LUCERNE. 143 



The seedlings are very sensitive to alkali (brak), but if 

 once established the plants will withstand a larger proportion 

 of alkali salts. Acid (sour) soils are always poor lucerne soils, 

 and it is questionable whether the crop can be grown on these 

 soils profitably when liming has to be resorted to. 



If the water-table is within four feet of the surface, or if 

 the subsoil is of a heavy, impervious character, or the soil 

 shallow, the crop is rarely successful, as it is exceedingly sus- 

 ceptible to a water-logged condition of the soil. 



Lucerne requires a productive soil. Eeinecke has found 

 that this crop on land in the Transvaal, with a fair lime con- 

 tent, gave a substantial profit when superphosphate (400 

 pounds per acre) or kraal manure (twelve tons per acre) was 

 applied. The increases in yield over unmanured land, i.e., 

 3,672 pounds and 2,792 pounds, were valued at £5 16s. lid. 

 and £2 4s. 3d. per acre, respectively. Bone meal was not so 

 profitable, and the use of potash fertilisers showed no appre- 

 ciable gain. 



Where kraal manure is employed it should be applied 

 some time before sowing, so as to give it time to decompose 

 thoroughly, and more especially to afford an opportunity of 

 destroying the weeds, the seeds of which are carried in the 

 manure, prior to sowing. It is often advisable either to apply 

 the manure to the previous crop or to fallow the land previous 

 to sowing. Top dressings of 200 pounds of superphosphate 

 each season will prove profitable in most cases. This is best 

 applied early in spring, when active growth has not started, 

 and while the crop is being cultivated. 



Seed-Bed. — The land should be in as good a condition as 

 possible, more care being required in its preparation than for 

 the cereals. The early growth of the seedlings is largely de- 

 voted to root-development, consequently they are poorly 

 adapted to compete against weeds. The preceding crops, there 

 fore, should be cleaning crops, i.e., cultivated crops. The seed- 

 ling stage is the most susceptible phase of the crop. There- 

 fore the soil should be compact and in a state of fine tilth. 

 The preparation of the field should commence in ample time to 

 allow the soil to settle and to get rid of weed growth. 



For successful lucerne growing it is essential that the land 

 be carefully levelled, particularly with the object of econo- 

 mising in water and labour. The fields should be divided into 

 irrigation beds, with only a moderate fall of, if possible, about 



