LUCERNE CULTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 249, 20 October 1924, Page 9

LUCERNE CULTURE.

DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVITIES. AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT. (From Oar Oim Correspondent. 1 MORRINSVILLE, Saturday. The cultivation of lucerne is rapidly becoming more popular in the Morrinsvillc and surrounding districts, and some fine crops have been seen, four and five cuts in some eases having been taken from the one plot during the one season. There is a diversity of opinion, however, as to which is the best means of cultivation. It is claimed on one hand that inoculated soil is necessary for a good crop. There are others who maintain tliat inoculated soil is not necessary. In Ihe latter case it is stated by several farmers that the lucerne does well for a time, but after the first few cuts it begins to wither. A Morrinsville resident, one of the many one-cow "farmers" who wished to put in about a quarter of an acre of ■ lucerne, has been in communication with i the Department of Agriculture, to which !he went for advice. The resident has iust received advice that the Depart- ! ment wish to experiment on his plot, and. the man being agreeable, it is intended early next month to commence work by treating the plot in three difj frrent "wayH. The ground, which is already being prepared, will be sown i with the same kind of seed, but the (treatment will be: One section with i inoculated soil, and second section with- ' out inoculation, and the third to be inoculated with culture. The. seed, lime, and manure will be the same throughout. Owing to the varied opinions regarding lucerne culture the experiment I will be of distinct value to all farmers 1 growing lucerne, and the result will be i awaited with great interest.