xt7gqn5z7h7x https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7gqn5z7h7x/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. 1921 journals kaes_circulars_001_1_093 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 093 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 093 1921 2014 true xt7gqn5z7h7x section xt7gqn5z7h7x ét
  `05
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
Extension Division
THOMAS P. COOPER, Dean and Director
CIRCULAR NO. 93.
Alfalfa Project
Junior Agricultural Clubs
I March, 1921
l‘ul·li>Ii··l in <···imt-t·ti·vn with tht- 1lll`l<‘l1lIllI`Zll oxtvnsion work V
cxirrittl on by »··m]»¢·i·:tti<»11 of tlw <`·¤ll¤·;t· of <\2I`lL`lliilll`€‘, Univvl'-
>ity t»t` l{t·Il(|lt'l()', with tht- l`uit¤··l Stzttvs l*t~{·:ii‘tiiw11t of Agri-
\'\llIl1l`¤‘. uml ¢listril»t1t•·j<·1·t :11*0 (_l> to t<·:1<·|1 thu Wil
1'l‘t[lllI`l‘lll<‘IllS of .\ll`:1lt`:i uml :1 Nlll‘<‘<‘NNlilll 111<·tl1111l nl` 1·11lt111··· 11114
(26 tu llll‘l‘<‘ilSl‘ the llllt‘l`t‘Nl ul` thc liuyx :1111l girls i11 l`ill'lIl lit`.A·_
RL‘lll l0 to lvl _\`<‘&ll'S ¤1l` :1;:<· lll2l_\' <·111··1· 1l;i\
])1`Oj€‘Cl'.
2. l‘:lll‘0llIll(‘Ill slmiilll t:1l<•· pl:11·i· (lllI`lIlg! thu ti1·~t [1.11-1  
¢ thc your. not l:1t01· thuu July 1.
. A Sl. ll¢.’Illl><‘I`N must :1ttv111l tho lllt'l‘llII{jN ¤»t` lllt‘ll' 1-(-Kp.-.·ij·.~_·
clubs.
K 4. Thoy must stuily tl1<· lcssmis llll ".\lt`:1lt`:1" giwii i11 tl.;
circular.
\ 5. l‘:2lt‘ll lllt‘llllN‘l‘ 1llllSl {Il`0\\' l ill°l'(` nt` .\ll`:1ll`:1. l.*1ll¤>\\'lYi!
thv mlvicv of his (‘0lllll}' ugmit.
6. l·]:1¤·h lll(‘Illl)t‘l' 11111st l<¤·¢—[> il I'l’t‘t>l'tl i11 :1 lmuk \\`lll*'l1 1l.·~
l·r>1111ty :1g<*11t will siipply. of :1ll thu w·>1·l< 11t· ¤>11 tl1·~ 1»1··»j·· ·_
SllO\\`lll{I 0xp011sc·. l`(‘t‘(‘l[>lS :111,i··~‘.
S. l·]:1r·l1 1ll(‘ll1lN‘l‘ Nll0llltl 111:1lw :111 vxhihit nl` .\ll:1lt`;1 hzny
:1t $111110 0r11111t_v fuir :11*1*:111gml for this I)lll‘]1t)S<‘.
9. lll il\\'ilI`llllllQ' prizvs tho l`41ll<>\\'lllQ` huxis will h1· ll~("tl2
lliglivst yi<·ll' lllilll lillN)l°_ lltIl`S(‘ llllltll`, (‘l(',, llllllllll lll lllli
]`(*t‘O]'(l l><»1»l<. 11111st ho usotl i11 <·sti111:1ti11;;· pwfit.
ll. 'l`w<> tllSllll`<‘I'<‘Nl(‘(l 11<¤1·s<»11s lllllSl ]ll(‘2lSlll'(‘ th1· g1‘··11111l
· and ··il il` alfalfa is to thrive. This ean be supplied by plowing
` untler a green erop or by atbling niannre.
r\lt`alt`a neetls plenty of liine. lt is neeessary to apply linie
to the soil where all`all`a is to be grown. if enough is not already
present. Many Kentneky soils are of limestone formation; nev-
ertlieless the applieation of linie or gronntl liniestone is neees-
¤aH‘)‘ t`oi·s1ieeess with alfalfa in praetit·ally all parts of the state.
n the eveii in the Bluegrass region.
Possibly elub nieinbers will want to test their soil to see if
WIN'] it needs limestone. (let sonie strong hydroehlorie (niuriatiel i
aeitl front the tlrng store. Blake a ball front earth taken from
the plot where alfalfa is to be sown by working in enough water
to give it the eonsistenee of soft putty. Hake a hollow in this
and Hll it with water. to be sure that no bubbles of air rise froni

 l
V -1 (.'iren/to- No. .*}.3*
the soil. Pour out the wziter und put in at little ateid; il` enongl.
lime is present for the growth ol? anll'atll"at, sniull bubbles will rg,.
from the soil, due to the atetion ol' the aieid upon the pan·ti··lt~< ny ,,,.t
limestone teaileiutn (‘tll'l)4lllilll"l in the soil. ll` no bubbles opp.·_;;- “j
the soil needs lime. tr
' lt` the soil needs lime. spreatd ground limestone nt the rant- pr
of 2 tons per uere. ailter the ground hats been plowed. und dl`; pl
it in thoroly. _`,,
. The soils in neurly ull patrts ol' the statte outside ol` the l2ln··· my
,. grass region need atpplieaitions ol` phosphute in sulllv l`ot‘n1. l·`n··  
T hundred to one thousalnd pounds ol` ateid phosphaite nnrr l»·· glp {,.1
_ plied per aiere or three hundred to six lnnnlred pounds ..y‘  
SlCzl1110d ltotle llleill. lnsleatnl ol- aleltl pltospllalle ol' bone lnwil. .;`
1000 to 2000 pounds ol` linel_r ground roek phosphnte in;;_·t· l.»  
\ applied. it plenty ol` orgainie mutter is present in the soil, py.
These nmteriails aire usuailly aipplied to the nnbrolly the best method is the trans-
l¤·· ap ;`t·r ot` soil l·l'U]lI an alf`alf'a field or sweet clover field to the
lads ·»i` lieu pieee of ground. 'l`his soil should be scattered at the rate
· lll·‘L1l. ~»t` 400 to ($00 pounds per aere and harrowed in at once. This is
nay l·· };v*t_·t'S>ill`}` because bright sunshine will kill the bacteria if they
we ~oil. are exposed very long. This method is the most certain. lt
urotuai l_;t< given exeellent results and is reeoinmended to club members.
»·ati··:~ 'llle seed may he inoeulated by first wetting with a thin solu-
n··· tel- tha of glue—a handf`ul of` <·arpenter`s Hake glue to a gallon of
t· pmt- ·.·.·ater—tl1en sifting finely screened. inoculated soil from sweet
tluriaz ~—Y·»ve1· or alf`alf`a field over it. This gives every seed a particle
»otat··~~   soil whi<·h bears the required baeteria.
and a
ll!. .\ CUTTING THE ALFALFA.
s until lf the alf`alf`a is sown in August. do not elip it the first
j ··r~ ar. as it will need this growth to protect it thru the winter.
The time for eutting alf`alt`a is best determined by the appear-
we of new shoots at the crowns of the plants. The plants
"l “ll'l !·~at·rally bloom at the time these small shoots appear. but not
*l"’"l‘l atlwatys. lielay at this time may mean complete loss of tl1e last
il ‘ll`li l'lllilll{I for if the young shoots get foo long the tips will be ent
lll`ill'i` ifi and the maturity of the next. crop of hay will be delayed.
'“`" lll litis may eanse the last erop of the season to mature s0 late
l""l I`) Tllat it will not be wise to eut it. Cutting zllfzllfil VOI‘§’ late UNIX
"`l"'lll iattse severe winter killing. "
to tl·»‘
. Tite cumuc.
it liar- The hay should he left in the swath until well wilted; then
it should be raked into windrows f`or the eompletion of the

 i
V 6 Cl.I`('l([(ll' N0. 513
A curing. Better yet, the wilted hay muy he put. into lull. nuri-ott—
shocks for the completion of the curing. '1`he length of llllle
for this process will vary with the weather. When weutli.;i· H
conditions are 1`uvorahle, hay cut in the morning may he put !._
into the shock in the at`teruoon, where it should remain until ·|·
` thoroly cured. The shocks should be as narrow und tall is I}
possible uml well combed down with the fork so they will shot U
water well. lu building them keep the center higher at uf? M
t ti1nes than the outside ol` the shock. lluy caps made ot` l'Illl\`t|~~ I}
_ ~ may be used to protect the hay from the weather il' tliey ur-
avuiluble. In curing alfalfa hay try to keep it from snnl¤ui·i;·
. ing. Sunburning causes u great loss ol` leaves. the most yuluul»Y··
part of the plant.  
tl
\ CARE OF THE FIELD.
\Yhen weeds and grass appear the all`all`u should be liar- il
· rowed immediately at`ter cutting. A disk hurrow may he u~~E M
but it should be set at a slight angle so that it will not iu_iuw·~ A
the crowns of the plants. After using the disk, it is well i~
follow with a tooth harrow. A still better implement for eutii- (.
vating alfalfa is the spring-tooth harrow. or special spriiie
tooth alfalfa harrow. M
COMPLETING THE PROJECT. T
The yield of hay will he recorded at each cutting duriiaz H,
the second season. The work of the project and the records wiEY J
be completed by October of thc second year about lil iu··ii*?;<
i after sowing the seed. The hay may be buled uml u1url<··i···l‘ hg
‘ if it is used o11 thc farm its value should be estimated at tir-
market p1·ice.
There is always a good market for good alfalfa hay uiiii
the boy who attends to his crop well will be rewarded liherull}‘ gi
for his work. Tu Kentucky a field of alfalfa will last for 4 ·»i·  
— 5 years if the land has been properly prepared and the tielil 6,
gets good care. The club members’ alt`ulf'a ueed not be plowul Pi
up after completion of his project. but may be let`t as long ;i<
the stand is good and thrifty. R

 A/fu/fu l'rujcr·I—./utnior Agricultural Clubs 7
lI2ll'l'¤r\\' RECORDS.
of ti1a·· The best way f`or a farmer to know whether or not he is
weather making: money is to keep complete records. lt is easy to keep
nbc pat records if one is careful to write down all the items each day.
lll until The expense of cach operation should be calculated as soon as
tall a~ the work is done and written in the record book. At the close
will sh··»l 0f the project the record will tell an interesting, true story
r at all ahout the cost of growing the c1·op of alfalfa, and the profit on
<·auvas~ the undertaking.
hey are
unburtr SELECTING THE EXHIBIT.
v;tlual»l·· Select a small sheaf about 3 inches in diameter and tie it
securely with a strong cord. ln making; the selection observe
the following; points:
Polar. Ile sure that the sample is as nearly "pea greeu"
l"` lm" in color as possible. This is the best grade of alfalfa hay
l"` ‘l"“l and shows that the hay has been properly cured. The hay
I i"·lm`" should be bright.
“"'ll lk" S{r,n.<_ 'l`he stems of the hay should be as fine as possible.
"` "llll* t`·»arse stents show poor quality.
*l'l`mg` Lmrrs. The leaves are the most desirable part because they
are rich in protein. Hence the sample should show stems ear-
ryingz all their leaves. or as nearly all as possible.
_ ('onditioa. Do not select. any that shows yellow leaves or
°lum_m any other sign of disease. decay. mold or off color. The sample
ee ll-lll should not be dusty.
Nmmi I'to·1`f_a;. Remove all sticks. weeds. grass or traees of other
Ullliiitiii hay such as clover. sweet. clover or timothy.
a te
CLUB SCORE CARD. ALFALFA HAY
lull lim Points Perfect Score Judges’ Score
]l)¢‘!‘;llll- Color ____,__,,.,,............... . ............,,_..,.. . ..._..__.,, 20 _ _____________ _ _________
UV 4 UI. Stems ..,..............................,.....__......,.......... 20 __,_____..___,,......_.,
, Leaves ...._.._......._.__.._..__.....,.....,..,.......,....... 20 __,________ _ __________
he II·‘l*l €0maa0¤ .................................................. 20 ........... f ._..__.__.. f I
],],,“·etl PUFIIY .......................................................... 20 ..........,.............
le"? *" Total .................................................... 100 ..........,.............
R€¤I¤tks: .......,........,......,.,....................,...................................................................

    
V S (}1`1·e11Iu1· N0. 5/.6*  O
THE STORY OF THE PROJECT.  
Nllb_ll’t'{. "ll11w l Grew My 1\ll`z1ll`11." 1
I}lS{I'l((`{l·())l. The story must lw the \\'l>l'l{ 1»l` the ¤·l11l» l|1·‘IJ_.
l.1e1·. l’e11 illltl i11l< sl11>11l1l be useml. l';\'(‘l'_\’llllll}§ of i1111·1·1·~1 1·.1;_.
_ 1lt‘t‘l<‘Ll with 1l11· pl'l)_ll‘l'l Slltlllltl he t<1l1l. ll` the s1111·_v i~ llI`··f’.
esting 111111 well \\`l'll[l*ll it lllily lwe sent 111 s11111e l`111·111 _l¤¤lll`I..;
for ])lll>llt‘2ltl0ll.
G Suggested Outline for the Story.
» 4 1. How 1 l1e<·:1111e il 1·l11l1 ]llt‘llll)l‘l'.
ZZ. Ol_1je1·t of tl1e Ellllillllil p1·1»_ie1·t.
` 3. \Yl1)‘ 1 elmse {lie 21li`21ll`;1 p1'11_j<*<·l.
4. l)I't‘I>2ll‘illl(1ll of the soil:
PlO\\'lll{.!`, 1‘illll)\\'lll{.{'. 1lisl xvnrk (lone for you? l
11. \Yl1z1t are your :1111l1iti1111s 11s :1 l'llll} llll‘llll11‘I' 1`··1· T.·‘Y—.i i
year?
12. Give z111ytl1i11g else of interest. Seml il 1»i1·1111··· 11*}}.
the I`(‘1“OI‘(l linnk if 0110 is l1\'2`lllZll)l(‘.
References.
` Bulletin ].TS—l{<‘1ll`ll('l{}' 1\g1‘i1·11ll111·;1l l°;xl}l`l'llll(`lll $i;E`i 11.
G Lexiiigtmi, Ky.
B11lleTi11 T6—llli11nis ;\}II'l<'llllll!`2ll liX]1l‘l'lllll‘lll S1111°»·..
[vI‘l1H]1H. Illinois.
Fz11·111e1·s` Bulletiiis 339 Illlll T41~e—rl`. N. Dept. 11l` .\u1·€···1l·
ture. “YHSl}lllQl(>I1, D. G.
I Exte11Si<111 (`i1·r·11l:11· 70, (`nllegye nl` ;\{Il`l(‘llllllI'1“. l,exi11u‘»·11.
Ky. G
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