MORE ABOUT LUCERNE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1222, 2 September 1911, Page 8

MORE ABOUT LUCERNE.

'A GOVERNMENT EXPERT'S VIEW.

Following the article on lucerno as a jheep graze, which appeared yesterday, tho views of *d r. 15. Clifton, of tho Agrisultural Department, on tho value of tho plant to tho dairy farmer and the grazier are of particular interest. In recommending tho cultivation of lucerne, Hr. Clifton dees not suggest that all lands will profitably produce tho plant, but it will grow and thrive Qti a far wider range than is generally supposed.' It is luxuriant on the plateau lands of the West Coast of tho North Island, where the soil is comparatively light; it thrives'on the plains of the East Coast; it was successfully grown on tho points of headlands in the Bay of.Plenty; and it is conspicuous on clay l laud near Wellington. There are splendid fields of lucerne on the Canterbury Plains, and the plant is nourishing iu" Central. Otago, and near Blenheim it is firmly established, and it was claimed there that .it ovcrpr.-;vcrs the Canadian thistle. Tho home of lucerne is a warm cliniatg, and the usual variety does not yield heavily in a cold one, but thero f.re varieties "inat thrive woll under oxtremo climatic conditions. The Agricultural Department is now seeking to obtain those varieties ihat best . adapt themselves to the very, varying conditions of. climate and soil of New Zealand. The-Ideal Soil. In a recent article in tho of tho Department of Agriculture, Mr. Clifton says the ideal .soil is a deep. loam, one containing lime' in fair quantity. Lucerne thrives as these conditions obtain. Tho permanent water-level slionld bo ; deep; it .is injurious if shallow. Tho ' roots of lucerne aro not wide-spreading or scolonifcrous; they, however, penetrate, deeply in tho soil. On the Experiment Station of lEoumnhaki roots of lift, in length were dug out. A • water-level of 12ft. to 15ft. is not too much. Moisture at half that depth "would still permit tho successful establishment of lucerne; tho plant resents stagnantwater in tho subnoil as well as water remaining on the surface. It can bo'well said of lucerne that the subsoil is of greater importance than tho ssil on tho surface. That subsoil should ba open; if it bo heavy and cold it is a'condition to bo avoided. The place of lucerno in a rotation is when the land is in its highest fertility. ■ It may follow with- advantage roots orlea land, or other legumes (clovers, peas, tares, etc.). Lucerne should not follow cereals, unless it be the hes exacting barley, and a worn-out weedy field of grass is probably the worst of all. In the preparation the cultivation need Bot bo deep. It should be thorough to destroy wesds and to provide tilth for ' sseding. Fertilisers'for lucerne aro better provided in the preceding crop. If manures aro applied at seed-time these may consist of basic slag 3cwt. and kainit lewt. A top dressing of nitrate of soda afforded most gratifying results in French experiments. Tho season for. sowing is ■usually tho spring; when the soil has bccomo warm after genial weather. It may also be sown in lato summer or early. autumn, sufficiently early to allow the plants to becomc well established before Winter. From 10 to 151b. of tested | seed per aero is sufficient, tho smaller being ample on a' well-prepared seed-bed. .'When tho seed is broadcasted, as much as - 201b. per acre is sown. It may be l'ecommprided that a liberal seeding should -be provided. In lucerno a thin crc-p cannot well ba improved _by more seed at a later date—tho uncovered soil becomes Weed-infested; while a heavier closer crop.-j can b? reduced by harrowing, an opera-, tion that is improving to tho plants that, remain.' "It is undoubtedly the better" farming to drill t'-ho seed. For this even 81b. to 101b. are sufficient. The bettor practico is to drill at sufficient widths to permit the use of the horse-hoe. This is an implement that is a necessity of complete, culture, although 'its application is yet neglected in this country. The First Mowing. Lucerne should bo mown so soon as the plants are from Gin. to 9in. high. . These should be permitted to remain as a mulch, unless, as may happen,'-the- covering is very dense. Fertile land'may produco this condition. Actually the correct indication for tho.moment for this mowing is tho appearance of • small hairy fibres at tho rase of the plant. These are accepted, as the vestiges of the .habit of lucerno to maintain a firm position, for. tho first roots are weak and hold but slightly in the ground. When these fibres aro developed it is shown that tho plants are established. This cutting or mowing induces the propagation of more numerous .stems. At this first cutting it is recoiu- , mev.ded that the swatheboard of the mowing machine should bo removed. This allows the crop to bo evenly distributed on the surfaoe, thus obviating too dense a covering. Lucerne, in the first seedling stage, is single-stemmed; later other stems appear; Cutting oncoura>sjs this growth. In the well-established field six to ten branches from the crown may be ob:Fei'ved. These may attain a length cf ifrom ICin. : to SOin. Singlo plants may even develop fifty , such branches. After •tho first cutting tho further indication of Toadinejs for harvesting is the appearance ■ot flowers. For the first year lucerne should be mown at that stage; it will bo ■ strengthened by the operation. Tito yield for the first year will not be hcavj-', except on rich soil.-wher'e.the season and all conditions are. favourable. In the second •i and in succeeding years; quite four cutf tings may bo expected, averaging 1 to U : tons of hay, or a proportionate weight ;of : green feed. Under favourable conditions lucerno v/ili return proht-ablo yields for many years. It ruoy bo ospectwl'to tta so for seven to [qi\ years at. tho shortest. Iu this country gra«s&s and weeds are prono to invado tho hold. It then becomes defiirublo to break \ip the land. Mtor lucerne auy crop thrives. : < As green fesd lucerne is valuable for all PtocK, very particularly for imllcitv-cattle It is improved by beintf permifled to yrither or wilt. As with many', other Jog-times, it appears mere attractive to animals in that stale than whan freshly *, , > , ro ls 110 other to compare with that of lucerne in nutritive value, ihero i?, ho*i\i , \\?r, sonic difficulty in ing this unless tho weather is'fair ; ns the |«aves aro readily detached. In this tho sanis applies to clovers, peas, and vetches.. As an onsilagc plant lucerno is ono of tho most excellent. As a pasture-