From four to six pounds of seed per acre are
usually ample. Another main cause of failure is the common idea that
the lucern field needs little or no cultivation, when, in fact, the
alfalfa field should receive as careful soil treatment as the wheat
field. Heavy, thorough disking in spring or fall, or both, is
advisable, for it leaves the topsoil in a condition to prevent
evaporation and admit air. In Asiatic and North African countries,
lucern is frequently cultivated between rows throughout the hot
season. This has been tried by Brand in this country and with very
good results. Since the crop should always be sown with a drill, it
is comparatively easy to regulate the distance between the rows so
that cultivating implements may be used. If thin seeding and
thorough soil stirring are practiced, lucern usually grows well, and
with such treatment should become one of the great dry-farm crops.
The yield of hay is not large, but sufficient to leave a comfortable
margin of profit. Many farmers find it more profitable to grow
dry-farm lucern for seed. In good years from fifty to one hundred
and fifty dollars may be taken from an acre of lucern seed.
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