ADVICE TO FARMERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1880, 21 September 1918, Page 4

ADVICE TO FARMERS.

“GROW LUCERNE, AND GROW RICH.”

“Grow lucerne and grow rich,'' might be stated as the essence of a stirring appeal to the farmers, which was made by Mr A. M'Pherson, Fields Supervisor for the South Island, in responding to the toast of “Agriculture,” at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, states the Christchurch Sun. Mr M’Fherson said that the reason why the wheat lands of Canterbury were failing was the lack of organic matter in the soil, which had been cropped and cropped. If a farmer had a nice paddock of clover, he was bound to put the sheep on it. If he were to plough the crop in occasionally, the paddocks would not be in the state they were to-day. There lucerne came in. It had been tested in various parts of the world, and it was estimated that if a lucerne paddock were ploughed in after six years, the vegetable matter provided 'by the roots, together with the nitrogen drawn from the air, would add to the value of the land at least, £7 per acre. That was over and above any crops that might be taken out of it. Lucerne would grow on (he sandy seacoast lands, and equally as well 1,400 ft. above sea level, as at Lake Coleridge. No elaborate preparation was necessary, ploughing and harrowing were sufficient. Out at Bankside there was a 4A acre paddock which had been ploughed in November last, and sown in (he first week of December. Now (he lucerne was four inches high. “You have no time to lose, if you are going to progress,”, advised Air M’Fherson.