CULTIVATION OF PLANTS. 219 



many years, and bore being cut down four, five or six times a 

 year. It enriches," he says, "the land on which it grows 

 fattens the cattle fed with it and is often a remedy for sick 

 cattle." 



The soil adapted to Lucern is deep and of the lighter class 

 with a free or kindly sub-soil. Unless the sub-soil be good 

 and deep, it is in vain to attempt to cultivate lucern. That 

 celebrated agriculturist, ARTHUR YOUNG, says that the best are 

 all such as are at once dry and rich. Where these do not exist, 

 it is better not to attempt its cultivation. Two methods of 

 raising this plant have been recommended and practiced. 1. 

 Sowing it broadcast in spring, sometimes along with a grain 

 crop, and sometimes without a crop: the latter is the best prac- 

 tice, lucern not being suited to grow freely under the shade of 

 other plants. 2. Cultivating it in rows, which is decidedly 

 the best method. The rows need not be more than eighteen 

 inches apart, which will give room for tilling the intervals with 

 the cultivator. When sown broadcast, sixteen to eighteen 

 pounds of seed are required; when sown in rows r ten pounds 

 to the acre are sufficient. Care must be taken to keep down 

 all weeds that spring up among the plants and in the rows.* 



In the month of August of the first year when in flower, the 

 crop may be mown, and, after the first cutting, the shoots may 

 be kept down by a slight pasturing with sheep but not while 

 the soil is wet nor continued until a late period. Early in 

 the following spring the ground is to be horse or hand-hoed, 

 in order that all weeds may be removed, and the earth stirred 

 about the roots of the plants. In the month of May the crop 

 will be ready for the first cutting. After being cut the culti- 

 vator is to be freely used in the intervals. It will now grow 

 with great rapidity, and, when ready for cutting, is to be cut 

 again, and, after each cutting, hand-hoed. In this manner it 

 may be mown four or five times in the season. It does not 

 however arrive at its full growth; after which it will yield a 

 large return in rich and early foliage. But it requires to be 

 manured at intervals of every fourth or fifth year. The ma- 

 nure may be farm-yard dung, spread upon the surface after the 

 last cutting in autumn, or early in the spring, f 



The difference in the method of tillage, when the system of 

 broadcast sowing is adopted, is, that in place of the cultivator 

 and hand-hoe, the common harrow is used, which, passing over 

 the surface, stirs the soil about the roots of the plants, and drags 

 up and destroys the weeds; the plant itself is benefited by this 

 rough treatment. 



* Professor Low. t Ibid. 



