conditions, such as you can easily have with your soil and climate,
alfalfa comes on with a rush in the spring, and often the first crop
should be cut before the weather is suitable for making hay. There
should be very little or no delay at this time, because the first
cutting should be removed in order that it may be out of the way of
the second crop, which comes forward still more rapidly under normal
conditions.

"Some of our Illinois farmers make strenuous objection to taking
care of an alfalfa field that produces $50 worth of the richest and
most valuable hay, because it interferes too much with the proper
care of a $25 corn crop, which they somehow feel requires and
deserves all their time and attention.

"Some of our Virginia farmers have sent to Illinois for their seed
corn," said Mr. West; "and they report very good results as a rule,
especially on land that has been kept up. On our poor land I think
the native corn does better than the Western seed."

"Perhaps that is because it is used to it," suggested Percy, "used
to making the struggle for itself on poor land. Fighting for all it
gets, so to speak. You know the high-bred animals cannot hold their
own with the scrubs when it comes to pawing the snow off the dead
wild grass for a living in the winter, as cattle must do sometimes
on the plains of the Northwest.

"Well, there may be something in that," responded Mr. West, "but the
western seed corn certainly looks fine."

"Yes, that is true," said Percy. "Our farmers have made marked