The Massachusetts Better Forage Campaign: Is it Agronomically Sound? 1

The writer interprets the Massachusetts better forage campaign as an effort to induce farmers, particularly dairy farmers producing wholesale milk or butter, to grow not only more forage, but forage of a higher feeding value than that commonly raised; and by forcing maximum consumption of this high-grade roughage reduce the cost of the concentrated or purchased portion of the ration to a minimum. It is comparatively easy to better the quality of corn silage, which makes up a considerable portion of dairy roughage, by increasing the percentage of ear corn in the silage. With hay, however, the problem is more complicated. For the growing of clover and alfalfa hays the extension agronomist has made several recommendations. This paper deals particularly with the recommendations for alfalfa growing. The Massachusetts outline says that alfalfa will not grow if the soil reaction indicates a pH of 5.5, and that the most thrifty stands of alfalfa were found only on soils with pH 6.8 or above. The author cites experimental evidence to show that alfalfa does not grow well at very low or very high pH, but does best with the soil reaction somewhere near neutral. He further states, "this does not mean that good crops of alfalfa may not be secured when a soil shows considerable acidity," and cites evidence to prove it. The author avers that liming for alfalfa may be overdone and that it is not