FBUARY 19, 1906 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
t. 
Agriculture and Stock. 
Lucerne. 
BY W. PEACOCK. 
Too much cannot be written of this valuable 
fodder plant. From the owners of all classes of 
live stock it demands attention. It is not as 
generally known as its value warrants, Amongst 
many farmers and stockmen there 18 a mis- 
taken idea that it will grow only upon the first- 
class alluvial soils. Uvder proper management 
it gives excellent returps from a diversity of 
soils and under varied conditions. As a suitable 
crop from which to make provision for stock for 
periods of scarcity, lucerne has no equal. Itcan 
be kept for several years 1n the stack without 
seriously deteriorating. No farm should be with- 
out an acre devoted toit, It has an important 
place in a profitable syster 
mixed farming it is valuable for horses, cattle, 
sheep, pigs and poultry. 
—— 
Varieties. 
The variety most worthy cf cultivation is 
the common or Buropean lucerne, Medicago 
sativa, and the one most cultivated in this 
State, A variety of French lucerne, Medicago 
media, was introduced a few years ago, and is 
supposed to be a hybrid of the common lucerne 
and aclover. Itis not so robust as the former, 
and does not yield so heavily. It was claimed 
that it grew better than the common variety 
uvon the light soils. 
Turkestan lucerne, Medicago sativa, was ob- 
tained in rather large quantities by the United 
States Department of Agriculture from Turkes- 
tan. It was reputed to be more drought and 
cold resistant than the common variety. Several 
strains of this variety are at present. under 
observation at the Bathurst Experimental 
Farm, 
Soils suitable for Lucerne—The soils best 
adapted for its growth ure the rich alluvial 
deposits along rivers and creeks, having a supply 
of free water from 15 to 3Y feet below the sur- 
face. Such deposits should be loamy rather than 
stiff, allowing of free penetration of the roots 
and natural drainage. Heavy clays are unsuit- 
able. Strata of coarse gravel and stones between 
the surface and the free submoisture should be 
avoided, as the connection between the surface 
and submoisture. is seyered, the rovts being 
unable to reach the water level, from which to 
supplement the surface rainfall, Under favor- 
able conditions the roots muy penetrate 80 or 
40 feet to the water level, thus allowing of con- 
\ siderable growth during. periods of limited 
rainfall. Considerable advantage under certain 
conditions is derived from the action of its 
vigorous root system, the soil being thoroughly 
subsoiled and sweetened by such agency. Upon 
soils such as the a 
ag many as six or sev 
one season, about five to 8 tons per acre. Upon 
the lighter soils of the uplands, such as the 
typical wheat lands, it may be grown profitably. 
There b eing no free water ayailable at a reason- 
able depth under such soils, it is dependent 
solely upon the rainfall for its mois.ure. In a 
fayorable season too light cuttings may be taken 
n of crop rotation. In , 
bove the yield is considerable, ~ 
en cuttings being aden - 
and the area grazed for the remainder. It is for 
this latter purpose that it is so valuable upon 
such soils, and provides an acceptable green bite 
when the natural pastures are brown during the 
summer. 
I know of no perennial fodder plant that 
will give the same returns from such soils. Asa 
subsoiler and soil renovator it excels, and is 
therefore valuable in a rotation, 
Preparation of the Soil. 
The preparation of the soil should be 
thorough: it is extremely impatient of slipshod 
methods, Being a perennial and known to give 
fair results upon the best soils twenty-five 
years after seeding, it naturally pays for liberal 
treatment to ensure a vigorous stand, A poor 
stand is most disappointing; weeds take posses- 
sion of the bare land, and heavy yields and good 
clean hay cannot be expected. Where weeds are 
likely to prove troublesome a clean cropping, 
one requiring frequent cultivation, should pre- 
cede it, sucn as maize, potatoes, &e, care being 
taken to cut out all weeds, A comparatively free 
working loam should be ploughed 7 or 8 inches 
deep about three months before seeding time, 
to allow of the inverted subsoil to mellow and 
sweeten. If the subsoil be heavy a subsoil 
plough could be used to advantage, the land 
being stirred from a foot to 15 inches deep; 
such increases the retentive power of the soil for 
moisture, which is important to help the seed- 
lings over their initial difficulties. Prior to 
seeding, the surface should be bronght into a 
good tilth and all weeds kille by plough, roller 
and harrows. The seeds being small they should 
not be covered deeper than from half to one 
inch. This cannot be ensured when the surface 
is rough. All furrows should be filled in by 
cultivation, and the ridges smoothed to facili- 
tate the use of harvesting machinery. 
Seed per Acre. 
Upon the rich alluvial deposits from 15 1b to 
20 lb per acre should be sown, A thick stand is 
desirable tu ensure small stems with a large 
proportion of leaf, these being essential for a 
good hay. Upon the lighter lands from 19 lb 
to 12Ib would be a desirable seeding. Care 
should te taken to obtain good seed, free from 
weed seeds, especially those of the parasite 
dodder. These seeds are much smaller than 
those of lucerne and are readily removed by. 
screening. Lucerne attacked by dodder sdould 
never be cut for seed. The seed may be sown 
by hand or any of the machines designed to sow 
small seeds. If by hand it would be wise to sow 
half of the quantity in one direction and the 
other half casting across the first sowing to 
prevent any possibility of missing strips. which 
is often the case with the most careful sowers. 
In general practice it is preferable; to broad- 
cast the seed. Where troublesome weeds are 
apt to choke the plants, or moisture is su limited 
as to necessitate frequent cultivations, sowing 
in drills is preferable. 
Covering. 
The seeds should he very lightly covered, 
and to ensure this a lever harrow, with the teeth 
sloping at an angle of about 45 degrees back- 
wards should be used. [If an ordinary harrow be 
used, some bushes or other material should be. 
placed between the teeth to prevent them enter- 
ing the soil too deeply. It can be covered very 
well by a drag of green bushes instead of the. 
harrow. When the surface needs consolidating 
a roller should be used after sowing, to be fol- 
lowed by the harrow. The surface when left: 
smooth by the roller is apt to crust after rain, 
and moisture is also lost by evaporation, which 
generally cannot be spared. The best time to 
sow is in the early autumn, preferably about 
“arch if germination can be assured. The plants 
get well established during tne winter and early 
spring, and are enabied to withstand the dry 
summers which are invariably the rule. In. 
seasons of sufficient moisture throughout the 
summer, spring sowings are successful, but 
generally speaking such conditions do not exist, 
and the autumn seeding is preferable. : 
It is sometimes the practice to sow wheat, 
oats, or a similar crop asa cover crop for the 
young lucerne. Such practice cannot be too 
strongly condemned, as generally all the mois- 
ture is required for the lucerne. The young 
lucerne plants are also drawn and weak in their 
endeavor to get to the light, and lacking in 
sturdiness and vigor, which are essential. The 
young plants should be cut early in the spring 
ag soon as the mower can get hold of them. This. 
checks any weeds which may appear, and if the. 
season turns dry they are better able to with- 
stand it. If a dry summer is feared, it is better 
to leave the first cut upon the land to act as a. 
mulch. Such practice helps the crop to weather 
through its most critical stage. This would in- 
terfere with the quality of the hay which might 
afterwards be gathered, but in the dry summers. 
the benefit from the mulch far outbalances the 
depreciation of the succeeding crop. 
In the first year much must not be expected 
excepting under very favorable conditions or- 
when under irrigation. Lucerne is a summer 
crop and is practically dormant in the winter. 
Upon the advent of warm weather it thrives. 
quickly, and is ready for the mower about the: 
end of October. At this season of the year the 
weather very often proves unfavorable for hay- 
making, and as the first cutting usually con- 
tains weeds it is beneficial to make it into en- 
silage. If requred for this purpose it can be cut 
earlier, and should be carted direct to the stack 
or pit, and not be allowed to wilt. Itcan be 
carted in showery weather, but this is not ad- 
visable when the weather is very wet. 
By cutting early and making it into ensilace 
the second cut is ready before it otherwise - 
would be and in wet weather suitable for hay- 
making. For hay it should be cut as the first 
flowers appear, which is usually about six weeks. 
after the preceding crop is cut. If left longer 
the lower leaves turn yellow and fall off, the 
stems are coarser and the resultant hay inferior 
In mowing, the crop should lie evenly over the. 
land, and the swathboard should not be used if it . 
can be cut without. In very heavy crops and 
the soil damp, it may be advisable to turn the 
crop over whilst in the swath to allow the sun to. 
act upon the under surface, otherwise it woula 
be unevenly wilted and may also turn yellow 
The field should be cut in narrow strips to allow: 
of evenness of wilting, and the horse rake when, 
