LUCERNE CULTIVATION.

Lake County Press, Issue 2941, 1 June 1922, Page 2

LUCERNE CULTIVATION.

Lecture by Mr R, B. Tennant

The was a fair attendance of farmers and others interested at the Atheneam Hall on Thursday evening last when Mr R B Tennent, Government instructor in Agriculture, Dunedin, delivered a lecture on “ Lucerne Cultivation.” Local farmers who did not attend missed the opportunity of hearing an interesting and instructive address, and it is to be regretted that a greater number did not take advantage of the facilities offered them for heat ing tiie views of one of the best-known authorities oa lucerne cultivation in the Dominion, The visit of Mr Tennent was arranged by the Lake County A. and P. Association and the lecturer was intrnduaed by Mr Loo Lee, President of the Association. In his opening remarks Mr Tennant' dealt with the subject of pasturage, and said that in New Zealand, although we had some of the finest laud, we put in the poorest pastures. A permanent pasture should last eight or nice years, and if it were true, it should last for a much longer period. Passing to the subject of lucerne growiog.Mr Tennent said there was no plant in the world to compare with lucerne for providing hay for stock during the winter months, yet there was a comparatively small area of it growo in New Zealand. I( was absolutely permanent, lasting from fifteen to twenty years, and required very little attention, while four crops could be taken off in one year. Where the land is not natural lucerne land, it should be grown in drills 21in apart, and the weeds kept down between until it established itself. Ultimately the lucerne would spread between the drills into one composite crop, and by that time would have smothered the weeds. Dealing with inoculation, the lecturer explained that where nodules (little knots or lumps) ware found on any clover plants in a pabdock, lucerne might safely be grown. Where the soil bad not the neoessary germs to enable the lucerne to extract the nitrogen it required, all that was necessary was to sprinkle a few sacks of soil from a paddock where they were found. Mr Tennent dealt at considerable length with the general cultivation of lucerne, and also with the harvesting of the crop. He quoted the results of experiments in the United States, which showed that the first crop should be harvested when about one-tenth in bloom. Lucerne harvested when one tenth in bloom contained 18.5 per cent of proteids, when onehalf in bloom 17.2 percent,and when in full bloom 14 4 per cent. The lecture was illustrated by a splendid series of lantern slides showing the plant in its various stages of growth, and also the processes adopted in the inoculation and testing of soils Mr Tennent replied to several questions in reference to soil-iooonlatioo, and incidently mentioned that the testing of soils was undertaken by his Department free of charge. All that was necessary was to dig five holes to a depth of about eighteen inches and forward slices of soil weighing about four pounds to the Department of Agriculture, Dunedin, and the results would be forwarded in due course. Mr Tennent also stated that bis Department would be pleased at any time to answer questions iu regard to agricultural matters.

On the initiative of Mr B. M. Paterson, a hearty vote of thanks to the lecturer was accorded by acclamationand Mr Tennent suitably acknowledge od the compliment.