Lucerne.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 February 1911, Page 4

Lucerne.

Ml! JAMES DI'NLOP OX ITS VIRTUES. Tlioro ;iro few visitors to New Zealand who have given so mucin nsoful advice to farmers as Mr James Duiilop. the Scotish Commissioner, and in his trip through Taranaki lie took advantage of several opportunities to explain his ideas. After his visit to the Moiimaihaki State Fal-in he said he wa.s specially interested to notice that one of the most exposed paddocks in the farm was •living a fine crop of lueerno, and although only sown last year it promises to lie very useful. If the success of this crop may he taken as an indication that lucerne will succeed generally in Now Zealand the. discovery should he of immense annual value to the farmers of the country, the superiority of lucerne over all other grasses, green feeding, and fodder crops being well known. "Unfortunately," the Commissioner added, "we cannot grow lucerne in Scotland, but its value was clearly established by the marvellous results seen in Canada, Denmark, the United States of America nnd parts of. Australia. Not only as feed for all kinds of farm stock, but as food for pigs, both green and dried, it was simply marvellous. Ih America pigs were grazed on lucerne liko sheep, while they were often brought through the winter on lucerne, ihiay and water alone. The pig industry struck him a.s being much neglected in New Zealand, and he thought there was a splendid opportunity lor developing o«io of the most profitable of industries by making up in the market the deficiency resulting from the falling away in the American supply.