN.APOLIS, NOVEMBER 10, 19C6.
NO. 45
Experience With Alfalfa
Editors   Indiana   Farmer:
In the spring of 1904 I determined to
try alfalfa. As soon as the soil was
v. arm enough aud in good condition, we
took a disc harrow and went over the
ground cutting the surface from 2 to 3
Inches deep, following with a harrow,
making the surface fine; after which we
broke the ground with a turning plow six
or seven inches ueep, and disked it again;
following with a harrow, making a very
tine, mellow seed (bed. Wc then drilled
in a bushel of oats to the acre, after which
we took a wheelbarrow seeder and sowed
the alfalfa both ways, seeding about 20
pounds to the acre, sowing half of the
seed each way; by so doing I secured a
uniform stand, with no bare places. My
reason for sowing only a bushel of oats
to the acre is, that by thin seeding we
have a stand of oats that does not shade
the clover much (the same is trne with red
clover), the sun shining down through the
oats seasons the clover and promtes a
stronger growth of both clover and oats.
After having sowed the seed as before described we used a Breed's Weeder to
cover the seed lightly.
The preparation of the soil and the sow
ing of the seed was done about the first
days  of  May. The  seed  came  quickly
nnd well and grew as vigorously as could
be expected. The oats were cut for hay
about the time they were coming into the
milk state, (quite green). The alfalfa
was from eight to twelve inches high when
the oats were cut with a mower, harvest-
-iug tooth together, making excellent feed.
After cutting as above described the alfalfa soon made a nice showing, making a
rapid growth. When about 8 or 10 in
ches high it showed a little yellow in
spots; we cut it with a mower letting the
cuttings remain where they fell, .\gain
the alfalfa made a fine growth and was
cut again as before described, after which
it made a sufficient growth to go into the
winter in good condition. In the summer
of 1905 we made four cuttings for hay,
aud secured as we think as much as five
tons of hay to the acre. This year we
have made four cuttings, as follows: 1st
May 16th; 2d, June 20th; 3d, July 25th;
4th, August 28th, and it is probable that
we may make another cutting this season
if the weather is favorable, the cuttings
have been heavier this year so far, and we
estimate that Ave have secured as much as
six tons of hay to the acre.
Alfalfa, in our experience, requires more
time and labor to cure well than it does to
cure red clover. We get the best hay, as
we think, by cutting when about one-
fourth, or a little less of it, is showing
bloom. The hay needs to be teddered
two or three times to keep the leaves from
sun 'burning, and drying the stems well.
If it is allowed to come into full bloom,
or nearly so, the stems will be woody and
the stock will leave the stems if fed liberally. When cut at the right time nnd
well cured my stock prefer it to almost
any feed that I can give them. I have
frequently fed them corn or oats, or oats
mixed with bran, and afterwards placed
alfalfa hay (well cured) in their mangers,
ar».d they turned to the hay and would satisfy their appetites with the hay first and
afterwards eat the other feed.
We did not inoculate our soil as is
recommended by many. We had heard
that the bacteria formed on sweet clover
roots was the same as that found on alfalfa roots, and as sweet clover is a very
common growth in the neighborhood I concluded  to try  growing alfalfa  without in
oculation, and have succeeded so far as
well as we could expect. I have a clay
soil with an underlying strata of sand nnd
gravel, at about five feet in depth, which
affords perfect underdrainnge. Ureat
care should be taken to prepare the soil
well, and sow from 20 to 30 pounds of
seed on an acre.
We feel confident that with care and
good seed a good stand of alfalfa can lie
secured on any of our well drained, good
ciay soils, and when secured will last for
many yields if not mistreated by pasturing
and the tramping of live stock. It
should bc much more generally grown.
J.  J.   W.   Billingsley.'
want it. When once over the field I
go over it again, walking in the middle
of where I first walked. This is laborious but it gives me a good even stand.
Never sow on the snow if the surface is
crusted. AVait until the sun has melted
the top. Neither on ground frozen, wait
until it has begun to thaw. Then the
seed stays where it falls. If your ground
is hilly, belter wait for freezing nnd thawing weather in March, else seed may be
washed to thc low ground. I find late
sowing, even though harrowed in, objectionable, for one reason your clover has
not depth of root when the hotdry weather
soms, with a pole such as is used to break
Farm Residence of Marion Reed, Clinton.    Co.,  Indiana.
To Secure Good Stand of Clover
Editors   Indiana   Farmer:
I have found by my own experience that
three things are essential to securing a
good stand of clover, first, good seed-
not as it conies from the huller but re-
cleaned; unless seed is thoroly cleaned it
is impossible to get it evenly distributed
as stems and trash will choke the feed at
times, preventing an even flow of seed.
Second, plenty of seed. Time was when
our land was loose and strong that one
bushel of clover seed would be plenty for
seven to eight acres. Now five acres is
about thc limit. I use one bushel to four
acres, ami I always get good stands unless sown too late. This year I hear
much complaint of poor stands. I never
saw clover stand better than mine. Third,
sow early in the dark of the moon in
February, and if the sign is in the heart
I like it better. Some will say what has
the moon got to do with planting. I
say much. Do not take my word for it,
but do as I have done, keep a record of
your doings on the farm; time of planting,
how much seed, how the harvest was, etc.;
then take down your almanac nnd see
how the moon was, and where the signs
were. You will then know what you are
doing and why. I find by going over my
records that I have always obtained good
stands when sown as stated—hence I am
convinced the moon is more a factor than
many will admit. Again a thing to he
done well requires some labor and pains.
I set my seeder for one-half as thick ns I
cause of so many failures when sown in
oats; the clover stands and looks well
when oats is cut,    but soon after dies out.
Now as to variety of clover, I have discarded the Juue or "little red," and am
using only big English. With the former
you cut first crop for hay, second for seed
and pasture, the third down to the roots;
then- wonder why your ground does not improve more. 'With the English you only
got one cutting, and then leave from 8 to
fourteen inches of stem ou the ground as
fertilizer, if properly treated. Go over
your clover before it begins to form blossoms, with a pole such as tis used to break
corn stalks, going the same way you go
with the mower when you cut it; you are
then sliding over the lower portion and cutting at the elbow, which gives you as good
hay as the "little red." and if for seed you
have less hay to handle. Be careful to
aike the same way you cut, aud if the tedder is used go opposite to the way you do
m cutting. In this way a good crop of
stems is left to be plowed under. You
will then have as much and as good hay as
flora little red and much more seed.
Corn is "King" they say; if so clover is
the Queen Bee in the farmer's hive.
Marion Co. H.
.\lcohol for commercial purposes is safer
than gasoline because it does not ignite
from radiated heat: it can be extinguished
when burning by water, while burninggas-
oline is only spread thereby; it radiates but
little heat while aflame, differing greatly
from gasoline in this respect.
Alcohol    Tests in   Bureau of   Chemistry
Is alcohol injurious to the system, and
if so, what is the effect? This is a question which Dr. II. W. Wiley, Chief Chemist of the Department of Agriculture will
attempt to solve soon if Congress will consent to his making experiments with the
fluid upon human beings. The Doctor is
allowed, under act of Congress, to make
experiments with coloring matter and food
preservatives, but up to this time no assurance has been given the Department
that alcohol might be experimented with.
Of course nearly everybody has an idea
that liquor has a deleterious effect on the
system in general, and the stomach in particular; that an intemperate use of strong
drink produces a general breaking down
of the system. But Dr. Wiley wants
the facts, and to his mind nothing brings
out scientific facts quite as well as scientific experimentation. And he wants live
things   for  his  experiments. Therefore
when he made up his mind to ascertain the
effect of boracic acid on the internal economy of man he induced a number of
youths to offer themselves for the sacrifice.
Thus was formed what is now known to
fame as "Wiley's Poison Squad." The
spuad ate borax for weeks, and the
results were wonderful to behold.
On one occasion, so it is related, each
member of the squad turned a beautiful
pink, while on another their antics were
such as to cause the gravest alarm on the
part of Dr. Wiley and the other experts
who watched the subjects with as much
care and solicitude as a mother would her
babe. But the borax poison squad
emerged from the chemical dark room
whole, and finally became healthy again.
and the results were placed before the
world in a brochure that has been distributed  iby   the   thousands.
This is the way it became known that
Dr. Wiley entertains the hope that some
day he will be permitted to get a dozen or
so human stomachs to captivity, and fill
them with all forms of alcohol, from the
peal goods in the rough, grading np from
hard cider and beer to straight whisky,
etc.
Dr. Wiley will soon make experiments
with another "Foison Squad," this time
using food products containing saltpetre.
The purpose of this investigation is to determine whether or not food products under the new pure food law and the meat
inspection law would be allowed to be preserved with saltpetre without a publication of the fact of the presence of such
preservative'. The experiments on live
subjects will show whether or not the salt
is injurious.
The squad will be ou trial for about
four weeks, during which time they will be
under careful examination by Dr. Wiley
and his assistants. For the first two
weeks they will be fed the purest of food,
and in the last two weeks they will get
the adulterated provender, doctored with
saltpetre.
—As to the effects of alcohol on the
human system there is no need of experimenting, and we trust that Secretary Wilson will deny the request of the Chief
Chemist. We   are   surprised   that   he
should make it. All about us and every
day we see the effects of this poison on
body, mind and soul; it is destructive and
devilish always and everywhere.
The V. S. Isthmian Canal Commission
will ask Congress for an appropriation of
$25,406,256 to carry on work at Panama
np  to June, 1907.