SOME LUCERNE-GROWING RESULTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3418, 19 September 1919, Page 13

SOME LUCERNE-GROWING RESULTS.

Fields Instructor and Specialist in Luccrna Culture—Mr A. Macpherson, of Christchurch—has kindly sent us some interesting 1 results on lucerne-growing-, which, in view of the growing' interest in =this wonderful plant, will be noted with interest. ' During the past season Mr Jas. Dunlop, "Dalsraith," near Belfast, a successful • ana enthusiastic grower of lucerne, has to report splendid results from his lucerne stand of about four acres. In 1912 he ..decided to take a forward step and become a lucerncgrower, beginning with a one-acre area, under the schema of the Department of Agriculture, which was designed to test the soil and find out whether lucerne could be grown successfully, without the aid of lime or inoculated soil, or if one or both of these ' was required, to give best results. The paddock in which the lucerne was sown had been under crop (principally white crops) for 16 years previously. The soil is a medium loam on a sandy clay subsoil, above shingle. < By sowings made in 1914 and 1915 he increased his area to four acres. His first test indicated that lucerne would grow successfully on such soil without either lime or inoculated soil, but that lime greatly benefited subsequent crops. No fertilisers were used in any of the sowings or- afterwards as a top-dressing. The area devoted to lucerne was comparatively free from weeds. The seed was sown in rows Sin apart andat the rate of 151 b per acre. The only cultivation given was a run through between the rows with the Dutch hoe when the plants were quite small, this beinjr the proper time. In 1917 the first plot of one acre laid down became somewhat patchy, and occasioned some concern to the grower. A topdressing of ground burnt lime was applied at the rate of about two tons per acre. This treatment saved the situation, and tho following season the return obtained was quite three times the quantity obtained the year previous to top-dressing with lime. Mr Dunlop obtains three crops of hay per annum, and a fourth crop he usually grazes, finding it a great asset for this purpose in the autumn. The yield of hay for the past season, weighed by an officer of this department, is. as follows: • Tons of liay X>ei acre. First cut .. 2.50 Second cut .'. .... .. 3.70 Third cut 2.43 Total ; . .. 8.G5 Mr- Dunlop has not sold any hajfc recognising that he can make more profitable use of it on the farm by carrying more stock, although he was offered £7 per ton for it last year. Taking; the present value of lucerne hay at £6 Der ton, this gives a return per acre for the year for hay alone of £sl 18s—to which has to be added the value of the fourth crop grazed, which was quite Ift high when stocked, the value of which, can safely be taken at £6 per acre, this giving a gross return per acre for the past season of £57 18s per acre. Beyond securing such profitable returns annually, the fact remains that the land on which tho lucerne is grown is not depreciating in value thereby, but is greatly increasing in value and productiveness—this by the plants' poiver as collectors of nitrogenous matter from the air, of drawing from strata at great depths underneath to the top soil much valuable mineral elements that other shallow-rooted plants could never reach, leaving these to bo utilised by future crops of whatever kind. Further, the mechanical effect of its extensive root system can hardly be estimated. The decaying of the roots adds humus to the soil, and the openings left by them in the under-strata form a wonderful system of channels for the penetration of air and water into the* "soil.' Thus,

when the lucerne field is ready to bo used for a different crop, it will be found that tho _ soil is wonderfully changed, not only in its chemical elements, but also in its physical character. The continual dropping T&f lucerne leaves from- tho cuttings makes

heavy annual contributions to the humus and nitrogen of the soil. After a field has been in lucerne for five or six years tho roots havo added largely to the humus content. Mr Dunlop states that in removing his

dairy herd from the ordinary pasture to feed off' the fourth growth cf the lucerne stand in the late. autumn, he found that it had a remarkable effect in steadying the failing milk supply, and afterwards, when the cows were fed on lucerne hay, following after a spell of feeding on ordinary ryegrass and clover hay, the milk yield was increased. Mr Dunlop had lucerne at the bottom of one of his stacks, topped with a mixture of ryegrass and clover hay, and was thus in a position to note the effect of the different hays on the milk supply. When the cut supplied to the cows was only grass and clover hay, the yield gradually decreased; but when the lucerne hay was given, the supply increased, or diminished at a less ratio. Another authentic record is that secured by the Woolston Tanneries (Ltd.), Woolston, the weights of the fodder being taken by an officer cf the Department of Agriculture. This company recognised the national need for the utilisation of all unproductive areas, with a view to increasing the primary products of the country, to enable the Dominion to meet the increased taxation arising from her participation in the war and the heavy liabilities incurred. Having an unproductive section of land near their works, adjacent to the Woolston station, they decided, after obtaining advice from the Agricultural Department, to utilise the section for lucerne-growing, and thus endeavour to stimulate others in the locality to progressive action, the general impression being that lucerne could not be grown on such land. After clearing the weeds and rubbish from the section, cultivating to secure a fine seed-bed, dressing with burnt lime at the rate of one ton per acre, and consolidating the seed-bed, the seed was sown on the sth October, 1918. in rows, on the flat, 21in apart, and at the rate of 151 b per acre. No fertilisers were used. Early intcrcultivation, when the plants were less than lin in height was given to destroy weeds, and afterwards at intervals as the plants increased in growth. On the 15th January, 1919, the first cut was secured, 14 weeks and four days after the seed was sown. Following is the return for the season : Tons of hay X>er- acre. First cut - .. .. I.Ho Second cut 1.527 Third cut 525 Total .. .. .. .. 3.167 This was obtained in a seven months' period from the date of sowing the seed, and, calculated at- £6 per ton, gives a- return of £l9 per acre. It is anticipated that next season, with the plant established, tho yield of hay will be at least doubled. Reporting on the 12th September, the Christchurch branch of the Department of Agriculture says:— "On the Darfield area there is already a fine fresh growth this season, and present indications point to a first crop of hay being obtained about the end of October or beginning of November. It may be mentioned that the _ area is four acres in extent, and was laid down in December. 1917. at the instance of the Department of Agriculture, the object being to stimulate in interest in lucerne culture in that district, and to endeavour to induce farmers to give this most important fodder plant a trial on their holdings. In tho United States lucerne has proved to be the great standby, and in the dry districts is now acknowledged to be indispensable to the man on the land,

"An officer of the department visited the DarJield area on the Bth inst., and found the lucerne looking- well, a fresh growth showing up to 14in in length. This growth was in marked contrast to any pasture land round about, which showed httle growth, any movement in this direction having been checked .by the_ exceptional frosts which have been experienced since the beginning of the month. It is stated that a temperature as low as 25deg of frost has been experienced lately, and it was noticeable that the flowers on the gorse fences had been frosted, while the succulent fresh lucerne growth had not been affected. "Jn many localities lucerne is looked upon as something akin to a hot-hou?o plant, and this erroneous belief is dying hard. The fact is that the plant is of extreme hardiness, and grows at very high altitudes. One variety has been known to stand 68dcg of frest without winter-killing." The foregoing gives an indication of what can be accomplished by lucerne culture on areas at present unproductive, also the possibilities existing for increasing the primary products of the Dominion in a short time. Theso results, however, are only to be achieved if it. is possible to induce < those now occupying extensive areas of suitable land throughout the Dominion to take up the growing of lucerne—a valuable and productive fodder plant—instead of continuing, as most are doing at present, to pe'rseverc in antiquated farming methods which are neither reliable, progressive, nor adequate for ,the coming needs of the country.