THE LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 241, 8 October 1920, Page 9

THE LAND.

BjP AGRICOLA.

LUCERNE. Farmers having deep loamy land should consider the question of sowing down an area to lucerne. When once' satisfactorily established no oroa can equal lucerne for providing large quantities of nutritious food for' stock. Tho crop may be fed green to stock or made into silage or hay. It may therefore bo utilised in its succulent condition or as a dry food for stock feeding. If fed to milking cattle in the succulent state, either as silage or in its freshly cut condition when the pastures dry off in the summer, it will result in a satisfactory milk now being maintained. The value of lucerne at such a time cannot be overestimated. It must be remembered that when milking cattle receive a check in regard to the milk flow, as often happens during a dry period, they will not regain their earlier milk-yielding capacity. During the present time, when substantial prices are being paid for milk and butter-fat, the dairy farmer cannot afford to allow his milking stock to fall off in respect to the milk yield, if he is negligent in this matter he assuredly pays for his neglect in the shape of receiving greatly diminished monetary returns. Again, if lucerne is made into hay and fed with roots, it. forms a valuable standby for winter feeding. SOIL. As in the case of all farm plants, lucerne thrives best on a deep loamy soil. The plant is possessed of deeprooting habits, and needless to say the subsoil should be deep and sweet. It should also be free from substances harmful to vegetation. Such conditions may prevent the plant penetrating to the deeper layers. The land for the crop must be well-drained. A superabundance of water may result in "ho failure of the crop. The land should contain an abundance of lime; if this is not the case the farmer should give a substantial application. Two tons or more per acre should be given. LAND PREPARATION. Land for lucerne should be ploughed deeply. No subsoil, however, should be brought to the surface, or failure may follow. It is an advantage to plough early and cultivate thoroughly. Weed seeds that might be lying dormant arc given an opportunity to germinate; they can then be dealt with. A stroke with the cultivators or the harrows as occasion requires should De effective in suppressing them. If after rain a hard surface forms the land should be loosened with the harrows. This treatment will result in moisture being retained and in a better germination being secured. In the case of land in which lucerne has not been previously established, the bacteria which are essential for the successful establishment of the lucerne plant will be almost certainly absent. It will then be necessary to inoculate the soil. This may b<. accomplished with soil from a field in which lucerne has been satisfactorily grown. This is effected by spreading the soil on the surface of the land that it Is intended to sow with lucerne. Three or four hundredweight of soil will be sufficient to inoculate an acre of land. The soil for the purpose of inoculation should be spread on a dull day or towards evening, and the land immediately harrowed. Strong sunshine in inimical to the desired bacteria, hence the necessity for this precaution. An application of lime to the land will render the soil conditions favourable for the bacteria, and if the land is inclined to bo sour, lime is essential for euccess. In order to avoid the introduction of undesirable weeds, the soil for inoculation should" be procured from clean land. FERTILISERS. Lucerne growers are agreed that lime is essential for the successful establishment of lucerne. In addition to the dressing of lime recommended, which may be applied any time prior to seed sowing, 2cwt or more of a phosphatic fertiliser may be used when drilling the seed. Superphosphate, basic super, or basic slag are all suitable manures. The application of lime and fertilisers will add to the fertility and result In a more vigorous growth of the plant, SOWING. The present is a suitable time to sow. Lucerne feebly resists the invasion of weeds. Thie especially applies to the earlier stages of growth, hence clean land is a great advantage. If the land is weedy, sowing might be deferred three or four weeks to allow weeds that may appear to be eradicated by further cultivation. It ie recommended that the seed should be drilled. "" The advantages resulting from drilling are that the seed is evenly distributed and at a uniform depth, and a better germination results. The seed may be sown through. every coulter of the drill at the rate of about 151b to the acre. It should not be sown too deeply. Small seeds fail to germinate if deeply covered. Half an inch might be regarded as an ideal depth, and this should be remembered when sowing. A light chain or brush harrow may be attached to the drill when sowing the seeds and fertilisers. This will leave the land in a mulched condition that is essential for preserving the soil moisture and aids germination. VARIETIES. The seed should be of a suitable variety. The Marlborough" or Hunter River is considered the most suitable for local conditions. In the writer's opinion Marlborough seed is the better. If weeds appear the field should be mown before they have an opportunity to produce seed. If the lucerne and weeds make but a light covering they may be allowed to remain on the ground as a mulch. This is usually comparatively small, there is little to be gained by removing it, and the carting at that season of the year may cause damage to the young crop. If on the other hand it be heavy it should be carted off for use. Apart from that the young plants may be injured by the covering. Lucerne in suitable conditions will yield four cuttings during the season. Tt should be grown on every farm where lucerne will succeed; without it the best use is not being made of the land. POTATO SPRAYING. The potato on the farm often fails to receive the all-neceseary spraying that is required to protect this crop from blight. There are certain points in spraying that are essential to euccess. They are: Spray before blight appears. Spraying is a means of preventing the infection of the foliage, for once the disease has appeared ifc is 'almost as useless to spray as not to spray at all. Endeavour to apply the spray in dry weather, for when the mixture has thoroughly dried on the foliage it does not readily wash off; it then retains the protection to the plant. The spraying must he thorough; the pressure, to secure the full distribution of the mixture must he maintained. The spray should cover the foliage from the top to tho bottom of the haulm. The upper and. the lower surfaces of

every leaf must be covered with the spray; each side is equally susceptible to spore infection. It is is simply a waste of time to half-spray. Spraying in time saves the crop. It is not a question ot increasing the yield, for there may be no crop to increase without the spraying. Spraying secures sound potatoes, and sound potatoes keep sound when they are stored. Use Bordeaux mixture, at a strength of from 41b to 61b of blueetone and 41b of fresh lime to 40 gallons of water. Keep the mixture well stirred. It is useless to spray with lime and sulphur as a potato blight preventive.