LUCERNE GROWING 



AS FODDER FOR STOCK. 



The Advantages and Disadvantages of Lucerne 

 Growing, compared with the Cultivation of 

 Cereals, especially in the Karroo, or Lucerne 

 Growing as Fodder for Stock. 



(THE FIRST PRIZE ESSAY, BY EDGAR H. R. EVANS 

 AND OSCAR E. G. EVANS.) 



I UCERNE has been cultivated for the last 2,000 years. It was 

 *** known too, and appreciated by the Romans, their name for 

 it was herbamedica. Botanically it is known as Medicago > 

 It is rated by the progressive Australians as the " King of Fodder 

 Plants." In Mexico, the United States, and the Argentine Repub- 

 lic it is known as "Alfalfa," and is extensively grown in all those 

 great stock countries. The area under its cultivation, in all three 

 countries, including Australia, is yearly increasing by leaps and 

 bounds. It is well known that the prosperity of several districts 

 of countries, such as California, Hungary, the north of Italy and 

 south of France, depends upon their lucerne fields to a large extent. 

 Cattle, horses, ostriches, sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits, fowls, turkeys, 

 geese, ducks and game of all kinds thrive astonishingly well upon 

 it, even alone. Every animal that grazes, in fact, will relish and 

 thrive upon it. It grows best in hot countries, where the climate 

 is dry, and it can be periodically flooded. Sub-surface water will, 

 if constantly present, kill it right out, yet in dry, well-drained soils 

 it is difficult to drown it by over irrigation. 



KARROO CLIMATE AND SOIL SUITABLE. 



There is no portion of the Karroo too cold to grow lucerne 

 well. It thrives 1,100 feet above the sea level. Along the coast- 

 belts it will even produce food for stock all the year round, especi- 

 ally if'iTrigated during the winter. There is no doubt that lucerne 

 can be grown both to better perfection and with less trouble upon 



