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58 



3 PREFACE. 



A GR1CULTUEISTS are realizing more and more that Lucerne 

 -** is a determining factor in successful farming Some men 



.are slow in adopting new ideas, but these are being convinced 

 by the best of all arguments ocular demonstration. Although 

 advance in Alfalfa growing has been comparatively slow in the 

 past, it is now going ahead by leaps and bounds. Time was when 

 the imagination of the farmer was captivated by large holdings and 

 when he measured the value of his farm by the distance of the 

 horizon. To-day a more practical criterion is demanded, and the 

 test of value is the number of acres in Lucerne or capable of growing 

 it under irrigation. Indeed, about the only properties being enquired 

 for just now 7 are Lucerne propositions. 



That there is Money in Lucerne is generally admitted, and if 

 proof were wanting it is to be found in the fact that many a farmer 



.after feeding his own stock is able to sell hay to the value of thou- 

 sands of pounds annually. The problem that remains, therefore, is 

 how to raise Lucerne and convert it to the best possible use ; the 



object- of this work is to solve the problem by bringing before farmers 

 the advice of practical men, based on South African experience, and 

 the research of scientific experts. 



Eight years ago we published a pamphlet on the growing of 

 Lucerne, consisting of Prize Essays w 7 hich had been published in 

 the Midland-News ; it won the approval of all seat-ions of the farming 

 community, and w r as very highly recommended by the late Mr. Cecil 

 Ehodes, who purchased a number of copies for distribution amongst 

 farming acquaintances. That edition sold out rapidly, and a second 

 has been long in contemplation, but the difficulty of collecting 



: material from different parts of South Africa, prepared by men com- 

 petent to deal with (the subject, has consumed more time than we 



.anticipated. Our -desire w ? as to make the work as comprehensive 

 and up-to-date as possible, and we thought a little delay prefer- 



.able to the publication of incomplete and undigested data on such a 

 vital subject. 



The present edition is the only work on the subject written from 



: South African experience and published in South Africa. It has 



.been written by the most successful growers in various parts of the 



sub-continent, but it is possible that farmers who read it may find their 



experience varies from that set out in this book ; it is also possible 

 that some novices may not find in it all the information they desire. 

 We therefore invite readers to communicate their experiences or 

 wants to the Editor of the Midland News, when their problems will 

 receive the attention of the best authorities on the Lucerne industry. 

 The revolution which Lucerne has wrought in stock farming 



ihas not yet been fully realized. Some farmers, as we have before 



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