Forage crops for soiling, silage, hay and pasture . piece of sod land is to beconverted into an alfalfa field, it should be plowedand planted with some cultivated crop the firstyear or two, in order to put the soil into goodphysical condition as well as to destroy all tuftsof grasses which may spread, as grass is the worstenemy of alfalfa. It is desirable to have the soilsomewhat compact for the seed, and therefore, itis better not to sow alfalfa on new-plowed should be completed as long before sow-ing as possible, and the land should be rolled tocompact it, and afterward lightl
Forage crops for soiling, silage, hay and pasture . piece of sod land is to beconverted into an alfalfa field, it should be plowedand planted with some cultivated crop the firstyear or two, in order to put the soil into goodphysical condition as well as to destroy all tuftsof grasses which may spread, as grass is the worstenemy of alfalfa. It is desirable to have the soilsomewhat compact for the seed, and therefore, itis better not to sow alfalfa on new-plowed should be completed as long before sow-ing as possible, and the land should be rolled tocompact it, and afterward lightly harrowed toleave the suiface finely pulverized, and .to preventloss of moisture. Manures and fertilizers Alfalfa is a heavy feeder, and will not thrive onlands deficient in plant-food. It is especially de-sirable that the soil contain abundance of lime,both in order to supply the needs of the plant andto correct any possible acidity, for, as alreadystated, acid soils are unfavorable for the growthand development of the organisms that are neces-. 214 FORAGE CHOPS sary to enable the plant to gather the atmosphericsoil nitrogen. The fertilizers should contain chiefly potash andphosphoric acid, and, although alfalfa is capableof obtaining atmospheric nitrogen, it respondsquickly to applications of nitrogenous manures,particularly in its early growth. The lime andfertilizers should be spread broadcast and har-rowed in previous to seeding. The lime should beapplied, when possible, to the preceding crop, inorder to ensure its thorough distribution and in-corporation with the soil. The following applica-tions per acre are recommended in the East, evenon good lands: First year J before seeding, thirty-five bushels ofstone lime and a mixture containing 3 per cent ni-trogen, 10 per cent available phosphoric acid and 5per cent potash, at the rate of 400 pounds per there is a known deficiency in mineralelements, as in sandy soils, these fertilizers maybe reinforced with ground p
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