Aug. 3, 1908.] Agricultural Gazelle of N.S. W, 641 



Where the soil requires enriching, farm-yard manure is useful. One objec- 

 tion to its application is the presence of weed seeds. This may be overcome 

 by applying it to the cleansing crops, or using it only when well rotted. 



Thorough cultivation is a paramount necessity in securing a strong, healthy, 

 even, continuous growth. The richer and cleaner the land, the greater the 

 assurance of a successful stand. 



Summarising the leading points, we have to bear in mind those of good 

 drainage, a deep porous subsoil, lime, manure, fertilisation by bacteria, 

 moisture, cultivation, and warmth. 



Soil inoculation has only of late years been discovered to be an important 

 element in the preparation of land for lucerne. The land may possess all 

 other essentials and yet be deficient in the bacteria or micro-organisms which 

 provide centres of action in the warty excrescences or nodules found along 

 the rootlets of the plant. These act as the medium through which nitrogen 

 is transmitted from the atmosphere and made available as plant food at a 

 minimum cost. Without this form of inoculation the plant fails to flourish, 

 and this is often the cause of farmers' abortive efforts to establish lucerne. 



Inoculation can be accomplished in a simple way, by carting five to thirty 

 loads of soil from old clover or lucerne paddocks and spreading over each acre. 



In order to correct acidity in the soil and to aid the plant in gathering 

 atmospheric soil nitrogen, lime should be supplied at the rate of from half to 

 1 ton per acre. It is better to add the lime with the cleansing crop. 



Where there is a deficiency in mineral elements, such as we find in light 

 sandy soils, the following manure may be applied : — 



No. 1. 



Dried blood .3(X) lb. 



Superphosphate ... ... ... ... ... 720 ,, 



Sulphate of potash ... ... ... ... ... 200 ,, 



and applied at the rate of 3J cwt. per acre ; or 



No. 2. 

 Sulphate of ammonia ... ... ... ... 50 lb. 



Superphosphate ... ... ... ... ... 300 ,, 



Sulphate of potash ... ... ... ... ... 100 ,, 



per acre. 



Early in each spring a top dressing of either of the above mixtures will 

 stimulate growth, if applied at the rate of 2 cwt. per acre, but omitting the 

 dried blood in No. 1 and sulphate of ammonia in No. 2. 



Where the subsoil is hard or set it will be necessary to loosen or stir it with 

 a subsoiling plough to a depth of 12 or 1-i inches, without bringing any of 

 the soil to the surface. The roots are thereby enabled to readily penetrate 

 the subsoils, and furthermore provision is made for storing moisture. This 

 is especially needed in semi-arid areas. So much depends on keeping the 

 young plant well supphed with moisture in its early stage of growth by capil- 

 lary attraction. 



The object is to work up a compact, mellow, moist subsoil. 



