Press enter after choosing selection

Alfalfa And Red Clover

Alfalfa And Red Clover image
Parent Issue
Day
30
Month
September
Year
1898
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

By far the most important forage plant cultivated in the eastern Rocky rnountain región at the present, time is alfalfa. One of the things which inakes alfalfa so valuable for this región is its ability to thrive on land containing a considerable quantity of alkali. Mr. T. S. Williams, who has made au exhaustive iuvestigation of the grasses and forage plants of the región ruentioned, eays there ure few cnltivated orops that will stand as much alkali as this. From Mr. Williams' recent report published by the department of agriculture the following items in regard to alfalfa and red clover are gleaned: The injurious effects of too much water upon the growth of alfalfa is well illustrated by the conditions at present prevailing in a number of localities in Colorado, particularly in the southern part of the state. The soil, either frorn natural causes or as a result of the methods of irrigation practiced, has become saturated wifch water to within a short distance of the surface. As a conscquence theroots of the alfalfa rot and the plants become sickly and flnally die, rendering it impossible to produce anything üke a permanent rneadow. Here in Colorado, as well as in ruany other parts of this región, the best success is obtained with alfalfa on the bench lands. It is surprisiug what a small aniount of labor ia required to obtain a good alfalfa niundow in some portions of this región. Fur uxample, it is a common practice to give sagobrush land uo more plowing or other preparation than is necessary iu taking off the sagebrnsh. The brus-h is out and gru bbed out, raked up and burned, and the seed sown directly on the unplowed land, covered and watered. The soil is so loóse as to require little or no stirring, and water is the only thing necessary to make it produce abnndant crops of alfalfa. Of course more thorough preparation will give au evener and more lasting meadow, but the writer has seen many fine alfalfa meadows on land untouched by the plow except to make ditches for distributing the water. Next to alfalfa red clover is the roost widely cultivated leguminous forage erop in this región. It seems to bë more generally grown in Montana than in either Colorado or Wyoming, and its cultivation is chiefly confmed to rich valleys and bench lands near the mountains where there is a good supply of moisture or where irrigation is practiced. It is usually grown with timothy and other meadow grasses and is cut for hay or used as a soiling erop. Very fine crops are raised in central and southwestern Montana and in northern and central Colorado, and it is occasionally seen elsewhere in these states. Red clover is not generally grown in Wyoming, though it is being tried in many localities with very fair success.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News