149 
He remarks that lucerne thrives although the soil be of such a nature that the roots 
can only penetrate to a depth of 25 inches; if they can get deeper, so much the better for 
the plants. 
According to Wolff, 1000 Ibs, of lucerne hay, taken at the commencement of flowering, with 
14 °/o water, contains: — 
Nitrogen . . . 23.6 Ibs. Magnesia . . . 4.2 Ibs. 
Phosphori¢..acid « 7:3 ~,, Pane Ge. he OR 3: 
Potssh scl 0 yo + TREAD, Sulphuric acid. . 49 ,, 
ie Foe ee ee ee, SUIe em Pe Nes tee mss 
The ash is thus very rich in potash, lime and magnesia. 
It is not advisable to apply farm-yard manure to the land immediately before sowing. 
Such an application favors the growth of weeds which are often very injurious to the young 
plants. A much better plan is to introduce the lucerne after a well-manured root-crop. In 
certain circumstances, however, an application of suitable artificial manure before sowing 
is not only advisable but very advantageous. Later, a top-dressing of liquid manure, 
compost, ashes and more rarely of dung, gypsum etc., may be applied. Liquid manure 
is remarkably favourable to development, but it must not be forgotten that the weeds are 
also favoured and may easily gain the upper hand. An application of gypsum has, of 
course, less action on lucerne than on red clover because the roots of the former are so 
much deeper. It should be applied immediately after liquid manure in order to fix the 
ainmonia. Turf-ashes, rich in sulphate of lime, and even ordinary ashes act equally well, 
not only serving as a check to the growth of weeds, but directly favouring the deyelopment 
of lucerne. Old compost is also good and should only be applied in autumn. A dressing 
of stable-dung is not only a waste of manure, but is actually hurtful, because it favours the 
growth of weeds very much. Experiment has not yet determined at what point the appli- 
cation of artificial manures ceases to be profitable. It is certain, however, that manuring 
with nitrate of soda to the extent of 40 or 60 Ibs. per acre acts very favorably on the 
growth of the young plants. Its use is, therefore, advisable on recently established lucerne 
fields in which the plants are slow in coming forward. When the soil contains little lime, 
marling has a good effect; the marl should be applied in autumn, before sowing. 
Growth, yield, nutritive value. ‘The stems of lucerne vary in height from one to three feet; 
they are branched and provided with abundant foliage. The stout underground stock or 
rhizome has no stolons; all the branches ascend directly into the air. From this mode of 
growth, it is clear that lucerne cannot cover the ground completely, and that space is left 
in which weeds can make headway to the serious detriment of the lucerne itself. 
When a stem is cut, the stump dies, but the buds on the rhizome, formed while the 
stems were growing in the air, begin to shoot and soon become new branches. 
During the first year of growth, the root penetrates a loose soil to a depth of about Development. 
two feet. In arich soil, full perfection is reached in the second year, but if the soil is poor, 
only in the third. 
In France, Baron Crud found the annual yield per acre as follows: — 
it year . 3520 Ibs. ( 32 cwt.) Ath year. 411440 Ibs. (104 cwt.) 
anf 6g «640560",,, C96 ..) Se eet nO 2O0e ay a (Ose) 
at, Cw «(4KO,, (104 =, ) Goa 8800 2 C80 >) 
7 year . . 7040 Ibs. (64 cwt.) 
Manure, 
Growth. 
