The Book of Alfalfa: History, Cultivation and Merits: Its Uses as a Forage and FertilizerCoburn, F. D. (Foster Dwight)
History
The Book of Alfalfa: History, Cultivation and Merits: Its Uses as a Forage and Fertilizer
Coburn, F. D. (Foster Dwight)
Alfalfa
will fall off and pulverize. It is best to stack in narrow ricks, as it
is liable to heat if put in large stacks, and it should be salted
liberally when stacked. The last cutting is preferred for seed, which is
mowed when most of the pods are well matured; in this case only two
crops should be cut during the year. The straw makes good feed for stock
in winter, having about half the value of the hay. Each irrigation costs
about 50 cents per acre, and the total cost of hay in the stack is about
$3.50 per ton. Baling costs $1.25 per ton, with 50 cents additional for
wire. The common yield of seed is 6 to 10 bushels from the acre.
“Reeves” clover huller will thresh about 12 bushels per hour. The price
of hay, baled, in New Mexico has averaged about $8 per ton for the past
eight years and seed for the same time about $5 per bushel. Our
experience indicates that alfalfa hay is a more nutritious food for farm
animals than either clover or timothy. We have found nothing better to
feed cattle for market; it makes good, solid beef, and they take on fat
very fast. The pasturage is excellent for swine, horses, and cattle. If
overfed, animals will sometimes bloat on rank alfalfa, especially if
unaccustomed to it. About the third year from seeding, the plant has
acquired its best yield. It is difficult to rid land of it, as plowing
under is sometimes beneficial, making it come up thicker than before.
Success with it on high prairies depends upon the precipitation during
the growing season. We think four inches of rainfall during the time of
its growth would make a fair crop of hay; or 8 to 12 inches from May to
September, for two or three cuttings.
NEW YORK
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