WAIKANAE FARMERS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 February 1915, Page 3

WAIKANAE FARMERS.

AT THE WERAROA EXPERIMENTAL FARM.

The visit of the Waikanae farmers last Saturday ito lidie Experimental Farm was an exceedingly interesting and instructive one, but all too short Tie recently altered train arrangements rendered it impossible for them to obtain more than about three hours at the Farm, which of course is not nearly enough. The most, however, was made of the short time at our disposal and those who .had not seen the Farm before were ot course specially interested. Apart from the magnificant 6tock which Mr Drysdale had to show, the two outstanding instructive features of the visit were the lucerne paddock and the wheat crop. THE LUCEKNE. 1 The lucerne furnished an excellent exempli of tnc unwisdom of being disHSartered at an apparent failure of a lucerne crop. This was put very forceably to the assembled farmers by Mr Cockayne, Government Biologist, As lie explained as a rule lucerne readily germinates and makes a moat encouraging show at the beginning, but after that a period ensues when it ap- ( pears to stand stock still, and indeed go back to some extent. This is the period when the roots are spreading and descending for the purpose of getting a stronger grasp on the plant foods and moist contents of the soil. It is at this stage too that tho weeds begin to assert themselves, and very often to apparently smother the lucerne out of existence. In the case of the State Farm paddock nothing was visible for a time but a solid well-grown crop of fathen. This, however, was mowed and from that time tho lucerne began to take charge. Although being eaten down at intervals by close stocking ot sheep tho paddock now shows an excelfent stand of healthy lucerne upon which stock arc thriving and fattening. We understand that Mr W. H. Field, M. P., had a somewhat similar < experience with lucerne on his place at Waikanae. On a sandy flat on whioh < nothing would grow, excepting a rew sea coast weeds, close by the sea, just inside the foredune he sowed about half an acre of lucerne with bacteriaised soil. The seed was sown rather

late in November and shortly after :t appeared above the ground, dry weather 6et in with westerly winds, resulting in the larger portion of the seed being burnt and blown out of the ground. Later on those which survived became more or less choked with mellilot and'other seaside plants. He regarded his experiment as a hopeless failure but was surprised to find later that tho luserne, its roots apparently having reached water, was beginning to grow well and now he has a healthy patch of solid lucerne where nothing of value grew before.' To those who have similar country along our coast this lucerne is well worth a visit. THE WEAT CHOP. \\ ith regard Lu Mr Drysdale's wheat crop, this is truly luagniiicant and proves beyond doubt that much of tho laud along the Manawatu Line is thoroughly well adapted for wheat growing. Air Drysdale sowed his seed at the end of September and tho crop was begun to be harvested belore the end of January. The period thus occupied being only three months. The wheat was quite as high as the fences and the crop produced is likely to be 60 bushels per acre.

The Defence authorities report that although the new card system of ecruiting was only launched on Monflay, tliero has been such a rusn on the cards that Wellington Post Office and »ae other offices have already run out of them. Tho Dof'once Department is