LUCERNE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16611, 21 August 1918, Page 2

LUCERNE.

THE KING OP FODDER PLANTS, LECTURE BY MR.. McPHERSON. On Tuesday night, .at the quarterlv meeting of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, Mr A. Kherson, of the Agricultural Department, delivered a most interesting and useful address qn the subject of lucerne growing. Among those- present were several l;.rniers.

Mr McPherson dealt with the subjeob at great length, and was very closely listened to throughout. He einlJiasised the fact tjiat farmers of the future would have to farm differently if they were to stand the financial, slrpin which would inevitably comeThey would have to grow those plan'-s as fodder which were of a reliable character, and which would produce abundantly under all weather conditions, thus ensuring that a larger number of sheep, cattle, etc, might be j oared, carried and fattened on their lands, and enabling them to set aside each year sufficient feed to tide them over lean periods. In addition to th:s the wheat lands of the Dominion required building up, and all this conld be done by growing lucerne. : There was no surer, more effective, 'or exped;tbus way of meeting all these requirements than by a widespread national offort to grow lucerne. It was the king of forage^plants, and the countries which had already recognised it* value wore annually reaping an assured harvest of wealth from its abundant production. The speaker shewed how the growing of luesrne had increased by •■leaps and bounds in the "United States and Canada, and in the Argentine, and said that the annual value of the lucerne crop in California approxunat. od £lO 000,000. Lucerne ranked as the greatest fertilising plant lcnown to scientific-agriculture,: and it added *o the fertility and increased the productivity of the soil in various ways. K'bad'been known to penetrate the so. 1 to a. depth of 129 ft. and so was«nab»£ t, draw towards the surface nio.sture and valuable mineral element* wh-Ch existed in the urnler strata. The m£ trVnical effects of it« extensive roosS could bard'.y be -«W*gg£: It was estimated that tlie value of the stubble and 6.} inches o , root ptaghed under was about £4 per acre, whilst the value of the «*»»»;» "ud the roob system .w*. not loss than £7 per acre. The leoran-i . Sent into detail to show how this mos j valuable of fodder plants «»W*«? he ■■grown and wed, and stressed its I cnonnous value Among a numbero. •rstances-which he gave cf the latter.] was one relating io anEllesmere farm-) er who had four acres from which he got a return, of £29 Us p».r •rcre The lecturer drew most alluring picture of th, financial possible* in lucerne growing, »nd said 'that by ts use New Zealand lands could easily be intde capable oi carrying millions more stock than tliey carried at tne inosont time. In «;«° ltt " on .fejl™ dieted that in -Sty, 1921, the f 'Timm Herald'' would be anting of it aftei his fashion: -About the most gratify. ■j M c eight to the eye tbese days is the hicrrne crop. There is no green so .richly beautii'il.a.s..tliab.of the lucerne held; there is no harvest so absolutely a soil not exhausted, but winched to Hve "rowing of the crop; it means to ..mch addition to the world's nutriment If the water lasts, -good lucerne Innd now, will be good. lucerne tag stfli-a. mUlion years from uow without tver drawing on anything but the an for fertiliser." (Applause.) • The chairman (Mr ltawnstey> said that ir they did not know Mr .'McPherson as a thoroughly reliable man, it would be easy to imagine that thev hnd been listening to a fairy -rale. Certain it was that luctrus was a marvellous forage plant, and one calculated to greatly increase the value of their lands. ... ~ ■„- In reply to Mr Gillmgham, Mr McPherson said that the down lands of South Canterbury would readily grow liiccrne provided they were well drained, limed, and properly cultivated. Mr Richard Irving, of Albury, had demonstrated this 40- years ago, when he had grown it .most "successfully on tho Levels estate. Mr' McPherson added that it was important to grow lucerne here now, in view of the shortage of cold storage, as it would provide ample food to keep rll the stock they might be unable to iond to "the. works. Mr J. P. _ Mee said lie had grown, lucerne 21 inches apart in .the rows, but had found difficulty, with-the inter?uitivation. The trouble was to nreven* the soil from- -smothering "tho [•'ants. Mr McPherson said -that tho intercultivation should, be. slarted as soon :1s tlia plants showed in the rows; one cultivation then was as good as fourj ■later, and the plants would nob be ini«r«L The seed.should be sown thickly! • lelbs to the aero.

In reply to Mr Slocker, Mr MePher .-on said lie would never advocate sowing lucerne broadcast. "Jt should "ie ■awn iu rows, and then cultivated.. He explained how best to Heal with a pad-di-r.-k which had been broadcasted:

• In reply to Mr F, F Kc-alo, Mr Me--I'hersoh said that lucerne would ce>--liiinly penetrate the. stifF clay sub-soils if the drainage was.good. » Mr Huddiestoiife mentioned that there had bsen a very good etqjuT o 1 : iiic'erne in Avenue road, and it was on a heavy soil with clay siib-sdil. Jlr R. L. W'igl.ey suggested that it would be a good thing if-the Department would publish it: pamphlet form ilirectfo.ns for growing and harvesting lioerne.

Mr Pherson %aid thai he intended to do this. He mentioned that he know a. farmer with 40 ncrcs of lucerne in ii.e Tam worth district. (N'S- Wales) who was making over £IOOO a. Tear out of il.

On • the motion of Mr Gillingham seconded by Mr J. P. Newman, a very hearty vote of thanks was passed to Jilt- McPherson for his most instructive address. '

Mr Gillingham said tliat his father l<::d sown a small field of lucerne in New Zealand, over 40 years ago, and it was growing still. There was no doubt l.ut that it was a wonderful plant, and "i.hat if properly cultivated it should c!-mble the 'carrying capacity of the land in South Canterbury- The cultivation was the groat djfficulty.

Mr McPherson said there should be nn difficulty at nil. There was no finer land in New Zealand than tJia South Canterbury land for growm<; lucerne. * * - Mi- Newman said it was to- bo rsyrstted that more farmers had no*been present to hear the address, and it would be air ev'i-llent thing for th?» :>-strict if Mr McPherson could see his Jus way to give another address Vie-fore die Farmers' Union in Timaru. (Hear, bear.) .

Mr Rawsney said he was sure thai C.or>;i 'results would accrue- frjm thi? address-

Mr McPherson in acknowledging the vote of thanks said l»n -••or.'d be pleased in give another address before th'o farmers' Union, or to help in anv ruber way to encourage ih« "rowing of '■'••is n'est. vuliiable of all t'ofdor plants. ('Applause.)