Sep. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W, 615 



outlay while other fields are being established. This is especially the ease 

 where lucerne fields are periodically used for grazing cattle, che stands 

 becoming thinned by injudicious grazing and neglect. Applications of 

 superphosphate in cases such as these have given highly satisfactory results, 

 by considerably strengthening the stand and encouraging a much more 

 vigorous growth. The top-dressing of fields badly infested with couch grass, 

 paspalum, or nut grass is not recommended, as superphosphate acts as a 

 stimulant to them as well as to the lucerne. The best remedy in such cases 

 is the plough. 



."5. The Certainty of Greatly Increasing the Output. — In days gone by it was 

 almost a common occurrence to hear of lucerne fields ranging up to 20 

 years of age. These were sown mostly on the rich, deep virgin soils bordering 

 the northern coastal rivers. Of recent years, however, it is only on rare 

 occasions that one comes across a field profitable at half that age, the majority 

 averaging between four and seven years. No doubt the advent of the cow, 

 enabling money to be earned more easily, has been responsible for a certain 

 amount of laxity in the growing of crops such as lucerne. Through the 

 humus content being gradually depleted by the continuous growing of such 

 crops as maize and sorghum, and the adoption of other unsound cultural 

 methods, the soil has naturally decreased in fertility. These, in conjunction 

 with the sowing of inferior seed and the careless handling of established 

 lucerne fields, are some of the primary causes of latter-day failures. Further, 

 there is a mistaken idea, prevalent among growers, that a lucerne field 

 requires no further attention than perhaps the usual cultivation given eai'ly 

 in the spring, and that it naturally increases in fertility. Being a legume, 

 these farmers argue, the lucerne can gather nitrogen fi'om the air and enrich 

 the soil ; moreover, say they, its wonderful root system can traverse a 

 wide area in the soil in search of other necessary plant foods. All these 

 things are undoubtedly true ; but to be profitable, and to be continuously so, 

 lucerne requires attention as much as any other crop, and the farmer who 

 would lengthen the life of his stand and also derive from it the maximum 

 return while it is with him, will take care of it and neglect nothing that will 

 invigoi;fite and maintain it. 



That the plant responds to the application of superphosphate has been 

 demonstrated in various trials. Top-dressing at the rate of 2 cwt. per acre 

 early in the spring has proved most advantageous. A mixture of 1 cwt. 

 superphosphate and | cwt. sulphate of potash has also given very promising 

 results'. 



Top-dressing experiments have barely passed the initial stages, and there is 

 every probability that when further trials (based on the analysis of the soil, 

 the plant's requirements, climatic and other conditions) have been made, a 

 fertiliser will be revealed that will not only give greater and more lasting 

 yields, but with periodical applications will considerably lengthen the life of 

 the stand. 



