TH6 JOUHNAfe 



OF 



T^e ©eparfmenf of fl^gricuf 



LIBKAk^ 



NEW V".. •; 



"lUre. 



Vol. VII. 



Part 6. 



10th June, 1909. 



en 



I 



CD 



:=) 



HARVESTING LUCERNE FOR SEED AND HAY. 



Elwood Mead, Chairman, State Rivers cmd Water Supply Commission. 



Of all the hay crops so far tested in Victoria, lucerne gives the best 

 results. Not only is the average yield the largest, but it meets the greatest 

 variety of needs. It is the best hay croj) known for feeding and fattening 

 sheep and lambs. No crop gives better results when fed to the dairy herd 

 or to lambing ewes, because it contains all the constituents of milk. It 

 is especially valuable as a food for }oung stock or for run down ox 

 weakened animals of anv kind ; hence, it is well suited to meet the emerg- 

 encv demands of the lean \ears of drouccht. 



I. DODDER (at left) AMONG LUCERNE SEED. 



As the pastoral and dairying interests expand, so will the use of hay 

 increa.se and the demand grow, in like measure. It is now the leading 

 irrigated product in the United States and Italy, occupying two-thirds of 

 the irrigated area in the first and more than any other single crop in the 

 second ; and it seems likely to assume the same commanding position in 

 all Australian irrigated areas not given over to fruit. Everv question 



5710. M 



