Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 140, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1913 — ALFALFA GROWING IN JASPER COUNTY [ARTICLE]

ALFALFA GROWING IN JASPER COUNTY

Demonstration on the C. F. Mansfield Farm Proved Interesting to Fifty Who! Attended. . - T ~ ''. i? ■’ 7 ’■■■“•— —-. ’ 'll?—,. —-- * - V \- --In spite of the cold rain last Saturday, about fifty men attended the alfalfa demonstration on C. P. Mansfield’s farm, 8 miles south and east of town. The demonstration was In charge of Prof. J. C. Beaver, of Purdue university, and Mr. Mansfield proved an able assistant to him and an excellent host for the crowd. Mr. Mansfield has seventy acres on which he is very Successfully growing alfalfa and the most interesting thing in the demonstration to both the Purdue authorities and to the people of this and surrounding counties, is the success in growing it on two sand hills in the field. Among the points brought out in the demonstration, the first was that 'lime is necessary for a growth of alfalfa. A test for lime in any piece of land may be tried by pouring either hydrochloric or muriatic acid over a sample of it, and the presence of lime can be noted by the “boiling” resulting from it. Mr. Mansfield has had to apply lime to his land, there being only a very slight test shown for lime when he tested for it before seeding his alfalfa crop last August. He has been rather fortunate in obtaining the lime element for his land, in that the soil underlying his land, after about a depth of 3 or 4 feet shows a strong test for lime and the dredge ditch running through his farm has caused the dredge subsoil to be very convenient for him and those living on neighboring farms. He has -applied about 20 loads of ditch bank per acre. The ditch hank contains about 20 or 25 per cent carbonate of lime. The second point made in the demonstration was that the soil must be inoculated for the successful growth of alfalfa. On the roots of alfalfa, which were found to run very deeply into the earth, were found bunches of knots or tubercles eaused by little bacteria which grow on the roots of the plant. It is necessary that there bacteria, or ‘bugs,” as they were humorously called, be in the soil in which alfalfa is grown. They are necessary to gather nitrogen, it being necessary food for the plant. The necessity for their presence was shown in pulling up a little weak plant and on its roots few or no tubercles were found, showing that the bacteria had not gotten on the plant; whHe the roots ot a large healthylooking plant were found to have a large growth of tubercles on them. This showed tfliat the plant could not. grow unless its roots got to the bacteria. The application of these baeteria to the land is spoken of as inoculation. Bacteria grow on different clovers, and it. has been found that the kind that grow on sweet clover will also grow on alfalfa, so they may he obtained by sprinkling the field with soil in which sweet clover has been growing. About 1,000 pounds of sweet clover soil was applied per acre. The third point made at the demonstration was that alfalfa can be successfully grown in Jasper county While the most interesting point was the fine crop found on the sand hills, an excellent crop was also found on the rest of the land, which was for tlje most part a heavy loam.

Thcre were some poor spots in the fields, but these were accounted tor, first, by the fact that the seed had very often been planted too deeply, and that In a few places water had stood on the land. These were the next points brought out in the demonstration; that the land should be drained to keep water from standing on It, and the seed should not be planted too deeply. The point about the planting of the seed was early demonstrated where the drill had run shallow or where some of the soil had been blown off, leaving the seeds in only a shallow depth of not over one inch. Where this had been the case a fine crop resulted, while if the seeds had been planted deeply, but few were able to come through the soil. ■

Three cuttings can be made during the season and the crop is now ready for its first cutting. This cutting wifi average at least 1Y» tons per acre, and the crop will average 4 tons per acre tor the season. Alfalfa has a feeding value of $25.00 per ton, and on the market will brink about $20.00 per ton. Land, if properly drained and planted to alfalfaj will return at least 10 per cent Interest on a $200.00 valuation of land. With this in mind we are forced to agree with Prot Beaver and Mr. Mansfield when they say “grow alfalfa." The demonstration closed with talks from several present and with all extending « vote of thanks for the dear manner in which things

were presented by Purdue university through Prof. Beaver, and a vote of thanks to Mr. Mansfield for his hospitality during the occasion. Another note for consideration of the alfalfa crop, if grown, is that the Gifford railroad, if put through this section, will afford an easy outlet through Wolcott for alfadfa bay into the com belt of Illinois; where it is in great demand.