LUCERNE GROWING

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1926, Page 15

LUCERNE GROWING

FARMERS IN MANAIA BRANCH ACTIVITY. RESULTS OF THE JUDGING. (From Otir Own Reporter.) Hawera, Feb. 12. The greatly increased extent to which the growing of lucerne is practised, by the farmers on the Wai mate Plains and the great efficiency of the methods adopted were strikingly demonstrated to-day, when the areas entered in the lucerne-growing competitions under the auspices of the Manaia branch of the Farmers’ Union were judged. Large areas of very line crops were visited by Messrs. J. W. Deem and A. J. Glasson, of the Agricultural Department, arid the judging of rhe numerous plots provided interesting work for the number of farmers who followed the judges.

The party were entertained at lunen by Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Clague, and at afternoon tea by Mr. and Mrs. J, Dakers, the whole day proving enjoyable and interesting. Mrs. Clague and Mrs. Dakers were accorded hearty votes of thanks for their hospitality.

Following the afternoon tea, Mr. Clague, on behalf of the Farmers’ Union, thanked Messrs. Deem and Glasson for their assistance. He regretted that there were not more entries, for there were many fine plots about the district which might have been submitted to the judges.

In reply, Mr. Deem congratulated the competitors on the quality of the plots entered. They were all very good, although in one or two cases the cultivation was not quite so good as it might have been. One pleasing feature of the competitions was the extent to which lucerne was being grown. In the judging points for cultivation were being made harder every year. In cultivation there was a danger of "overdoing it.” That day they had seen one plot which had been overdone in this respect. It was a mistake to cultivate a mature plot more than once a year if it was done properly on the first occasion. If cultivation was too severe it was liable to thin the crop down. While in Australia recently Mr. Deem said he had visited the famous lucernegrowing country there, and nowhere had he seen any lucerne to beat the best in New Zealand, although he had seen some as good. Cultivation and general attention to the crops in New Zealand were better than on the other side, but the Australian’s eyes were now being opened to the necessity of proper cultivation. In some places in Australia one or two more cuts were apparently taken off the crops, but generally speaking there was nothing better than that grown in New Zealand. Amongst the number of very fine crops judged to-day, that entered by Mr. J. T. Clague in the mature class was outstanding. In evenness and general quality it was difficult to find fault, Mr. Deem stating that he would have liked to give it the full possible points, while the Waimate West Demonstration Farm plot suffered little by comparison. In the judging possible points were allotted as follow: Ten for evenness, 20 for cultivation, 10 for quality, and 10 for colour and general appearance. The detailed results were:—

CLASS A. ' MATURE CROP'S. J. T. Clague, OJ, 19J, 10, 10, total 49 points I Waimate West Demonstration Farm, 9J, 20, 9, 10, total 48J 2 N. McLeod, 9, 18, 9,9, total 45 .... 3 W. Bourke, BJ, 15, 9,9, total 41J ...< 4 J. Dakers, BJ, 16, 8, 9. total 41J .... 4 O. T. Parry, 7,14 J, 9, 10, total 40J .< 6 CLASS B. TWO-YEAR CROPS. Stoddard Bros., 9, 17, 9,9, total 44 1 Waimate West Demonstration Farm, 7, 18. 9,9, total 43 „ 2 CLASS C. FIRST YEAR CROPS. J. Dakers, 9J, 19, 8,9 J, total 46 .... 1 W. Bourke, 9, 18, 8,9, total 44 2 11. Sandford, 94, 18J, 8,7, total 43 .. 3