Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1915 — Alfalfa and Tile. [ARTICLE]

Alfalfa and Tile.

Crown Point Register: The past week I helped Mr. Coleman dig down to his tile in his old alfalfa field, to see if the alfalfa roots were clogging up the tile, as is so often predicted and told by those who know nothing about alfalfa. We found that the alfalfa roots did go dowm to the tile, glance' On around it, and keep on going. It is clearly shown that the alfalfa roots care nothing about tile, but are after the moisture and plant food further below. Also we found the stiff/ clayey subsoil had been broken loose and granulated by the alfalfa roots, to such an extent that aid and dark soil from up near the surface were allowedj to penetrate over three feet down in the ground, making it possible for potash and other plant food to be liberated. We also found many clusters of nodules, which had in them bacteria that had the power of taking the nitrogen from the air and converting it into available plant food for the farm.— COunty Agent.