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VOL. LXVITI
INDIANAPOLIS, AU^fe; 1913
NO. 32
The Chief Factors in Growing Alfalfa
The chief factors in alfalfa growing
are: Knowledge of, and faith in your
ability to provide as far as possible the
requirements of the plant. The climatic
and soil requirements are, to a great
degree, beyond human control, but the
plant has been and may be further
modified by culture under different climatic conditions, so that varieties may
be found adapted to a wide range of
climate with reference to temperature
and rainfall. Unfavorable soil conditions may also be modified by drainage
and  fertilization  to  become  a   congen-
Knowledge of Culture and Faith in Your Ability is
insurance of Good Yields
othe • pastures fail as was fully demonstrated iast fall. On stock and dairy
farm3 It should be grown extensively to
furnish protein to balance the ration
v 'ien silage and other home grown
feds are used. For this purpose it has
o equal because of its high protein
r.ntent and yield per acre. Usually
three cuttings per acre during the sea-
might be badly injured.
Getting the Crop Through the Critical
Stage.
The flrst winter is the most critical
time for this plant, for while the young
roots grow rapidly in length, only a few
short lateral roots are developed near
the surface, he! ^e the plants are eas-
 jil	
field some then mowed and top dressed
with stable manure derived from feeding a mixture of alfalfa and other hay.
The next spring, the healthy, uniform
growth and color all over the field
plainly told me that I had learned another lesson  in alfalfa requirements.
When There V*~ be Few Alfalfa Failures.
A variety more hardy than that first
introduced into this country is very
desirable for the north and higher elevations. The United  States Department
f'Hi y
a iMm
■■-.. ^.^is^ti&s^^
Alfalfa and Ensilage make a good ration, both are produced on this Indiana stock farm.    In the foreground is a field of alfalfa, in the background a field of
corn grown for ensilage.
ial home for the profitable growing of
this plant. The idea that only limited
areas of the United States are suitable
for the profitable growing of alfalfa, is
erroneous. I believe the soil and climatic limits of this valuable plant will
be extended to include as wide a range
as any other forage crop. But as with
other plants, some localities are better
fitted naturally to supply its special
needs, while in others, not so favored,
its culture may be profitable through
lack of substitute crops, hence the value
of this crop in any locality, and this is
true of all others—will be determined
by the comparative cheapness of its
production and scarcity of substitute
crops.
All Indiana Suitable for Tills Crop.
Indiana is favored with soil and climate well adapted for growing a vast
variety of forage crops, including many
of the most valuable legumes and
grasses suitable for both hay and pasture. They all fit in so nicely in the
best rotations with small grains and
corn crops, that many farmers cannot
see the wisdom of experimenting with
alfalfa because of the cost of getting a
stand. I believe a plant of such merit
may be profitably grown on most farms;
even on grain farms In small lots, for
hay and pasture in an emergency
ss the first alfalfa crop is usually cut
about June 1st, and then the crop will
furnish pasture during a drouth when
son in this latitude is obtained.
Good Preparation    Brings Suec.ess.
To the farmer making his flrst attempt to grow alfalfa and the one who
has tried and has faith enough to "try
again," I would suggest this plan: Select ground, if possible, that is not inclined to heave crops during freezing
and thawing weather, manure it heavily any time during fall—the earlier the
better—plow early and deep the next
spring, prepare as best you can and
plant early potatoes that may be dug
by the middle of July. Cultivate potatoes, and hoe if necessary, to destroy all
weeds, for you will be fully repaid for
the extra work by an extra potato yield
thus growing a profitable crop while
properly preparing the ground for alfalfa. After tho potatoes are dug, thoroughly disk or otherwise prepare a flne
seed bed, then any time thereafter
when you think the ground Is sufficiently moist drill In about a bushel of barley, but if this Is not obtainable, oats
will answer; then sow broadcast 20
pounds alfalfa seed per acre—the best
you can get without Tegard to price—
going over the ground twice, 10 pounds
each time, the second time Walking
midway or crosswise of first tracks.
Barley or oats will be killed by frost but
will afford such protection by holding
snow and mulching the ground and will
aid in carrying the young alfalfa safely
through  the  first   winter,   otherwise  It
ily heaved up, and freezing of the exposed roots is very destructive. After
cutting two or three crops during the
season, do not fail to disk or harrow
the plants and give the ground a good
top-dressing of stable manure with a
good spreader immediately after last
cutting, then let all the after growth
remain for a winter protection.
I wish to emphasize the necessity for
inoculating the soil with the proper
bacteria, found only on the roots of alfalfa and "sweet" clover. Soil in which
either of these plants are growing and
have bacterial nodules on their roots,
will answer.
An Expertlenoe With Inoculation.
If every one trying alfalfa would feel
that inoculating the soil with bacteria
suited to this plant was as necessary as
the sowing of the seed, there would not
be so many failures. In proof of the
truth of the above assertion, will mention my experience. I grew for several
years a patch of alfalfa until the soil
became full of bacteria. I seeded another patch less than 20 rods distant in
the fall. The next spring only a few
small spots scattered over the field
showed by the vigorous growth of dark
green plants that their roots were supplied with nitrogen gathering bacteria,
while the balance of plants made a
feeble growth, with a sickly, pale green
color, and examination revealed no
nodules on their roots.    I pastured this
of Agriculture for some years has
had agents searching in many foreign
countries for new varieties of alfalfa,
especially hardy ones. But to insure
winter protection a dressing of fine
manure after the last cutting each year,
and allowing the growth after the third
cutting to remain will be found valuable. It is also a necessary fertilizer
for such a heavy yielding crop as alfalfa. Also in manuring ground for alfalfa, manure derived from feeding alfalfa hay will be found an economical
inocculating medium.
With better knowledge and more faith
there will be no more failures with
alfalfa than our standard crops, and
the only question for each farmer to
decide will be to determine its comparative value with other crops in his
system  of farming. E.  F.  Dlehl.
Kosciusko Co.
SUMMARY    OF    FISH    AND    GAME
LAWS.
In response to a number of questions
we have been receiving from our subscribers asking about the changes that
have been made in our state fish and
game laws, we print the following summary:
Summary of Hunting Laws.
It Is Unlawful: To hunt off your own
premises without a license.
To kill,  or to possess either dead or
Continued on page 16.