LUCERNE PRE-EMINENT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 250, 25 November 1914, Page 10

LUCERNE PRE-EMINENT.

A splendid object lesson On the value of ♦lucerne for sheep has been given by a firm in South Australia at Woods's Point, 011 the Murray, near the lakes. Quite a number of times recently the prices received for the sheep running on this land, which is irrigated from the River Murray, have been remarkably high, and on more than one occasion have reached 40/- per head. The success which has been reaped by these growers might easily be emulated by any others within easy reach of the Murray or other dependable water supply, and there is abundant proof that lucerne is the king of fodders for all sheep purposes when irrigation can be applied. The firm referred to find it possible by properly dealing with the flocks, cutting the lucerne and not feeding it off, to carry from 50 to 75 sheep to the acre, and vet the land is not superlatively- rich. Specially provided patches could probably do more than that, and it well shows how fair average country can be made splendidly productive in the growth of mutton and wool. The extensive system of locking the Murray, now about to be entered upon, should enable great areas of the adjacent land to be utilised for fodder purposes. There is always the possibility of overdoing the fruit market by producing more than can be on economic lines readily dealt with oversea, but no such fear need be entertained in reference to the meat supply, which has unlimited markets before it. The opportunities ahead of fodder growers are numerous, and Australia promises to become a world supplier in stock requirements. While other products, to make a variety of food, have their advantages, there is abundant proof of the inestimable value of lucerne where irrigation is practicable.