98 AUSTRALIAN GRASSES AND PASTURE PLANTS 



The percentage of digestible matter : 



Albuminoids . . . . . . 12.61 



Fibre .. .. .. 13.00 



Nitrogen (free extract) . . 24.50 



Fat .. .. ..0.80 



Land intended for Lucerne must be deeply and thoroughly 

 worked and brought to a fine tilth before the crop is put in. 

 March and April are good months to sow the seed, and in 

 favourable seasons early spring sowing has proved a success. 

 The seed may be either drilled in or sown broadcast ; if the 

 former method is adopted ten pounds' weight of seed will be 

 sufficient to sow an acre, while the latter requires fifteen 

 pounds of seed for the same area. The drills may be any 

 distance from nine to fifteen inches apart, according to the 

 nature of the soil the widest distances on the richest land. 

 The crop is cut at various stages of its growth as auxiliary 

 green feed for stock, but Lucerne possesses its highest nutritive 

 properties when in flower, and experienced men cut it, as far 

 as practicable, at that stage for green feed or for hay. This 

 crop may be considered in its prime from the second to the 

 seventh year from seed, but under favourable conditions it 

 will continue for many years to produce an abundance of 

 succulent herbage. If Lucerne is grown solely for grazing 

 purposes care must be taken not to allow the crop to be eaten 

 too closely or considerable injury may be done to it. Of all 

 grazing animals, sheep, if allowed to remain too long on the 

 crop, do it most harm, as they eat out the crown of the plant, 

 which not only retards its recuperation, but often kills it 

 outright. 



Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum) is, according to some 

 authorities, of hybrid origin. It has branching hollow stems, 

 almost egg-shaped leaflets, and pink or white flowers, which 



