UNIVERSITY OF _ ILLINOIS ; iBR R Y at urbana champaign. AGRICULTURE Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/alfalfainindiana1221wian irculating cop> •AgricnJtmuj T it . Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 122. Vol. XIII. June, 1907. Alfalfa in Indiana I. Results of Experiments in Late Summer Seeding. II. Suggestions for Beginners in Alfalfa Culture. Published by the station: LAFAYETTE, INDIANA. U. S. A. BOARD OF CONTROL. William V. Stuart, President, Sylvester Johnson, David E. Beem, Henry A. Miller, James M. Barrett, Charles Downing, Joseph D. Oliver Charles Major, Addison C. Harris, Winthrop E. Stone, A. M., Ph. D., LaFayette, Tippecanoe County Irvington, Marion County Spencer, Owen County Montmorenci, Tippecanoe County Fort Wayne, Allen County Greenfield, Hancock County - South Bend, St. Joseph County Shelbyville, Shelby County Indianapolis, Marion County President of the University STATION STAFF. Arthur Goss, M. S., A. C., Director, Station Chemist, State Chemist William C- Latta, M. S., James Troop, M. S„ - Joseph C. Arthur, D. Sc., John H. Skinner, B. S., Alfred T. Wiancko, B. S. A., Robert A. Craig, D. V. M., - Otto F. Hunziker, M. S. A., William J. Jones, Jr,, M. S., A. C., Martin L. Fisher, B. S.. Samuel D. Connor, B. S., Owen C. Haworth, B. S.,* ** Frank D. Kern, B. S-, George I. Christie, B. S. A., Wilber A. Cochel, A. B., B. S., Walter P. Kelley, B. S., Lawrence S. Hasselman, B. S-, Clinton 0- Cromer, B. S., Charles G- Woodbury, M. S., George W. Spitzer, Ph. G., Edward G. Proulx, B. S.,** - Roland E. Stone, Nellie Tracy, - Jessie L. Cowing, - Charlotte Cumberson,*** Consulting Agriculturist Horticulturist and Entomologist Botanist - Animal Husbandry Agriculturist Veterinarian Dairy Husbandry Associate Chemist Assistant Agriculturist Assistant Chemist Assistant Chemist - Assistant Botanist Associate Agri. Extension Work Assistant in Animal Husband^ Assistant in Soil Improvement Assistant Chemist Assistant Agriculturist Assistant Horticulturist Assistant in Dairy Laboratory Assistant Chemist Assistant Botanist Clerk and Librarian Bookkeeper Stenographer *Chief Deputy State Chemist. **Deputy State Chemist. ***Connected with State Chemist’s, Office. Alfalfa in Indiana By A. T. Wiancko, Agriculturist I. EXPERIMENTS IN LATE SUMMER SEEDING. The increasing interest in alfalfa culture among Indiana farmers and the many failures in attempts to establish the crop have brought a constant stream of inquiries to the Station con- cerning time and methods of seeding. The common practice was to sow the alfalfa in the spring of the year, either with or with- out a nurse crop of oats or barley, and it was observed that the majority of the failures were due more or less directly to the presence of large numbers of spring and summer weeds, which gradually crowded and choked the alfalfa plants to such an ex- tent that they dwindled away to nothing as the summer ad- vanced. It also appeared that in many cases the nurse crop was of doubtful value as a protection against weeds, and that it often did positive harm by shading the young alfalfa too much. It seemed therefore, that the question to be answered was how to avoid both weeds and nurse crop. The most practical solution of the problem seemed to lie in first destroying the weed seeds in the soil and then sowing the alfalfa alone. This involved late seeding in order to give time to get rid of the weeds, which could be practically done only by plowing the ground early and harrowing it every ten days or two Hveeks for a period of several weeks, until all the weed seeds in the surface soil were sprouted and destroyed. By this method the ground might be expected to be in good condition for seed- ing by the early part of June, and since it is not usually advisable to take a hay crop or pasture the field the first season, there ap- peared to be no serious objection to even later seeding so long as sufficient growth to thoroughly establish the plants could be se- cured before winter. While this method was generally conceded to be safe and practical, two objections were urged against it, namely; the ex- tra labor of preparing the ground for sowing and the sacrifice of a year’s crop from the land. To avoid these objections, late summer seeding, after a small grain or other early harvested crop had been removed, was suggested. To determine the value of this suggestion an experiment was undertaken on the University Farm in the summer of 1905. Ground was prepared in early August and seeded to alfalfa on the 17th day of the month. This seeding was in every way satisfactory. A good stand of plants 542 was secured and the fall growth was sufficient to thoroughly es- tablish the plants and they passed through the winter in good condition. It was observed, too, that weeds were not nearly so troublesome as with spring seeding on the same ground. A seed- ing made at the same time by Mr. Ellis House at Bicknell, In- diana, was also highly satisfactory. After these encouraging results, it was determined in the summer of 1906 to further test the practicability of such late seeding by similar experiments in various parts of the state. A letter stating the problem and outlining the plan of the experi- ments was sent to about seventy-five farmers with a request for their co-operation. Arrangements for sixty-one experiments were completed about the middle of July. Five pounds of alfalfa seed to be sown on a quarter acre plot was sent to each experi- menter with the understanding that he would sow it according to instructions and report the condition of the plot before winter and again in April. The instructions for soil preparation and seeding were in part as follows : “Any well drained piece of fallow or stubble ground will do for the experiment. Prepare the ground as you would for a good corn crop and do it as soon as possible. If the ground is at all hard or inclined to break up cloddy, double disk it once or twice before plowing, and again right after. Go over the plat with a harrow at intervals often enough to keep a loose mulch on top to preserve moisture for seeding. It will be necessary to be very careful in preparing the ground at this season of the year in or- der to get a sufficiently moist seed-bed. Sow all the alfalfa seed we shall send you on a. quarter acre plat, as soon after the first of August as the moisture conditions will permit. In northern sections the seeding should in no case be delayed later than Au- gust 10, and in southern sections not later than August 25. Cover the seed with a smoothing harrow. The tests reported were conducted on 57 different farms lo- cated in 42 different counties. A report covering a list of questions concerning the soil, time of seeding, stand secured, weather conditions, presence of root nodules, amount of fall growth and general thriftiness of the plat was secured in November, and another report concerning win- ter-killing and spring condition was secured in the latter part of April. A summary of 57 such reports, covering the principal points of interest, is presented herewith: Analysis of the Reports. In studying the reports herein presented, it must be remem- bered that the experiments covered a period of only one year and that, therefore, too much dependence should not be placed upon them. Both the conditions and the results varied very widely, and it is not safe to draw hasty conclusions. Both good and poor results were secured under almost every combination of condi- tions, except where standing water and ice existed; what one ex- perimenter found to be a good thing to do another found to be useless, and all through the series we find many apparent contra- dictions. Just what it is that makes the difference between suc- cess and failure can hardly be determined from these reports, and it is quite evident that we shall have to look further for the real causes that produce failure. Except in the case of drouth, weeds and standing water, it does not matter which one we take of the factors on which reports were received, we find that where one man failed another succeeded. It may be safe, how- ever, to conclude that since so many succeeded, the late summer seeding in itself cannot be held responsible for the failures to any great extent. This is further borne out by the facts that the amount of fall growth made does not appear to bear any rela- tion to the condition of the crop in the spring, and that wmie much winter-killing occurred in one place there was none in the next, although the two cases appear to be quite similar. Concerning the time of seeding, the reports show that good results were secured with various dates of seeding all through the month of August. Of three seedings made in early Septem- ber ,two gave fair results and one poor. Out of 38 plots sown between August 7 and 15, thirty four (90%) gave satisfactory fall growth, and nineteen (56%) of these were in good or fair condition at the end of April this spring. Of the 19 plots sown later than August 15, twelve (63%) gave satisfactory fall growth, and ten (83%) of these were in good or fair condition at the end of April this spring. These data indicate that the date limit for successful seeding has scarcely been reached in these experiments, and it seems fair to conclude that with reasonable soil and weather conditions it would be safe to delay the sowing of alfalfa as late as the middle of August, at least, especially when we remember that in the fall of 1906 the growing period was considerably curtailed by the heavy frosts in the early part of October. Sowing about the middle of August would give from four to six weeks’ time during which to prepare the seed-bed in cases where it is desired to sow alfalfa after small grain or other early harvested crops, and ordinarily it will be possible to do it satisfactorily in this time in spite of considerable dry weather which often occurs at this time of the year. Concerning the weather conditions it may be said that the late summer and fall weather was on the whole a little better than usual as regards moisture supply, but there were some im- portant exceptions, as may be seen in the column of remarks. As regards the length of the fall growing period, the conditions were unfavorable all over the state and growth was checked consid- Summary of Reports on Fall and Spring Condition Name of Experimenter. Post Office Address County Kind of Soil Kind and 1 nature of subsoil Depth to Standing Water 1 Anderson, R. E. Martinsville Morgan Sandy loam Gravel & sand 10 to 15 ft. 2 Bell, F. D. Decatur Adams Sandy clay Sandy clay Upland 3 Boals, Bert Shelbyville Shelby Clay Clay 14 ft. 4 Bordner, W. H. Bristol Elkhart Sandy loam Sand & gravel 18 to 20 ft. 5 Brewer, A. B. Fairmount Grant Clay and clay loam Clay 16 ft. 6 Bronnenberg, L. H. Anderson Madison Sandy clay Clay 20 ft. 7 Brown, R. C. Star City Pulaski Sandy Sandy 27 ft. 8 Chastain, S. Campbellsburg Washington Clay loam Clay & gravel 15 to 20 ft. 9 Demaree, F. H. Waveland Montgomery Clay loam Gravelly clay 12 to 14 ft. 10 Ensminger, J. Danville Hendricks Clay loam Clay 18 ft. 11 Essig, Willie Tipton Tipton Loam Hard clay 10 ft. 12 Everhart, W. E. Austin Scott Clay loam Clay 6 ft. 13 Fisher, C. F. Lafayette Tippecanoe Clay and loam Clay 15 ft. 14 *Grimes, G. T. Pettysville Miami Sand and clay loam Clay Upland. 15 *Harper, J. W. LaFontaine Wabash Black sandy loam Gravelly 15 ft. 16 Harrod, C. A. Austin Scott Clay Gravelly clay 10 ft. 17 Helms, J. S. Richmond Wayne Clay Clay 20 to 25 ft. 18 Heilman, R. L. Hope Bartholomew Black loam Clay loam 4 ft. 19 Hiett, F. W. Guilford Dearborn Black loam Upland 20 Hill, E. W. Winchester Randolph Clay and black loam Clay 4 to 8 ft. 21 Hornaday, Wm. New Augusta Marion Clay and loam Clay 3 ft. 22 Huffman, J. J. Nappanee Elkhart Clay and loam Clay 2 ft. 23 Hughel, H. Anderson Madison Sandy loam Clay 4 to 5 ft. 24 Kinney, Otis Spencer Owen Sandy clay Clay 5 ft. 25 Kirby, Ben Bloomington Monroe Loam Clay 75 ft. 26 Lamb, B. A. Petersburg Pike Sandy loam Clay hardpan 90 ft. 27 Landrey, J. Yorktown Delaware Clay loam Hard clay 14 ft. 28 Ludwick, P. F. Winchester Randolph Black loam Clay 21 ft. 29 Matthews, Mrs. C. . Clinton Vermillion Sandy loam Clay 3 ft. >f Alfalfa Sown in Late Summer, 1906. evioua Crop 1 Date of Stand Secured i Amount Amount | Late Presence Sowing 1 of fall of winter Spring of root REMARKS. , Alfalfa ! growth killing 1 Stand nodules Sowed in stand.ng corn. Total owing Aug. 10 Good Little i iailure in lali due to dry weather and shading ot corn. 1 ass Aug 11 Good 8 in. Consid- erable Medium Some 1 Pastured in late fall. Water and ice damaged the stand. 2 heat Aug. 13 Good 8 in. 70% Poor Some | Mostly killed by wet weather i in early winter. 3 raw- Aug. 9 Good 6 to 10 in. None Good A few 1 Inoculated part of plot but ! could see no difference. Grew 4 rries 3 inches in March. aadow Aug. 11 Good 8 to 10 in. 75% Medium None Closely pastured in fall. 1 Weather too dry in early fall. 5 its Aug. 9 Medium 6 in. 75% Very None Young alfalfa should get light j mulch of manure or straw in 6 poor 1 fall »tatoes Aug. 13 Good 6 in. 15% Little Fair None Some Sowed in standing corn. In- 7 *rn Aug. 20 Good 6 to 8 in. Fair tend to sow more. Chickens I very fond of alfalfa. 8 heat Aug. 10 Good 12 in. 40% Poor None Fall weather was dry and hot. : 9 its Aug. 11 Good 10 in. 25% Medium None Partly destroyed by standing water. 10 >ne Aug. 23 Poor Little Sowed on fallow ground. Seeds sprouted but perished on ac- ; count of very dry weather. 11 rn Aug. 16 Poor None Total failure in fall. The sea- son was the driest on record. 12 its Aug. 25 Medium 2 in. 100% None Roots torn out by heaving. 13 'heat Aug. 14 Good 4 in. 5% Good None 1 Sowed 7 acres. Pleased with prospect. 14 mothy Aug. 14 Good 9 in. 25% Good Some Stand plenty thick yet. Sowed 3 acres, sorry it wasn’t 10. 15 isture Aug. 10 Good 8 in. Little Good Some An acre of spring sown alfalfa beside this plot was badly froezn out. 16 uck Aug. 22 Good 8 in. 25% Fair Consid- Sowed 4 acres Aug. 25 and got good stand. Inoculated seed 17 erable with bacteria. its heat Aug. 10 Good 8 in. 75% Poor None Flood water and ice damaged plot in winter, then heaving in spring. 18 Aug. Aug. 9 15 Good 12 in. 8 in. 30% None Fair Some Plot looked fine in early spring about 9 inches high before April frosts, which hurt stand. 19 its Fair Fair None Seed was not sown thick enough for a good stand. Growth satisfactory. 20 3adow Aug. 14 5 in. Some Poor Poor Few Very dry fall weather caused poor stand. Considerable spring 21 heat Aug. 10 Good 3 to 4 in 30% Medium j None heaving. Some of the damage to the stand was done by standing 22 heat Aug. 9 Good 15 in. 30% Medium Some water. Clipped twice in September and still got growth of 8 to 23 its Aug. 9 Good 6 in. 50% Poor None 10 inches before winter. Badly frozen in April. Think it may recover. 24 its Aug. 28 Good 3 in. None Fair Some April frosts did some harm. 25 re Aug. 29 Good None Good None Clipped once in fall on ac- count of weeds. Got 6 inches of later growth. 26 'tatoes | Aug. 13 Good 5 in. 75% Poor None Stand much hurt by heaving. 27 Aug. 11 Good 8 to 10 in. Extra | Some ! Consid- Alfalfa sown on same ground in spring failed. 28 How Aug. 15 Good 12 in. None good erable 29 Summary of Reports on Fall and Spring Condition of Name of Experimenter Post Office Address County Kind of Soil Kind and nature of subsoil Depth to Standing Water 30 McBride, C. E. Anderson Madison Black sandy loam Clay 15 ft. 31 McClain, Henry Bellmore Parke Clay Clay Upland 32 McClure, H. B. Oxford, Ohio Franklin Clay loam Gravelly clay 10 ft. 33 McMahan, C. S. Liberty Union Clay loam Very hard clay 15 ft. 34 McMahan, J. N. Liberty Union Clay Clay Upland 35 McQuiston, S. Greentown Howard Loam 22 ft. 36 Mertz, 0. E. Corunna DeKalb Sandy loam Gravel & sand 7 to 8 ft. 37 Mishler, Lewis Collamar Whitley Sandy loam Gravelly clay 12 to 20 ft 38 Moore, C. W. Yeoman Carroll Clay Gravelly clay 6 ft. 39 Murphy, J. T. Shelbyville Shelby Gravelly loam Clay 10 ft. 40 Nottingham, C. A. Muncie Delaware Clay Sandy clay 33 ft. 41 O’Neall, M. G. Washington Daviess Clay Clay Upland 42 Peek, R. M. Shoals Martin Sandy Clay 30 ft. 43 Perry, J. F. LaOtto Noble Clay and loam Clay Upland 44 Prigg, J. P. Daleville Delaware Black loam and clay Clay 4 ft. 45 Sallee, 0. M. Salem Washington Clay loam Clay 30 ft. 46 Sanford, W. J. Lebanon Boone Clay Clay 15 ft. 47 Scott, J. G. Borden Clark Loam Clay Upland 48 Seirgart, C. M. C. Logansport Cass Sandy loam i Gravelly 6 to 10 ft. 49 Squires, D. C. Orland Steuben Clay loam Clay 60 ft. 50 *Stembel, W. Oxford Benton Black sandy loam Clay Upland 51 Sterrett, C. T. Terr Haute ;vigo Clay Clay 12 ft. 52 Swaim, O. R. Marshall Parke ;Clay Clay 16 ft. 53 Vestal, C. P. Montezuma Parke Loam Gravelly 35 ft. 54 Whisler, G. T. Chalmers White Black sandy loam Hard clay 3 ft. 55 Woods, W. J. Kramer Warren Clay Gravelly clay Upland 56 Yoke, T. E. Acton Johnson Black loam and clay Clay 12 ft. 57 Zook, F. W. Denver Miami Clay Clay 50 ft. *Not in the regular experiment. Alfalfa Sown in Late Summer, 1906— Concluded. Date of Stand Amount Amount Late Presence Previous Sowing of fall of winter Spring of root REMARKS. Crop Alfalfa Secured growth killing Stand nodules Clover Sept. 1 Fair 3 in. 75% Poor Some Most damage to stand done Oats Aug. 11 Good 8 in. Some Poor None by April frosts and late heav- ing. Oats Aug. 11 Good G to 12 in. 85% Poor Few More damage done by freezing than by heaving. Meadow Aug. 15 Good 8 to 10 in. 5% Good Some Inoculation with pure cultures and with soil showed no effect. Fall weather a little dry.Found Wheat Aug. 15 Good G in. None Good Few drilling better than broadcast- ing. Inoculation with soil showed no effect. Clover Sept. 10 Medium 3 in. 10% Medium Some Fall weather very dry. Well pleased with the experiment. Potatoes Aug. 14 Good 8 in. 60% Poor Plenty Most damage to stand done by April frosts. Alfalfa Aug. 20 Good 7 in. None Good Some Fall weather rather dry. Potatoes Aug. 14 Good 8 in. 10% Fair Some Fall weather very dry at first. Hurt by April frosts. Wheat Aug. 11 Good 8 in. 10% Good Some Several neighbors got good fall stands. Rape Aug. 11 Medium 8 in. 100% None None Part heaved out, part killed by late frosts. None Damage to stand done by late Oats Sept. 5 Good 4 in. 20% Fair frosts. Inoculated seed with bacteria cultures. Stand was reduced to mini- Some Meadow Aug. 21 Good 12 in. None Medium mum during fall. Weather rather dry. Some weeds. Rather dry fall weather. Win- Some Potatoes Aug. 13 Good 6 in. 75% Poor ter and spring weather very severe. Oats Aug. 23 Good 10 in. 25% Poor Some 1 Alfalfa looked well at begin- ning of April. Late fall too dry. Some weeds. Wheat Aug. 15 Good 9 in. 10% Medium None Damage to stand done by late frosts. Grass Aug. 21 Medium i 4 in. 75% Poor None Fall weather too dry. Plot damaged by chickens in fall. 12 to 14 Good Plenty Fall weather rather dry. April Truck Aug. 28 Good Slight 1 frosts did some harm. in. Good Plenty Have 16 acres of alfalfa. The Potatoes Aug. 20 Good 6 to 8 in. Slight greatest plant on earth. '•and corn Some Severe storm killed many Wheat Aug. 15 Good 5 in. Slight Poor i young plants in early fall. Part of plot in good condition. Oats Aug. 15 Good 3 in. 75% Poor None Fall weather a little dry at first. Potatoes Aug. 30 Good 2 to 3 in. None Fair Some ! Some damage done by late spring frosts. None Clipped Sept. 19. Later growth Clover Aug. 7 Good Large 30% Medium 8 inches. Some weeds. Medium None i Dry weather and weeds re- Wheat Aug. 8 Fair 8 in. , 25% duced stand in fall. None Condition of fall weather was Oats Aug. 25 Poor 2 in. | 100% against making a fair test. Fall weather too dry. Sowed Oats Aug. 14 Good 3 to 12 in. 50% Poor Plenty 8 acres. Think it would have been all right in an ordinary year. Timothy Aug. 17 Good The young plants were eaten up by grasshoppers. Truck Aug. 8 Medium G in. Slight Medium None 1 Planning to sow 10 acres more. 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 548 erably earlier than usual on account of the severe frosts in the early part of October. The winter and early spring were un- usually severe, and judging from the effect on clover, caused con- siderably more damage than would have been the case under or- dinary conditions. Of the fifty-seven reports received, thirty (53%) state that the fall weather was, on the whole, favorable. In the other cases (47%) the fall weather was more or less unfavorable at one time or another. Of the forty-four (77%) who report good stands, sixteen (36%) say the fall weather was rather too dry, and in five cases very dry. Of the nine (16%) who report medium stands, four (44%) say the weather was too dry, two had good weather, two do not state, and the other sowed the alfalfa too thin. The four (7%) who report poor stands also report very dry weather. One of these also reports sowing in standing corn. Of the thirteen who report deterioration in the stand during the fall, six attribute it to dry weather, two to weeds and dry weather combined, one to sowing in corn, one to grasshoppers, one to a severe storm and two give no particular reason for deterioration. While dry weather is held responsible for the majority of the failures to get a good stand or satisfactory fall growth, it appears that in a number of cases good results were secured under very dry weather conditions. Concerning winter-killing, the reports do not show any re- lation between the date o' seeding and the amount of winter- killing. There was fully as much winter-killing among the plots sown in the early part of August as among those sown around the 1st of September. The proportion of winter-killing, however, was alarmingly large and it appears that the winter and eari* spring weather are very important factors. It must be remem- bered in this connection that the past season was very unusually severe and that ordinarily very much less damage might be ex- pected. Out of fifty-two experimenters who reported on the spring condition, twenty-three (44%) reported less than ten per cent, of damage by winter-killing; eleven (21%) reported from ten to thirty per cent, of damage, in two of which cases the damage was largely due to standing water; and eighteen (35%) reported over thirty per cent, of damage, in two of which cases the damage was largely due to standing water and ice. Out of 38 plots on clay and clay loam soils reported in spring, eleven (29%) showed no appreciable winter-killing, twenty-four (63%) showed less than thirty per cent., and fourteen (34%) showed over thirty per cent, of winter-killing. Of 14 plots on sandy and sandy or gravelly loam soils reported in spring, six (43%) showed no appreciable winter-killing, ten (71%) showed less than thirty per cent., and 549 four (29%) showed over thirty per cent, of winter-killing. It will be seen from this that while there was more or less winter- killing on all types of soils, there was relatively less on the lighter soil. The difference, however, is not very great, and some of the heaviest clay soils gave quite satisfactory results. Concerning the effect of type of soil on the initial stand se- cured, the reports show that 13 pure clays all gave good or fair stands, 38 clay and clay loam soils gave twenty-eight (74%) good or fair stands, and 15 sandy or sandy loam soils gave fourteen (93%) good or fair stands. The preceding crop had no appreciable effect upon the re- sults secured, except in the case of standing corn. In 3 cases of sowing in standing corn, one gave a good stand, but it dwindled away and the failure was attributed to dry weather and excessive shading by the corn ; one gave satisfactory results, and the other gave a poor stand and that dwindled away on ac- count of dry weather. Concerning the effect of special fertilization, the reports show that in 12 cases where manure was used, five were in good condition in spring, six fair, and one was in poor condition. One plot where commercial fertilizer alone was used was in good con- dition in spring. In 39 cases where no special fertilization was given, six were in good condition in spring, thirteen fair, and eighteen were in poor condition. This shows that special fertili- zation may be of considerable value in securing satisfactory re- sults. Concerning trouble with weeds the reports show that out of the .56 who reported, forty (71%) had no trobule with weeds, fifteen (27%) reported a little trouble, and one reported consid- erable damage to stand from weeds. Out of fifty-one who answered the question concerning the presence of root nodules, twenty-one (41%) reported that none could be found, twenty-four (47%) reported some, and six (12%) reported nodules present in considerable numbers. Spe- cial inoculation was tried by four of the experimenters. In one case there were no nodules found. In two cases nodules were found on both inoculated and uninoculated areas. In the fourth case all the seed was inoculated and plenty of nodules were found. These observations indicate that some special form of inoculation is probably necessary in practically one-half of the cases where alfalfa is first introduced. The experiments of the Station will be continued this year, with some additions and variations. Full particulars concerning co-operative experiments will be furnished upon application. 550 II. SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNERS IN ALFALFA CULTURE. The results of our experiments in alfalfa culture up to the present time do not warrant us in making many very definite statements concerning the conditions necessary and the best methods of procedure in order to establish a satisfactory field of alfalfa. Of a few things, however, we are absolutely sure. One of these is that the land for alfalfa must be thoroughly drained, either naturally or artificially, and that all lands which are sub- ject to overflow, or are liable to have standing water of any kind upon them at any time, are absolutely unfit for alfalfa. It has been demonstrated time and again that alfalfa cannot exist in the presence of standing water on or near the surface of the ground. The usual water level in the soil should not be higher than four feet below the surface, and on the heavier types of soils good drainage must be provided for all surplus rain water. Soil and Fertilization. There is a great deal of substantial evidence that goes to show that almost any type of soil, from heavy clays to sandy and gravelly loams, will give satisfactory results with alfalfa if the drainage is good and the soil is otherwise in good crop producing condition. Many people make the fatal mistake of expecting alfalfa to do well on soils that are not fit to properly produce any kind of a crop. Due consideration must be given to the fact that alfalfa requires large amounts of plant food. After it is thoroughly es- tablished and properly inoculated with its nitrogen gathering bacteria, alfalfa will supply itself with nitrogen from the air, but all mineral food elements must come from the soil, and as the crop is naturally a large producer, large quantities are required. Only soils that are in good crop producing condition should be used for alfalfa. Wherever some special fertilization is desired to hasten de- velopment, stable manure is one of the best things that can be used. Numerous experiments and the experience of many farm- ers have shown that stable manure not only helps to insure a good stand and strong growth, but that it also greatly facilitates the inoculating process, and often special inoculation is not neces- sary where manure is used. From five to ten tons per acre should be applied, according to the quantity available and the probable needs of the soil. Concerning methods of applying manure, the bulk of the evidence is in favor of plowing it under, although well rotted manure may be advantageously disked into the surface. When sufficient manure is not to be had and a com- mercial fertilizer is to be used, a mixture containing 1 to 2 per cent, of nitrogen, 6 to 8 per cent, of phosphoric acid, and 6 to 8 551 per cent, of potash, applied at the rate of three or four hun- dred pounds per acre, will probably give the best results. Concerning the use of lime for alfalfa on Indiana soils, we have not yet secured sufficient data to warrant us in making any definite recommendations. In the experiments with alfalfa on the University Farm lime has been applied at different times without any apparent effect. In other sections of the state, we have been able to learn of but few cases where lime has been used for alfalfa, and in none of these has it shown any important effect. The most satisfactory way to test the need of a soil for lime is to make a small trial application in a representative portion of the field under suspicion and watch the results. Applications of lime should generally be made several months before the seed is sown. A good practice for spring seeding is to plow the lime under the fall before. With our present knowledge we would recommend the use of about a ton per. acre of air slaked lime. Cheap lime for this purpose can be secured from almost any lime . kiln, as there is always more or less waste in the form of screen- ings that cannot be sold as quicklime. Some kiln operators will furnish this waste lime *for the cost of loading it. For use on the soil this material is as valuable as anything that can be secured, and when compared with ground limestone it is worth practically twice as much, since it f urnishes practically double the amount of actual lime. Soil Preparation and Seeding. Alfalfa cannot be successfully established on ground that is infested with weed seeds. This is another of the things of which we are absolutely sure. Young alfalfa is very sensitive to the presence of weeds, and there are very few cases where it will not be crowded down and out sooner or later if weeds are permitted to grow, and they surely will grow if there are any live seeds near the surface of the ground. Trouble with weeds, especially In spring seeding, has been the most potent cause of failure to secure satisfactory results with alfalfa in Indiana. Few people realize how full of weed seeds the ground really is, even where careful cultivation has been the rule. A corn field, for example, may be perfectly free of weeds in the fall after a season of care- ful cultivation, but next spring, when the ground is either plowed or deeply stirred up to properly prepare it for the next crop, a fresh lot of weed seeds is brought near the surface. With most crops these might not be particularly noticed, but if alfalfa is sown they are bound to get in its way. The common Foxtail is by far the most troublesome weed that we have to deal with in this connection. A number of other grasslike weeds, such as “crab grass” and “tickle grass,” are also frequently heard of as 552 troublesome to young alfalfa. There is only one way to escape from trouble of this kind, and that is by destroying the weeds before sowing the alfalfa. This may be done at any time during the spring or summer by harrowing the ground every week or ten days for a period of a month or six weeks after it has been plowed and otherwise fully prepared for the alfalfa. A longer period of time is necessary for this weed killing process in the spring than later in the season, because germination is slower in the colder soil, and the weed seeds must be thoroughly sprouted before harrowing will destroy them. A few years ago most of our people who pretended to know anything about alfalfa seeding, recommended the use of a nurse crop to keep down weeds, but many recent experiences have shown that the nurse crop idea is wrong. The nurse crop is more or less of a weed in itself, and both weeds and nurse crop must be avoided by a period of clean culture before sowing the alfalfa. At present we feel safest in recommending that soil prepara- tion for alfalfa seeding be begun in the spring of the year rather than in midsummer, because of the greater certainty of securing the right kind of a seed-bed at that time. If the soil is one of the heavier types, it should be double disked (lapping one-half) be- fore plowing. If the ground has been fall plowed it may be pre- pared in spring by thorough disking. After thorough prepara- tion, however accomplished, the seed-bed must be harrowed at least three or four times at intervals of about ten days, to sprout and kill weed seeds, until some time in June or July, according to the character of the season. The alfalfa seed should then be sown alone at the rate of twenty pounds per acre. It may be broadcasted and lightly covered with a smoothing harrow, or it may be drilled with a wheat drill, if the drill is of a kind that can be adjusted to sow the desired amount of seed and set to cover the seed at a reasonable depth. In a loose soil and a dry season the seed may be covered deeper than in a heavy soil and a wet season. Ordinarily covering an inch deep will be satisfac- tory. While the method described above gives the greatest assur- ance of success, the experiments herein reported, and a few ex- periments and observations in previous years, indicate that it is possible to get a satisfactory stand of alfalfa on ground that is not prepared for sowing until after wheat, clover or other early harvested crop has been removed from the ground, especially with favorable summer and fall weather. The greatest objection to this practice lies in the fact that there may not be sufficient moisture to properly prepare the ground and get a sufficient fall growth to thoroughly establish the plants. It seems, however, that wherever it is important to avoid the loss of a year’s crop, and where the soil is in good con- 553 dition, this method may be employed with reasonable chances of success. One point must always be kept in mind, no matter which method is employed, and that is that sufficient time and labor must be given to soil preparation to rid the surface of all weed seeds. In counting the cost of establishing an alfalfa field, we should always take into account the fact that this one soil preparation and seeding, if properly accomplished, will be good for many years. If the soil is in poor condition and the stand imperfect, there will be just so much of a loss every year that the crop occu- pies the ground. Alfalfa should always be put in a place where it can be left for at least five or six years. It does not attain its best development until about three years old, and it may be kept in good condition almost indefinitely. Inoculation. Concerning soil inoculation for alfalfa, we can only say at the present time that it seems to be necessary in about half of the cases where the crop is first introduced. It is quite probable that the spread of alfalfa culture in the state is already having some effect in lessening the need of artificial inoculation. The experi- ments reported in this bulletin show that in many cases nodules developed without special inoculation, and many similar cases have come to our notice in the last two years. It has often been observed that where manure is applied the need of especial inocu- lation may be avoided. The so-called pure cultures of bacteria for inoculation have not produced noticeable results in a single instance where we have tried them. Wherever inoculation is considered necessary, we would ad- vise the use of soil from a good alfalfa field where the bacteria are known to exist. At least one or two hundred pounds of clean soil should be used per acre, and if at all possible it should be in- corporated with the seed. The Experiment Station has neither soil nor other inoculat- ing material for sale. Clipping. The information w T e have concerning the clipping of alfalfa during the first season is too contradictory to permit of making any general rule. It seems, however, that clipping has sometimes been overdone and that young alfalfa should rather be allowed to grow undisturbed so long as it is doing well and does not bloom. With early seeding, one clipping in the latter part of August will generally be advisable. Otherwise clipping should only be practiced when the growth seems checked, or the tops of the plants turn yellow. If not too heavy the cut material should 554 be left on the ground to act as a mulch. All growth after the middle of September should be allowed to die down naturally for protection to the roots over winter. Cutting for Hay. When alfalfa is used for hay-making it should be mowed whenever about one tenth of it has come into bloom, regardless of size. In ordinary seasons this will be about the end of May, the first of July and the early , part of August, and a good field fwill often yield four cuttings. The general treatment in curing the hay is the same as that for clover, but great care must be exercised in handling it to avoid breaking off and losing the leaves, which dry quickly and are then very brittle. Pasturing. Alfalfa should never be pastured the first season, and in many cases it will be best to use it for mowing during the second season, in order that it may become thoroughly established before animals are allowed to tramp over it. It should never be pastured close- ly, as close pasturing injures the crowns of the plants. Horses and sheep are more likely to do damage in this way than are cat- tle or hogs. Alfalfa makes excellent pasture for all kinds of live stock, and it is especially desirable for hogs during hot weather. With cattle and sheep care must be exercised to avoid bloating. At first the animals should be turned in for only a short time each day until they become accustomed to it, and when the al- falfa is wet, as after a rain, there is still greater need of care. It is wise to be a little more careful than with clover. Additional Notes. Alfalfa is used to feed all kinds of farm live stock, from chickens to horses. It will yield from 3 to 6 tons of excellent hay per acre per season, according to the fertility of the soil. It is rich in flesh forming nutrients and is excellent for feeding with corn or other starchy foods. It is more digestible than red clover and is not far behind wheat bran in feeding value. It is an excellent soil renovator, gathering nitrogen from the air, opening up the soil and bringing large quantities of mineral food from the subsoil. The little information that we have upon the subject indi- cates that alfalfa should not be used as a seed crop in Indiana, except perhaps in the last season before plowung it up. Seed production weakens the plants and reduces the stand, and the seed crop produced will seldom be a profitable one. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 630 7IN2B cons JfSEARCH BULLETIN LAFAYETTE URBANA