LUCERNE PLOTS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 46, 17 January 1913, Page 5

LUCERNE PLOTS.

There arc to be several Government experimental lucerne plots in the district this year, the first to be laid down being on Mr Peter Boyd's i'anu at Lovells Flat. This experiment lias, so far, been highly successful; it was only sown in December, but coming through the ground in eight days is now looking splendid. Another plot will be laid down at Mr George Anderson's farm on lnchclutha, while yet another will bo on Messrs Overton Bros.' at Wharetoa. These plots are an acre in extent —"a test aero"—and are quartered, one portion being sown with seed only, another with the addition of lime, another with the further addition of soil from an inuoculated plot already growing this fodder plant, while another is sown with the iuuoculated soil and seed only. The Government supplies the 7501b of lime, 'lslb of seeil and 1501b of innoculated soil used in the experiment, the farmer paying the carriage only. The plots are laid down under the supervision of ofiicers of the Department, those locally being under the charge of Mr H. A. Mtinro, while the farmer is, of course, expected to keep a watchful eye on the growth. Lucerne has not been greatly grown in this district, and in one or two eases it has been a failure; in more than one case it was drowned out by the unseasonable weather, while in at least one case it was not worked in such a manner as to secure a favourable result, being' eaten off instead of mown. The crop should be cut when it is 9in high, and should be allowed to lie on the ground, the subsequent crops only being harvested as hay. In Central Otago there are some fine plots, and as high as four cuttings have been taken off in one year. The results of the present experiments will be watched with a good deal of interest, as the crop if successfully grown provides abundance of excellent fodder.