46 LUCERNE CULTURE. 



Artificial inoculation of soil and seed, with bacterial cultures, 

 lias so far failed to produce any effect with us. Our lucerne 

 .appears to thrive just as well without the bacteria as it does in 

 .other countries with them. 



As a rotation crop, for improving the soil, the principal 

 drawback to lucerne is that it takes so long to reach full maturity. 

 In spite of this, it is extensively used in America for this 

 purpose. 



SOME CAUSES OF FAILURE AND ESSENTIALS 



OF SUCCESS. 



The following list of " Dont's " is adapted from Professor 

 Ooburn's " Book of Alfalfa. 11 and is well worth consideration by 

 intending growers, though we are not prepared to give an unquali- 

 fied endorsement to some of the items, such as No. 11 : 



1. Don't sow any nurse crop. 



2. Don't sow on freshly ' ploughed land, no matter how care- 

 fully prepared. 



3. Don't let weeds or grass grow over six inches high without 

 cutting. 



4. Don't cut when wet with rain or dew. 



5. Don't let lucerne stand if turning yellow ; cut it. 



6. Don't sew old seed. 



7. Don't sow less than 25 Ibs. per acre (if broadcasting), one- 

 .half each way. 



8. Don't sow on land that will not raise 250 bushels of potatoes 

 per acre. 



9. Don't sow twenty-five acres at first ; sow five. 



10. Don't pasture it for the first year, better wait till the third 

 year. 



11. Don't put any of the rotten kraal-manure anywhere but on 

 your lucerne plot. 



12. Don't use fresh manure. 



13. Don't depend on nitrogen bacteria or on inoculated soil 

 from other fields. 



14. Don't let water ever stand en it. 



15. Don't let it go if the stand is poor and ihin, but disc in 

 more se;-d. 



16. Don't be afraid you will kill it by discing or ham wing. 



17. Don't re-plough the land ; disc it. 



18. Don't try to cut for hay until the lucerne takes the field. 



19. Don't sow on any land nut well underdrained. 



20. Don't leave you/ lands rjugh ; use a roller or a pl:.nk float 

 itj level and smooth. 



21. Don't give up if you d::n't at first succeed ; try again. 



