DEEP CULTIVATION IN LUCERNE GROWING

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 February 1915, Page 4

DEEP CULTIVATION IN LUCERNE GROWING

REASONS SUITOETING THJS PUAOTIGu. (Uy "Tt". VV. L.," in the Australasian.) One of the principal attributes to 6ucoes& in lucernegrowing is the proper preparation of the land before sowing. A stand can be often made or marred by the observance or disregard of the methods which have been proved to lead to the best results. As the area under lucerne in Victoria is being steadily increased, a few emarks on this important subject will be opportune. In the norfEern districts of Victoria, where the bulk of the lucerne produced in the State is grown, the cultivated land has been used for growing cereal crops for probably from 30 to 40 years. The repeated eliding of /the base of the plough at one depth, and the treading of the horses along the furrow, liave formed a hard pan about 3J :n. or 4 in. below the surbace. If this is

not broken up by subsoiiing or de=»pTvorkTng the root of the lucerne plaut.i cannot penetrate it. They then run laterally instead of perpendicularly, ail 1 are unable to draw on tho suppuis of'food contained in the subsoil. Denied of their chief beans of subsistence, tho plants soon become powerless to ijia'je the growth necessary to ensure heavy yields. This plough-pan also opposes the passage of the water when applied to the stands, and therefore it quickly runs off, or remains to water-log tho surface soil without soaking into vhe under-soil, where it is most needed. It has not the same had effect in the loamy land as in that which is of a clayey nature. This can be noticed in Some of the lucerne paddocks, and accounts in many cases for their patchy appearance. In the JBamawm and Nanneella irrigation settlements, if the roots of the plants can get through the clay subsoil and down into the rotten limestone foundation, good crops are assured, provided that the stands are properly looked after and fairly treated. SUBSOILING OPERATIONS. Up to this year the majority of the settlers in the northern irrigation areas of Victoria have had a hard struggle to keep their heads above water. Thjy could only afford to purchase such implements as would serve to do the necessary work in the cheapest market. For that reason, single-furrow ploughs are more in evidence than multiple ones, and even with them surprising progress has 'been made. Anohter consideration which has so far restricted the use of implements of heavier draught is the uestion or horseflesh. Subsoiling ploughs require strong teams to pull them, and as thestf latter were not available recourse had to be made to a makeshift. At Bamawn and Nanneela a good deal of the latersown lucerne has been put in on ground that, although not actually su.bsoiled in the most approved fashion, has at least received the benefit of deep stirring. It was first ploughed i n the ordinary way by opening up a Turrow with a single-furrow mouldboarcl plough, Immediately following o similar /implement with tlhe mould- ' board removed, is used. The tela! depth reached 'by this means is about Sip. The clay is not brought to the surface, and altogether the work done is serviceable and thorough. In the Bamawm district the loam runs from 4in. to 2ft. It attains to the greatest depth on the ridges, and is the shallowest in the depressions. It rests on a clay subsoil, extending downwards from 4in to 2ft, and averaging about ten or twelve inches. Below it is the decomposed limestone formation already referred to. In every single instance lucerne already established and lately put in on land prepared in this manner Has made luxuriat growth. Two stands put down this year close together on old cultivation land of similar character were recently observed. One had heen deeply ploughed, as described, jukT the lucerne was 2ft in heighT. The other had been sown in the ordfnaF? way and the average growth was Bin. onlv. This proves conclusively that deep ploughing is impreativ© in order to secure tEe greatest profit.