LUCERNE. 147 



If the ground is not weedy, a deep and thorough cultiva- 

 tion before growth starts in spring" may be all that is necessary. 



Lucerne should not be irrigated with water heavily charged 

 with alkali or silt. The latter tends to pack into a hard, 

 impervious crust, very detrimental to the crop. Over-irrigation 

 may easily occur, especially if the subsoil is of an impervious 

 character, and the crop may be killed if submerged for any 

 length of time. 



Harvesting. — The first cutting of the season is generally 

 the lowest yielding. If the plants are of a retarded and stunted 

 growth, it should be cut, since this often ensures a good second 

 crop. 



The crop should be mowed when about 10 to 20 per cent, 

 of the plants are in flower. This stage will be found to corre- 

 spond with a slight yellowing of the lower leaves, and the 

 appearance of young shoots at the crown. Mowing should not 

 be delayed until these young shoots are long enough to be cut. 



As the leaves contain 70 to 80 per cent, of the protein of 

 the whole plant, their preservation is of chief importance. Even 

 with careful management, however, a loss of 10 to 20 per cent, 

 of the leaves will take place. The Kansas Experimental 

 Station cut lucerne in three stages, i.e., when about 10 per 

 cent, in bloom, 50 per cent, in bloom, and in full bloom. That 

 cut when 10 per cent, in bloom was found to be richer in ash, 

 protein, and fat, than that produced by later cuttings, while 

 the crude fibre and the N — free extract increase in per- 

 centage as the plant matures. Harcourt, at the Ontario Agri- 

 cultural College, says : " A much larger amount of digestible 

 matter was obtained by cutting when the plants were about 

 one-third in bloom than by cutting two weeks earlier or two 

 weeks later." Mowing, then, at the time recommended gives 

 the most nutritious and least fibrous hay. 



After cutting it should be allowed to lie until the leaves 

 wilt, but should then be raked into windrows before they be- 

 come dry and brittle, and later cocked. In hot weather, 

 cutting in the morning should be avoided — it should be cut in 

 the afternoon, raked and cocked the following morning. Be- 

 fore stacking, the hay should be sufficiently dry to prevent 

 over-heating in the stack. It may be taken as fit for stacking 

 if no moisture exudes when a wisp is rolled and twisted sharply 

 into a rope. The hay should be stacked on boards or stones, 

 and if not stacked in barns should be covered with straw to 

 facilitate the shedding of rain. 



