QUESTIONS ABOUT LUCERNE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1071, 9 March 1911, Page 8

QUESTIONS ABOUT LUCERNE.

•iWAIRARAPA FARMERS INTERESTED. A Carterton farmer has written asking for information about lucerne. His letter indicates that the matter 13'ono of interest to many Wniriirapa farmers at present. The questions asked are:—.. (1) How much seed per acre? (2). When should the seed be sown? (3) Does it require manure? If so, what kind? Lucerne, or alfalfa, which is also knownas purple medic, belongs to tho samo triba as the truo clovers and the sweet clovers.'; All "life '-characterised by tho three leaflets into which the leaves aro divided; Lucerne is notable for its strMg, deep-growing tap root. It is cultivated, more or less, in all countries having mild climates. It is extensively grown in North' and' South America, and in Australia.' It occupies about a fifth of tho cultivated area of Argentina. Tho plant is naturally adapted to a, warm, climate. Owing' to its depth of' root it is highly draught-resisting. An excccsive -rainfall and an excess of water in tho soil are injurious to it. It thrives better in an alkalino than in an acid soil. The'i controlling factors in the culture nf'lucorne'are.: (1) .Climate,.(2) the character of,',the'soil; (3) tho treatment of the yojl, including additions of lime and fertiliser's; (4) • the kind and tho quality of tho seed; "(5) tho time of seeding; and (6) the after treatment of the crop. Lucerne does not spread and take possession of the soil and crowd but other plants. On the other liaud grasses and weeds will take .possession of tho land between lucerne plants, and reduce their growth. The soils Best, adapted to lucerne are the best suited to grasses. On such soils grasses are likely to obtain the ascendancy. On this account the treatment of the soil prior to sowing luccrno should" bo' calculated to bring about a vigorous growth of the plant. This'can best bo done by a cr'on which has been heavily manured with" stablo. or other organic ' manure, and "has received thorough inte'r-cultu'ral tillage.. ' In Eflrope the root crons furnish this con-dition;-.and -in .tho "United .States the pea crops; and the maize - crop. ' Assuming the' land to havo been in an inter-tilled crop:.the previous year, the manure may bo'spread during the winter or the spring, the' laiid -ploughed two to threo weeks, and the lime added about a Week before seeding, and immediately worked into tho soil-ivith a disc harrow. The manure and the lim'o should bo' thoroughly incorporated'with' tho.soil, and a siiftablo seedbfcu for germination prepared. ' The economic duration of a lucerne field ■varies with climate and soil. Usually the largest yields aro obtained in the second and third years, and thereafter there is a decreased yield through tho gradual dying out of the plants.

... , QUANTITY OF SEED. While twenty-two plants to the squaro foot is considered an excellent stand for n new seeding, lucerne is seldom improved by' heavy seeding, but it often would bo better if more seed had been used. Tho practice varies from fifteen to thirty pounds per acre, and from Ti to 150 seeds pci; sqnaro foot. Less than 201b. should E?' u s? ( l' cxc . c Pt where grown for seed, 'luck seeding is an advantage in subduing weeds", and in that , tho plants fitand better if grown for hay. .Lncerno should be sown in the spring, jn suitable weather. The dopth of sowing should depend on the soil and tho climate. Tho drier tho climate and tho sandier ths • soil, the deeper tho sowing. In general ithe' seeds" should, bo- set deeper than red clover. _ In moist' climates good results' aro obtained by' sowing with a drill,-adjusting-the'sprouts so as to deposit the seed in front of tho hoes. .In . tho case of hay, climate, soil, and th'o stage at which tho plant is cut should be considered. Three cuttings, is, probably the most common.

THE GREAT ESSENTIAL. The mSstt essential- part in growing luccrhs,' apart from.tho suitability of the soil; is thfit'itho cultivation must bo thorough amir,,the control of the weeds effective. It-demands a cloan seed-bed for at least tho-fijest spring or until it has thoroughly established itself. Once established, the pl,ii)jt is, hardy. It will bo a waste of any farmer to grow lucernc unless prepared to nrovide a clean Bced-be'd and to-maintain if so fcr at least some months after.,sowing.

A trophy of of .£lO 10s. is to be presented f&; L competition at the Palmerston North Winter Show this year by the manufactures-of "Wyandotte." The New Zealand Dairy Factory Managers' Association has..jrecommended that tho award should bo allotted to Class 11, thrco different grades oFbutter and cheese, and will consist of a ca'sl prize of 432 25., and trophy valued as 'above, to bo won three times, not necessarily in succession. Tho Carrington G'o-operdHve Dairy Company is at present dealing with about GOO gallons 01 milk daily,.;. The supply at tho Mastcfton Co-opera-tive Dairy Company's factory is beginning to drop oil' .considerably now (says an exchange). From now on tho butter will be stored at Waingawa for local use, and the company will be in a'jmuch better position to supply local orders than they were last yea*.