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ThlB ttatn is f HmMl M tiM raduction ratio etwofcad baiow / C« ctoeummt Mt fHin* «j taux da rMuetion indiqu* cMaaaoua. lOx 14x 18x 23x 26x 30x J 12x 16x 20x 24x 28x 32x Th« copy filmed h«r« has b««n rvproducad thanks to the ganaroaity of: National Library of Canada Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha bast quality possibia considaring tha condition and lagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming conuact spacif icationa. Original copias in printad papar covars ara filmad beginning with tha front covar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illustratad impraa- sion. or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original copiaa ara filmad beginning on tha first paga with a printad or illustratad impras- sion, and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illustratad impression. Tha last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain tha symbol -♦^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"!, or the symbol V (meaning "ENO"). whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc.. may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure ara filmed beginning in the upper left hend corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diegrams illustrate the method: 1 2 3 1 2 4 5 L'axamplair* film* fut rtproduit gract i la gAnirositi da: Bibliotheque nationale du Canada La* imaga* suivantas ont M raproduitas avac la plua grand soin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nanati da I'axamplaira filmA, at an conformitA avac laa conditiona du contrat da fllmaga. Laa axamplairaa origlnaux dont la couvartura an papiar aat ImprimAa tont filmAa an commandant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par la darniAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraaaion ou d'illuatration. soit par la sacond plat, salon la caa. Toua laa autros axamplairaa originaux aont filmte an commanpant par la pramiAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraaaion ou d'illuatration at an tarminant par la darniira paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Un daa aymbolas suivants apparaitra sur la darniAra imaga da chaqua microficha. salon la caa: la symbola — ^ signifia "A SUIVRE". la symbolo ▼ signifia "FIN". Laa cartaa, planchas, tablaaux. ate. pauvant atra filmis A daa Mux da reduction diffirants. Lorsqua la documant ast trop grand pour atra raproduit an un aaul clichA. il ast film* A partir da I'angla supAriaur gaucha. da gaucha A droita. at da haut an baa. an pranant la nombra d'imagaa nAcaaaaira. Laa diagrammoa suivants illuatrant la mAthoda. 2 3 S 6 MiaOCOPV RfSOlUTION TBT CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 1 4.0 2.0 1.8 ^iu A APPLIED IIVHGE In 1653 East Uoin Street fffji**'!.'- "" '""^ '»«» USA (716) MJ - 0300 - Phofi. {'16) 2M-59S9 -To. r^' ^ - :? ALFALFA GROWING IN EASTERN CANADA M. O. AIALTE, Ph.D. Preparation of the Land, Seed and Seeding. Treatment of Crop the Firit Year. Introduction. I-on^ before the Christian era the merits of alfalfa were rocoirni7d of clover and ^asse, \s a "o i„^ erop_,t cannot be surpassed and well cured alfalfa hay h.xs no e.,nal as a dry fodder «nd fl h "J' ^"^'' ?°^ ^u"?* ^'^"'^'' '^ "'" exceedingly valuable, its fatt n"n^. and flesh producing qualities being universally reeopni/ed. ^ainnnio Horses are very fond of it and thrive remarkably W( 11 on it. Fertilizing Value. of humu3 to the soil through dead Lves and'dX" '.J r!:^^':^^^:Z:'X improves the mechanical condition of tlie soil, but also increases its fertility. sons. Alfalfa is a perennial plant with a vigorous root sy-.tem which penetrates tb« soil to a great depth in =eareh of food. Thus a fair proportion of the fo d neth^ for the growth of the pl.int is taken from the subsoil. "if Tocd need.d for To ensure the be.t results, i.e.. to ensure vigorous growth and hea^'y croT,s f„P many consecutive .vears alfalfa should therefore be grown on l,.nd wilh 7dLp rich Ilardpan or impenetrable chy near the snrfnee will prevent the rn^t, f. ofTilrcrop.'"'"'' "'' " ' ■■"""• ^•■""'"'■^' "'•^'•'^ ^'"^ ^■•-■"' -Hi yioidiiro:.!:;" _ Water standing near the surface has the same effect. As a n.atter of fact alf.,'f« IS very sensitive to an excess of water in the ground. It does exceedingly well in , DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL FjRMS •"• "• OR'SDALE. B.Agr.. ^ O ^ ' Director. _, . ,' "' unrninion A>rostolOKltt EXHIBITION CIRCULAE No. 56. 01180 (January. 1916^) muJtruttly moist ami nt tin- same time well noraW soil but is unnble to thrive in water clijj;g<'J »oil where free circiiliitioii of the air has been made impossible or difficult. It should ther«5fore be sown only on well drained land where excebsive water can be promptly and rapidly carried off. On poorly drained land or low land subject to b« flooded for even a short time, alfalfa is likely to be a complete failure. Sour soil also should be avoided. It is quite unsuitable to alfalfa, unlusri tho acidity can be neutralized by a liberal application of lime. •Vs an alfalfa field, when once well established, continues to produce croj)!. for many consecutive years, it follows that alfalfa has no place in a short rotation. It is therefore advisable to choose, for alfalfa, a convenient sized field which does not form part of tlie repular farm rotation, preferably close to the farm buildings. Soil Preparation. To Lneure a good stand the land selected for alfalfa should be:— 1. Stored with an abundance of plant food. '2. Free from weeds. 3. In excellent phyfeical condition or tilth. These conditions can be secured in different ways depending on the nature of the previous crop. • If the land selected for alfalfa is in clover sod or meadow it should be ploughed sha.low and rolle •he sped bed is pre- surfai'c foot ot an Ifii, at :i r:il. .■!' loO ll i.ulTUWOd This can be done in the followinp two ways: — 1. Soil fruni an old alfatfa field is spattered on the land, ^' pared, and harrowed in. The soil used slioidd bo scraiicd fr. old iflliilta fio'.d. and still .seattorcd over tlie land, pripand for a to •Will pound to the acre. It must not be allowed to dry up in the sun, before beinij soatterc in, as then it.s inooulatinp power may be dostro.ved. Should old alfalfa soil not he ihcaply availalile. tlcii soil from a sweet clovir tield, if aeeessible, ean be used with the same effeot. i- When soil inoculation, as deseribed above, is impraetioable *lie bacteria can be inciirporated with the soil throuirh the medium of the alfalfa seed sown. In this case the seed is treated, immediately before sowing, by an artiricial culture, called nitro- culture. This can be obtained free, with directions as to its use. upnn ajiplication to the Division of Botany, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. When asking' to be supplied with nitri-culture the applicant should state how many pounds of seed are to be inoculated. SEED AXD SEEDING. QUALITY OK SKKO AND VAIilKTY. For the best results with alfalfa, the quality of tlie seed is of the proatest importance. Not only is it nc<'cssary to use well fil'ed plump seed of stroni; vitality ami free from impurities, but still more so to use seed of a variety adapted to the Canadian clim:ite. It is absolutely necessary to use seed of a variety able to withstand the winter without being partly or wholly killtu. The safest varieties, available commercially at prc-i nt. are Grimms alfalfa and Ontario Variesrated alfalfa. Still better is hometrrnwn -led. i.e., seed proilii.id in the liome district, because such seed has been produced by plants wliich, by rcn .,u of their very existence, have proven themselves able to survive and thrive. WITH OR WITIIOIT A M'RSK ( Rop. Alfalfa can be sown with a mirse cro]) or withmit. Wlietlier it shfinld lie >own with a nurse crop or not depends hirirely on the stiitc of fertility of tlie land :iim1 the climatic conditions. As a rule a nurse crop shuilil be used only when the soil i~ rich in ii'aiit food and humus, and the climatic conditions known to be in fav^'ur of alfalfa jrriiwiii(T ■ •'' tricts or on soil where SDiiie fiifficulty in >tartimr alfalfa has been experic ' -e crop should be used. I" .vard Island: Nova Scnfia, New Brunswick. (Juebee and Eastern Ontari t ' advisable t.i sow without a nurse crup on land of average fertility. Time of Seeding, If sown with a nurse crop tlie si^cd should be «.owm in the spriiiff with n"t mire than one bushel of early maturing barley or spriiipr wheit. If no nurse crop is u^ed, the seed can be sown any time from the sprinu' to the beginninK of Aufrust. dcpi'ndinir upon conditions. Sowin? too early in the spring, when the ground is fctill wet and cold, is not advisable. Methods of Seeding. When sown with a nurse crop tlie seed is sown from the grass seed attachment of the grain drill. When sown without a nurse crop, the .seed ean be sown broadcast either by hand or from the grass fcced attachment to the grain drill. It can also be sown in drills from the grain tubes of the ordinary seeder. In the latter case the seed should be iiiixcd with 8omo coarser material to prevent too thick seeding. For this purpoM ground wheat crushed as coar-ely as pofesiblp is generally used. The alfalfa seed is mixed with the crushed wheat and tho drill set to put on the amount wanted. For instance, 20 pounds of alfalfa mixed with 40 pounds of crushed wheat, and the drill sowing one bushel per acre will mean 20 pounds of alfalfa sovn to the acre. Whatever method used, the ground should be harrowed and rolled immediately after fcowing and tlicn the surface of the rolling liphtly broken with a brush harrow, a wicdor or n tilting harrow. If the land is deficient in plant food, alfalfa nuiy be sown in rows about eighteen indies apart. By this method, however, a crop is obtained which, though it may be satisfactory as to quaiitit.v, is somewhat inferior in quality to the crop obtained when the seed is sown broadcast or in drills from the seeder. Depth of Seeding^. How deeply the seed should be covered, depends on the, soil conditions. On average soils the depth should be about one inch or a little less. On light sandy toils with a dry surface, the seed should be covered about an inch and a half. Quantity of Seed to be Sown, When sown broadcast or in drills with the ordinary seeder, about 20 pounds of good seed of strong vitality bhould be used to the acre. If sown in rows eight i-en inches a]»art, a third of this (luantity will be ample. TREATMENT DUEINO FIRST YEAR, Young alfalfa plants are very tender and must be given every chanoe to establish themselves firmly. During the first season they shorM be treated in such a way as to be a'l'e to enter the winter in the bofct condition pfjssible. With Nurse Crop, In the case of the alfalfa being sown with a nurse crop, careful watch must be hept to see that the young alfalfa plants are not being smothered by lodging grain. Whon harvesting the nurse crop the binder should be set x> cut 5 or 6 inches from the gi'ound. Shocks should not be allowed to stand for more than two days on the f-ame .sput, as they would smother out the young alfalfa. Should weeds appear after the iHirse crop has been harvested or the alfalfa grow tall and rank it would be advisable to clip the field as high as the mower will allow, though not later than the middle of September. Without Nurse Crop. In case of the alfalfa being sown without a nurfee crop, broadcast or in drills 7 inches apart or thereabout, it is necessary to mow the field at frequent intervals throughout the -season. The plants should not be allowed to go to bloom the first season but the field shotild he clipped as fcoon as the plants -each a height of from S to 12 inches. The clippings shoidd be left on the leld as a mulch. The last clipping should be timed so as to allow the plants to reach a height of about 8 or 10 inches at the end of the growing season. Thi^ growth should be left uncut for winter protec- tion. If these directions are followed, the weeds will be kept down and the alfalfa itself will enter the winter in pood condition. If the alfalfa is sown in rows 18 inches apart or more, it is necessary to cultivate at intervale, between the rows, especially early in the f-eason. Otherwise the growth should be encouraged by frequent clippings as advised above. TTnder no circumstances Should live stock of any kind be allowed to graze npou an alfalfa field the first season. PublUhab by authority of Hon. MARTIN BURRELL, Minittar of Agrioulturo, Ottawa, Ont.