LEG1 M1N0US ■ ROPS. •"» I I 



Covering the Seed. 



The seed should be covered with a light harrow, though a brush harrow 

 is often used. Adjustable lever harrows are very effective for this 

 work, as the depth can easily be regulated. Ordinary harrows, with the 

 tines set obliquely backwards, will also ensure light covering. The seed 

 should not be covered deeply, and precautions must be taken to prevent a 

 rust forming on the surface. The harrow is generally followed by the 

 roller, the effect being to give a more finished Burface, and at the -nine 

 time to bring the moisture from below to the surface, thus ensuring a more 

 even and generally a quicker germination. The compacted surface produced 

 by the roller results in increased evaporation of moisture, but before the 

 evaporation can take place the moisture must have been concentrated near 

 the seed, which thus benefits. Moreover, unless the roller is used a cloddy 

 surface is left, which is ruinous to the knives of the mower. 



In heavy, cloddy ground, which cannot be broken down finely, it is better 

 not to cover the seed in any way, as under fair conditions it will germinate 

 freely on the surface like the clovers. 



Cultivation and Early Mowing. 



Lucerne sown in autumn should receive no cultivation until the following 

 spring at earliest. The young plants are tender, and will not stand rough 

 handling. On friable, loose soil especially the effect of cultivation would 

 be to pull many of the plants out, and consequently the harrowing must be 

 light, and should not he attempted until the roots have a firm hold, but 

 after the second cut, particularly on ground that sets hard, the harrow can 

 be used. 



The method of keeping early spring weeds in check is to mow frequently. 

 The mower should be put over the crop before any of the weeds have com- 

 menced to flower, and the operation should be repeated a month or two 

 afterwards. Two mowings will generally be sufficient. They must not be 

 omitted if weeds are getting a foothold, even if the lucerne is not ready to 

 cut, as the object is to destroy the weeds. If the quantity should warrant it, 

 the cut material can be raked for green feed, but if left on the ground it 

 makes a useful mulch. 



' Once lucerne becomes well established its vigorous growth keeps most 

 weeds in check, but a certain amount of cultivation is necessary. The crop 

 should be disced and cross-disced early in the summer, before the first 

 growth if possible, or after the first cut, and again about midsummer. The 

 discs should be set rather straight, and the harrow weighted to cause it to 

 sink to the right depth. The loosening of the surface allows moisture to 

 percolate to a greater depth, and prevents it from wasting by flowing away 

 over the surface. Owing to the depth to which even light showers then 

 penetrate, less loss occurs through evaporation. The splitting of the crowns 

 by the discs encourages tillering, and the crop thickens. 



If a disc-harrow is not available, an ordinary spring-tooth cultivator can 

 be used very effectively, and one fitted with special narrow tines is satisfac- 

 tory on moist ground. The spading harrow is also a useful implement for 

 the cultivation of lucerne fields. The lucerne cultivator, which is practically 

 a spiked roller, has given satisfaetorv results at Bathurst Experiment Farm 

 when the soil is in a desirable condition as regards moisture. At Wagga 

 Experiment Earm. a lisht ploughing with rotary disc ploughs has proved" 

 viiccc«sfnl when the ^oil has become set. 



