76 THE WORLD'S MEAT FUTURE 



"The foregoing figures will give an idea of the growth of green 

 stutt' that a bountiful Nature puts at the disposal of the farmer 

 in this region in an average yeai'. Of the most approved 

 methods of converting this food su])i)ly into mutton, wool, and 

 beef, I have no space to treat. Local conditions and a con- 

 sideration of individual ways and means must always be set 

 before any "counsel of perfection.'' 1 only give it here to 

 show what are the capabilities of the alfalfa region if competi- 

 tion should ever drive the easy-going estanciero of to-day to the 

 more intensive farming practised in less favoured parts of the 

 globe. 



"I give a rough summary of the chief points to be regarded 

 in the establishment of an alfalfa estancia: — 



"1. The plant should, if possible, be laid down in a district 

 which will ensure the owner a return on his money while the 

 ground is being broken up, i.e., he should not settle too far out- 

 side. On the camps, within a day's carting of a station, his 

 only indispensable outlay will be that of fencing and alfalfa 

 seed, which is at once returned to him in the increased value of 

 his property. 



"2. If grazed with judgment, the plant will last indefinitely. 

 I have seen paddocks that were over fifty years old. Disking 

 will often renew an apparently worn-out paddock. 



"3. As the habit of the plant is to renew its sprouts directly 

 through the crown, it will die out if continually grazed during 

 its growing season by close-feeding stock, such as sheep. In 

 this case the land wdll still have been greatly benefited. At a 

 distance of 5 ft. below the surface of a five-year-old alfalfa patch 

 there are in the space of one square foot from ten to thirty roots 

 reaching directly to the surface, and averaging one-eighth of an 

 inch in diameter. In addition to this thorough subsoiling, large 

 quantities of ash and free nitrogen, which the plant has the 

 property of storing near the surface, go far to ensure a successful 

 after-crop of cereals. It is probable that in many cases a five 

 or seven years' ley of this kind would be more jirofitable to the 

 farmer than the iiolicy of nursing his ]>addocks. 



"4. After the land is laid down to alfalfa, the surface strata of 

 water will drop from 4 ft. to 10 ft. below its original height in 

 the wells, owing to the demands made on it by th(^ penetrating 

 roots. This fact will go far to reclaim low-lying and mosquito- 

 infested grounds. The water will tend to improve as more 

 alfalfa is laid down, for the dense growth of the plant checks 

 the evaporation of the rainfall. 



