Missouri Experiment Station.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVI, Issue 43069, 16 March 1907, Page 2

Missouri Experiment Station.

As a pasture, alfalfa has many disadvantages. The crop makis a most , ; excellent pasture for all classes of animals but great precaution must be taken in pasturing it. The difficulties arise from the injury to the plants which close crop- ■ ping may cause, and to the fact that m cattle and sheep it is liable to cause bloat. According to reports received from farmers over the State, those who have attempted to make a continuous pasture of it have failed. , After the plants are well established, it will stand much closer' pasturing that when plants are young, bat oare must always be taken to prevent too close cropping, especially with sheep; and the numb or of animals allowed on a field should, therefore, b 9 limited to several less than might be supported. Excessive tramping, especially on young fields or in wet weather, is very injurious, and the crop should, therefore, not be pastured in early spring. Late fall pasturing W also harmful if the plants are not allowed time to recuperate before winter. The u sual result of continuous pasturing seems to be the killing out of the alfalfa and the coming in of blue-grass.