52 LUCERNE CULTURE. 



stone) or^of sulphate of iron (green vitriol, copperas). Wooden 

 utensils should be used, as metal would corrode. Strong 7 brine is- 

 also successfully used. These poisons, of course, kill the host 

 plant down to the ground, as well as the parasite, but the lucerne- 

 will spring up again. Arsenite of soda, as supplied by Govern- 

 ment for the eradication of prickly pear, is also effective when 

 sprayed over the affected patch. A solution of 2-J per cent., 1 Ib. 

 to 4 gallons, kills the dodder, but also destroys the lucerne, which 

 must be re-sown after one or two floodings have washed the poison 

 out of the ground. 



In the case of a whole patch or field being over-run with dod- 

 der, the only procedure to be followed is to graze it down close,, 

 plough the land over, and for two years cultivate crops other than, 

 lucerne on the land. 



But prevention is preferable to cure, and the use of only seed' 

 guaranteed free from dodder is imperative. Watchfulness with 

 regard to the presence of dodders on the veld is also an obvious- 

 precautionary measure. 



The cauticn c.nd activity ( f the public in their own interest 

 would no doubt he quickened by the proclamation of dodder as a 

 noxious weed, thus entailing its compulsory removal within a 

 limited time after its discovery. This course has been followed in 

 the Divisions of Oudtshcorn and Cradock, where dodder is now 

 noxious in the eyes of the law, as well as by ccmmon consent. The- 

 assistance of the public in the enforcement of the Act would be a 

 potent aid in restricting the spread of dcdder, and it is to be- 

 wished that other districts would follow the above examples. 



In conclusion, it is requested that ppeciirens cf dodder, both 

 from wild plants and from lucerne, may be sent for identification 

 to the Agricultural Assistant, Capetown, in order that a complete- 

 collection of the forms occurring with us may 'be made, and their 

 relative frequency approximately estimated. . There still remains- 

 much to learn about dodder. 



Other Enemies of Lucerne. 



Dealing briefly with this subject in his Prize Essay in the- 

 Midland News, Mr. F. Franks says : 



LOCUSTS trouble lucerne very little; the brown ones eat a little- 

 if they sleep on it, and the red-winged ones eat rather more ; but 

 it seems to disagree with them, much in the same way as it does 

 with cattle (new to it), viz., by blowing them up. 



CATERPILLARS and beetles tackle it a little, eating mostlyl in. 

 patches and sometimes eating all the leaves ; they often destroy 

 very young lucerne put in in October, November and December 

 and the early part of January. The best thing for them and! you. 

 is to roll them with a heavy roller. 



