SPANISH SULLA.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 4945, 19 September 1914, Page 7

SPANISH SULLA.

A PROLIFIC FODDER

When the Rev. Dr. Capra, Agri- [ cultural Commissioner for the Ital- , ian Government, visited New ZeaI land, lie spent some time at the Ruakura Farm of Instruction. During his inspection of the forage plots in the horticultural section he remarked on seeing the African sulla, that we did not have the best .variety of sulla. or, as it is sometimes called, Maltese clover. He suggested that the Spanish sulla should be secured and tested as a stock food under New Zealand conditions. He stated that the peasants of his country had made excellent use of poor clay hillside lands by means of this plant. It grew luxuriously under caroful treatment in the inhospitable .soil, and by the means of goats which were tethered on the sulla a thriving dairy industry bad been developed. Seed of the suggested variety was secured by the Ruakura. Farm from tile noted French firm of seedsmen, Messrs \ illmorin and Andrieux. The seed was sown on the otli November, 1913, in a plot in the nursery. The soil on part of the plot is sandy, and on the heavy clay. A dressing of basic superphosphate was applied with the seed, but only sufficient to give the plant- a start. It would not be more than 3 cwt per acre. The crop made vigorous growth from the start, and could have been cut three months ago. Part of the crop was cut on the 2“tli June, and fed to cows and sheep. Considering it was a. new feed, the cows ate it well, and did not leave a single stem. It was equally palatable to sheep. On the morning after cutting there was a heavy frost, 8 degrees being,registered, but it apparently lias not damaged the plants in any way. A heavier crop was produced on that portion of the plot having a clfiy subsoil. It attained a height of 3ft Gin, and the estimated yield was 11 tons per acre. A most striking feature in this experiment is the remarkable growth made by Spanish sulla in comparison with the African variety. The'latter was sown on the same day and under the same conditions as the former, hut the resultant crop is not more than half by weight. The growth has licon much slower, and the leavivlighter in colour, showing that the strain is of weaker vitality. As these two sullas are known under the one botanical name, “Hodysarum coronarium,” it would be advisable to order seed under the name of Spanish,” stating at the same time, ‘‘not African sulla.” As much seed ns possible will be saved from the plot this senion. A further experiment with this plant is very desirable, as there is reason to believe that it might be of considerable value on the poor clay soils of North Auckland.—Journal of Agriculture.