Lucerne from Cuttings.
Mr Horace Stevens, of Ascotvale, has carried out some exepriments in connection with the propagation of lucerne from cuttings which are interesting, and may possibly prove veryvaluable. Hitherto, as far as I am aware, lucerne has been grown only from seed, and the attempt to propagate it from cuttings is a novelty. In M arch, 1907. some cuttings off a four year old lucerne plant were put in by Mr Stevens just for the purpose of seeing what would eventuate; about half of them taking root and growing well. Several cuttings for fodder were taken off the successfully established plants, the last one, in July, 1908, being at the estimated rate of 1,5151b. per acre. In March this year some
more cuttings of the same plant were put in. unci at the. :-n:Tio time, some seed was sown. Nearly 50 nor cent, of the cuttings grew, while only 5 per cent of the seed germinated. At the present time the smallest pla:n from the cuttings is double the height of the taoe;-! seedling, a very g-eat considc-ratier, if one calculates the amount ef fodder et<tainable from piauti raised in each way. The plant from which the cutLings were" obtained was grown from seed sewn in March, 1003, and transplanted into a kerosene tin in the. spring of that year. The roots penetrated the earth through the holes in the tin. which has since been twice shifted, the. roots, of course, being broken on each occasion. This plant was exhibited at the Royal Agricultural Show last year. As to the practical value of the experiment, it must be admitted that the expense and the labour of planting and cutting would be much greater than would be involved in growing seed; but on the other hand it is possible that the more prolific plants obtained, and the certainty of freedom from that destructive lucerne parasite, dodder, would more than counterbalance the outlay, and prove the truth of the saying. "The most successful farmer is Ihe who spends most labour." —Australasian.
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King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 99, 18 September 1908, Page 3
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341Lucerne from Cuttings. King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 99, 18 September 1908, Page 3
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