FIRST PRIZE ESSAY. 9 



CSheep that are rapidly putting on fat on lucerne seem very liable 

 .to fever. Where ostriches are kept on lucerne it is generally better 

 .(though not perhaps absolutely necessary) to place cattle, horses, 

 or sheep on the field after the birds have stripped the leaves and 

 tops in order to feed down the stubble to about four or five inches 

 .above the ground. This practice has the advantage of being a 

 strong check upon weed growth. The weeds are left standing by 

 ostriches, and are pounded down by the stock while clearing the 

 lucerne stubble. This process is a very fair substitute for mowing 

 the fields for stubble and weeds. It is, however, always advisable to 

 leave the late autumn growth of lucerne as long as possible for winter use, 

 .and to protect the crowns of the plants from severe frosts. If this 

 is done it is astonishing what a quantity of valuable, green fodder 

 .is yielded by lucerne fields during the winte"r and early spring. 

 In this way too the soil is shaded during the winter, and the 

 winter irrigation moisture penetrates better, and is better retained 

 for the ensuing summer. 



MAKING LUCERNE HAY. 



To make the best hay the field should be cut when the first 

 : flowers commence to appear. If allowed to go until in full bloom, 

 or until after the plants have finished flowering, the stems become 

 hard and woody, and unfit to be eaten by stock. During dry hot 

 weather it is better to cut for hay making in the afternccn. I et it 

 lie in the swath until the leaves are thoroughly wilted, but net dry 

 ,-and brittle ; then rake in windrows and leave it awhile, and remove 

 it from the windrows directly to the stack or to the barn. The 

 tstack is preferably made near or upon the field where the crop is 

 cut, because every time the hay is handled the leaves drop from the 

 stalks. The less it is shifted about the better, since the leaves are 

 "the most palatable and nutritious part of the hay. The art of 

 making good lucerne hay is to be acquired by practice rather than 

 by following directions, as the quality depends upon putting it in 

 : stack when just sufficiently cured to keep without heating, and is 

 yet green enough for the leaves not to drop off. This happy mean 



can be acquired only as a result of practice. We therefore recom- 

 mend those who intend to make this hay in any quantity, to go and 

 see lucerne hay-making in operation in the field by someone having 

 the necessary experience. 



LUCERNE GROWING vs. CEREALS IN THE 

 KARROO. 



To tegin with, the rainy season of the bulk of the Karroo 



tomes at the wrong time of the year for the sowing and reaping of 

 wheat. We propose to discuss wheat growing principally, as it is 

 ;the cereal most largely grown under irrigation in the Karroo. The 



