LUCERNE. 105 



the ravages of the fly, and by early sowing it will 

 attain a sufficient degree of growth so as not to be 

 affected by the attacks of the insect. Lucerne has 

 also been introduced and satisfactorially cultivated 

 in this country during the past fifty years, 



Vanbrugh Livingston, of Westchester Co., N. Y. 

 State whose high opinion of Lucerne, was fully 

 borne out by his previous successful cultivation of 

 it, said of it in 1827 " Although the virtues of Lu- 

 cerne have been most largely descanted on by Brit- 

 ish writers, it is a plant which is far better adapted 

 to our own climate than that of Britian. The latter 

 country it would appear, does not possess the requi- 

 site degree of heat and dryness to insure the full 

 advantage of its real value. 



And it seems to be expedient, if not necessary in 

 that country, to cultivate it at the expense of drill- 

 ing, while here it answers with perfect success in the 

 easier and cheaper mode of broadcast. 



Judge^Buel, of Albany, commenced growing it in 

 1820. In 1824 he sowed 16 Ibs of seed, on an acre (well 

 prepared by manure and potatoes the preceding 

 year) with half a bushel of winter rye, the whole 

 sown broadcast. The ground was well harrowed 

 and rolled after it was sown. The rye soon spread 

 its leaves upon the surface and protected the Lucerne 

 until its roots had good hold of the soil. It grew 

 well notwithstanding the drought. The latter end 

 of August, perceiving that some of the rye was push- 

 ing up seed stalks, he mowed it and fed it green to 

 Ms cattle. In 1825, he cut three tolerable crops and 

 soiled it to his cows. In 1826 he cut it four times 

 for green fodder, and in^the Autumn gave the field a 

 slight top dressing of rotten dung. In 1827, May 



