Please see the Transcriber’s Notes at the end of this text.
It is the pleasure of the publishers to present to those who are interested inalfalfa, the man who declined an appointment as United States Senator, thathe might continue to direct the affairs of the Kansas State Board of Agriculturein general and of farmers in particular.—Orange Judd Company.
The Book of Alfalfa
HISTORY, CULTIVATION AND MERITS.
ITS USES AS A FORAGE
AND FERTILIZER.
Usurped the Occident and dwells
On Sacramento’s sundown hills,
And all the verdant valley fills
With fragrance sweet and delicate
As wooing breath of woman is.
—Joaquin Miller.
By F. D. COBURN
Secretary Kansas Department of Agriculture.
Illustrated
1912
Orange Judd Company
New York
Copyright, 1906 by
Orange Judd Company
New Revised Edition Copyrighted 1907 by
Orange Judd Company
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the U. S. A.
THERE ARE SOME SILENT SUBSOILERS THATDO THEIR WORK WITH EASE, AND IN THEIRWAY, MORE EFFECTUALLY THAN ANY TEAMOR PLOW EVER HITCHED. THE CLOVER PLANTIS RIGHTEOUSLY FAMED AS ONE OF THESE,BUT ALFALFA IS ITS SUPERIOR. ITS ROOTSWORK, SUNDAY AS WELL AS SATURDAY,NIGHT AND DAY; THEY STRIKE 5, 10, 15 OR20 FEET DEEP, MAKING INNUMERABLE PERFORATIONS,WHILE STORING UP NITROGEN,AND WHEN THESE ROOTS DECAY THEY LEAVENOT ONLY A GENEROUS SUPPLY OF FERTILITYFOR ANY DESIRED CROP, BUT MILLIONS OFOPENINGS INTO WHICH THE AIR AND RAINOF HEAVEN FIND THEIR WAY, AND HELP TOCONSTITUTE AN UNFAILING RESERVOIR OFWEALTH, UPON WHICH THE HUSBANDMANCAN DRAW WITH LITTLE FEAR OF PROTESTOR OVERDRAFTS.
“Its long, branching roots penetrate far down, push andcrowd t