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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1912)
66 THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE west, north and south, and can, therefore, be had at a lower figure than in any other state in the union. It is very evident that the home consumption of corn is much more profitable to the farm era of the state than the pay ment of transportation on a product which can be reduced to one-eighth of its original v weight by converting It into meat of some kind. In addi tion to the immense quantity' of corn available in Nebraska, the alfalfa plant, which suc ceeds so remarkably well within the borders of the state, combines with the corn plant so admirably as to' make this combination the most profitable of any that can be found. It is not necessary to go outside the state to purchase supplementary foods so long as clover and al falfa are to be had in such quantity. A great deal could be said concern ing foods which are available in Ne braska to make stock feeding profita ble. It is sufficient to Bay, however, that the farmers in this state should not only feed stock to maintain the wonderful productiveness of the soil, but also to take advantage of natural resources of the state within which they live. Alfalfa, Wealth Producer of West With the advent of new settlers in the fertile, but less thickly settled, portions of our western agricultural country, smaller farms are the order. This in turn demands changes that will in every way be beneficial to the farmer and to the country at large. "Until recently the farmer has had the use of free and unoccupied land, producing free pasture in abundance and hay at cost of harvest, but pres ent increased values have much re stricted him in the use of unoccupied land. No one questions the value of nu tritious, wild prairie grass for hay or pasture, and as a pasture product we will first consider it. On the prairies j in the west it is available about May 1st as a per manent pasture; about August 1st it is pre served, and when reduced by pasture ubo it is not again available until the following May; In other words, its use 1b for a period of about three or four months in twelve. It then becomes necessary to introduce a pasture that will furnish a longer period "of use, or seed an additional amount of fall and winter feed. It re quires, ordinarily, more acres of wild grasses than tame to support a farm animal. A comparison of the values of tame grasses is en-iwork and care, and the m-jr2"f" m - nmmiiYjmiritmm limit it- -"irTrifriiitminjmn ' alfalfa. If by proper demonstration it devel ops that a crop cannot be profitably produced on your farm, devote your land and energy to other lines, but do not condemn your efforts , to succeed unless you uio buusuwu your procedure was right. We contend that some local Ities are not adapted to alfalfa pro duction where at least an average crop can be secured. The Breeder's Gazette, which is recognized as an . authority, classes any land that will produce alfalfa as worth in value not less than $100 per acre. Undoubtedly an average crop and a reasonable location should qualify such statement as conservative. In the state of Nebraska alfalfa production is not an experiment; it can be demonstrated and is demon strated as a successful production in different localities. Selection of Ground The Importance of careful and proper eelectlon of ground is ap parent. If the crop is an experi ment, we advise a small area. The experiment will thus be as complete and, we think, usually insures better I - Typical Nebraska Farm Scenes soils. Drainage. High or low land. Assuming that soil inoculation is not necessary, and irrigation is not available, on a farm consisting of 160 acres, where it is the desire of I the owner ' to produce from ten to forty acres of alfalfa, the owner should secure an average yield for the crop, of two and one-half to three and one-half tons per acre, on two or three cuttings. The Value of New or Old Land The results of seeding alfalfa on the first breaking of new ground is not generally favorable. Tie ab sence of weeds the first year on sod usually makes a good showing, but the root does Lot usually penetrate below the plow line. On the con trary, it diverges along under the sod and subplow line, and the root does not develop vitality or strength to support permanently a healthy, : strong plant The us ual result is half as much stand, or less, the second year, and a poor, weak, straggling plant at spare inter vals the third year. On the other hand, a well cultivated, deep plowed field, with equally favorable con ditions, will produce a penetrating, strong, tirely favorable to the production of alfalfa. We prophesy that within the next five years alfalfa will be firmly es tablished as a permanent product of the west, and that whenever this is accomplished laid now commanding a prioe of $20, $25, $30 and $40 per acre will be in greater demand and at prlceB much advanced. Proper methods are the largest factor in the successful production of better crop thus secured insures better future conditions, seed, etc. In a subdivision of essen tial conditions we class them in order: Cultivated land or new breaking. Condition of fertility. Preparation of fertil ized land. Soil, subsoil and top- North Platte Irrigation Project healthy root that in turn will sup port a healthy, permanent plant. After the first year r ubsoil is the im portant factor, and on sod-seeding subsoil is never reached. Select old cultivated land, w'th proper regard for other necessary essentials, and secure a good root and permanent growth. We do not mean land that is not fertile by reason of exces sive poor farming, but well cultiva ted land that is above the average in fertility. Condition o f fertility and prep aration to pro duce suitable and proper fertility must be observed, and on account of prior use of such land is wholly necessary. Alfalfa requires a fertile soil. While -it is admitted that soil that produces very little vegetation without irrigation will produce a crop of alfalfa, the cause of no vegetation without irriga tion is not that the soil is not fertile, but arises from other causes, usually climatic conditions. If the soil is not fertile it should be made so, and the application of farm manure fertilizer usually supplies other elements necessary to produce and support the plant. The method of preparation varies, but on account of the harm ful effect of weeds following common farm-produced fertilizer, we advo cate its application the year prior to alfalfa seeding and the extermination of resultant weeds that have germi nated, not allowing them to reseed. Common farm-produced fertilizer will produce weeds, but if treated a year in advance fertility is secured and . weeds eliminated to a certain extent. Application of fertilizer can be followed by millet, or the weeds mowed or plowed under before ma turity of seed, and after alfalfa is seeded do not hesitate to sacrifice the first year's crop of alfalfa by cutting in time, so that weeds will not germinate and get the start of the plant. Results cannot be ex rected, anyhow, the first season, and the third season the crop and stand should be better than the second year, as it requires about three seasons to secure the best crop. New Industries Manufacturing In terests of the west and northwest are today expanding at a rate never before . known, and a succession of big crops, with excellent prices for agricultural products and live stock, have greatly en riched the nine great western states that are served by the North Western Line, with the result that the de mands for an extended Industrial development in this rich region are very strong. In a territory of such extent as that tributary to the 10,- raurl