DUNEDIN EXPANSION LEAGUE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15858, 2 September 1913, Page 7

DUNEDIN EXPANSION LEAGUE

LUCERNE IN CENTRAL OTAGO.'

The matter of extending the dairying industry in Otago is one that the Country Development Committee of' the Dunedin Expansion League keeps steadily in view. Lately the well-known fodder plant, lucerne, has been brought very prominently under the notice' of some members of this particular committee, and at yesterday's meeting one member, Mr. G.. IVI, 'Marshall, exhibited the results of.a test, that hisifianager (Mr Kinnaird) had l been making in Matangi. Orchard, Earnscleutih, near Alexandra. Eight varieties were shown, tho seeds of which were sown in October, 1912, and under tho proper conditions as regards liinjng, manure, and soil inoculation. Those varieties which gavo tho best results were Spanish, Hunter River, and Peruvian, all of which have a large amount of leaf and a splendid root system; the other five varieties grown were Turkestan, Arabian, American, Hungarian, and French Provence. Tho valuo of such a test was very favourably commented on, and it was resolved that the whole exhibit bo handed over to'the' Editor of Farm Notes in the Otago Witness, so that a photograph could be taken of it, jn order to givo oountry members and others information as to the best varieties to grow, In Central Otago four crops of this forago plant can ordinarily be reckoned on in each season, Which really means that one acre of lucerne land will produce as much as four acres under grass giving only one crop of hay in a season. To.-give farmers and thoso interested some idea of its feeding value, Mr Marshall stated that from 11 acres lie obtained sufficient to keep one cow, two draught horses, two pigs, and 40 heao of poultry all summer in all the green feed they required,, and enough was stacked and made into chaff to last them through the winter until the next season's crop was available.

' The oommittee recognised that land that will grow' this fodder (which contains 8401b of sugar to the ton) as well as maize, eorglmm, Hungarian millet, Cape barley, etc., must be eminently suitable for dairying, especially if silcs wero also installed to preserve sufficient of these foods to carry the stock through winter. Australia is increasing her acreago in these fodder plants at an enormous rate, and such is also the case in America. Realising that Central Qtago under irrigation is suitable not only for fruit, but is just as good for fodder plants, the league expresses pleasure that irrigation of this valuablo tract of country is to be taken in hand at an early date by tho Government.