A SCOTCH LANDLORD ON THE MERITS OF PRICKLY COMFRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1342, 18 August 1877, Page 18

A SCOTCH LANDLORD ON THE MERITS OF PRICKLY COMFRY.

Mr Davidson, of- Tulloch, Koss-Bhire, favours us with the following very interesting description of his experience in the cultivation of this new 'and very valuable forage plant : — ' „ " Tulloch Castle, Feb. % 1877. <t Sir — Knowing the deep interest yon take in agricultural affairs; and the large circulation of your well-conducted paper, i I Bend you a small pamphlet written by Mr J. Christy,, jun., of Fenchurch street, London. -This little work treats, as yon will see, on various subjects; that to l which I desire to attract .your "attention specially is on the. cultivation of the *Symphytmn Asperrimum,' or ( prickly comfry.' Of this plant there are seven varieties. The ' Asperrimum *is the one on which. I have tried experiments for two years, and I give you the result, in case you may think it worth making public " Two years ago I bought 2000 crowns and sets of this * prickly comfry,' and planted half an acre with them. The ground had been prepared for potatoes, the manure (farmyard) ploughed in in autumn. I planted the sets rather over 3ft. apart in small holes opened by a spade. In the month of April tho leaves showed above ground ; in the beginning of June I cut the first crop ; I cut three other crops before November ; I then covered the plants with a slight' covering of farmyard manure ; this was forked off, in the month of March. Towards the end' of April I cut the first crop,- and three other crops till October, when, from the stupidity of the man employed to cut the leaves — he used a scythe instead of a sickle, and cut into the crowns — or I have no doubt that I should have had a fifth crop. I covered the crowns again in November in the Bame way as previously, and on removing the manure about a week ago from several of the plants, I found the leaves two to three inches out of the ground, so that I expect to be able to cut a crop by the beginning of April. " 1 did not weigh the crop of last year, but I am pretty safe to say that the halfacre gave about 30 tons of forage. The •leaves were so much more abundant this .last year than the previous one, that I .anticipate a still greater development this year. I found that the leaves from four plants were about sufficient for a cow at -one time, so that, dividing the ' 2oo0 < sets .'ia four, the half -acre produced about 500

rations: There is only one neighbour of mine who has tried this comfry, and he sjpeaks warmly in its praise, as causing an increased supply of milk and of a' rich quality. -My experience' is the- same: The great impediment to the more general use of i this forage plant is the expense of the sets. T TKey cost about £20 per acre.; I holdthe opinion that it is the duty of proprietors, when in their power, to experimentron such plants, grain, or roots, which may, if <fpund to., be useful, be adopted by the tenantry. - - * " The price of 100 sets, say 10s, at the end of the first year may be subdivided into six or eight eadh, so that, starting with 100 sets, the second year enough sets may be Obtained to plant upwards of an acre, for, of course, at 3ft. apart, it would require 4840s'9ts for an acre. I have heard of an ' improved species of comfry. called the ' solid stem, 7 introduced by Mr J. Christie.' I have got a few sets planted lately. I cannot speak of - the result as yet. Both the leaf and flower of the ' prickly comfry ' closely resemble the * borage 'plant. 'Ensilage' is the pickling of green forage of any description in the summer time, and excluding the air. This system is' much in use in -Switzerland and parts of France— the green' material, such as grass, green maize, ash leaves, or any green forage, making tip a slight amount of fermentation, but in winter or spring Ihe cattle eat it With avidityl-^I am, &c, ' " Duncan Davidson, of Tulloch." : N. B. Agriculturist. L , ,