THE FARM.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 82, 13 September 1915, Page 4

THE FARM.

Milling Lucerne in Caii"

fornia.

A new pbase of the milling industry has come into being in California within the past few years. This is the manufacture of alfalfa meal. At first it had a slow growth, but persistent effort on the part of promoters finally triumphed. There are five alfalfa milling plants in the Stat?, and alfalfa meal is one of the Btaple commodities found in neatly every feed store on the Pacific Coast. It has been discovered that this is the most economical method of putting alfalfa hay on the market. This class of forage was first put on the market loose; tnen it was baled, but at best there was much waste. The leafage, which, on being dried, is very tender and brittl?, shells badly in handling, and thus the must valuable pait of the hay is lost. In feeding out there was a waste in roughage. Sheep were iaclined to leave the coarser stalks, and these leavings are in some cases fed to cattle, who are not quite so fastidious.

But tbe grinding of alfalfa hay into meal has not yet been fully adapted to general stock feeding, but as a feed for dairy cows, hogs, and poultry it has been found par excellence. The mililng process cot only reduces the leafage of the plant to fine powder, but grinds all tbe roughage to such a consistency as to be perfectly edible, and thus the entire bulk of the forage is made available for animal food. The Californian alfalfa mill tLus far is a stationary affair, and the machinery of a very simple character.

It is probable, however, that portable nnlU will be invented, whereby the alfalfa hay may be converted into meal in the fiekl, and thus a greater saving of fibre be accomplished. The milling of alfalf3, agsin, is a very dusty process, and injurious to those operating tbe mills, who are compelled to not only dampen the hay befure tcing milled, but to wear moistened sponges over their mouths and nostrils while at work. These difficulties will no doubt be obviated by improved mechanical appliances. The milling jf alfalfa hay in California has greatly stimulated the cutlure of the plant, and the industry ia in a very flourishing condition. It is also bringing about improved cultural methods, especially in the way of securing pure culture, as weedy and foul alfalfa will hardly do for conversion into meal.