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LUCERNE

WORLD S BEST FORAGE CROP HOW TO GROW IT Lucerne is one of the best forage crops that can be grown on the farm, and as it may be successfully grown over such a wide range of conditions in New Zealand, it certainly should be much more freely used than it is at present. It is iwt a costly crop to establish or maintain, and, in addition, works in admirably to supplement pastures A lucerne crop that has been well treated and looked after will yield up to 25 tons or more of green per acre, and this production, which can well be maintained over a period of many years, makes the cost very low indeed. Excellent Feeding Value Lucerne is particularly rich in phosphates, lime and protein, and is thus extremely valuable as a food for stock. The feeding value of well-made lucerne hay is excellent, as may be well seen in the condition of the stock that have been fed on this hay through the winter. A stand of lucerne will greatly improve the area on which it is growing. Having a very deep rootingsystem and being a legume, it will build up the fertility of the soil rather than exhaust it, although the crop itself must be suitably treated with both phosphates and generally lime during the period that it occupies the land. One of the most valuable features of lucerne is as a standby in time of drought. Because of its.deep root system, lucerne will thrive in dry conditions, where other crops fail completely. Preparation of Seed-Bed In the preparation of the seed-bed for lucerne, the cultivation should be thorough. This cultivation should not be too deep, however, for one of the secrets or success in lucerne establishment is consolidation, and a great deal can be done in the actual cultivation with the discs and harrows to bring this about. Too much cut on the discs is unnecessary, for this will 1 only bring to the surface much of the weed growth which has been turned under by the plough. The top two or three inches of the soil should be worked to germinate and destroy as much weed growth as possible Lucerne is a great lime lover, and it pays, in the North Island at least, to apply from 10 cwt. to 1 ton of car- ' bonate of lime per acre to the seedbed some time after ploughing. The lime should never be applied before ploughing. The seed bed should be worked continuously, and everything should be done to get the area fine, firm and clean to receive the seed. The roller should be used when the time of seeding is approaching, and heavy chain harrows put over the area to help form a fine tilth. Heavy Super Dressing Advisable About a fortnight before sowing the seed,, at least 3 or 4 cwt. of super should be broadcasted over the seed bed. Super is superior to any other manure for this crop, and it pays to put on a heavy dressing. At the same time lcwt. of carbonate of lime per acre, turned once or twice and allowed to lie. This is for mixing with the seed at sowing time. Immediately before sowing, the paddock should be finally rolled. In choosing the lucerne seed, the Marlborough strain should be purchased in preference to any other variety, even though other kinds may be cheaper. The Marlborough strain is ideal for New Zealand conditions, being a heavy producer and growing all the year round. Further, Marlborough lucerne grows erect from the crown and is not a low-growing, winter dormant type which is typical of many of the imported strains. Seeding The rate of seeding is from 14 to 181 b. per acre when broadcast through the top-dresser. Both methods are quite satisfactory, although there is a tendency to favour the broadcasting method, the drill being inclined to bury some of the seed too deeply, especially is the paddock is cross-drilled. Inoculation is Very Important It is of the utmost importance that the seed should be inoculated, and for that purpose the Department of Agriculture prepares at a small cost a culture which is ideal for the purpose. In order to obtain this culture, application must be made to the local Instructor of Agriculture for the district. Don’t Bury Seed Deeply After the seed has been treated with the culture and dried, it may then be mixed with the lime and super, which have been put together beforehand, and the mixture sown at the rate of 2cwt. per acre. On no account should the cultured seed be mixed with straight super, potash salt, or nitrogenous manures, but it may be safely mixed with basic slag or rock phosphates. The cultures as supplied by the Department of Agriculture will remain good for 42 days. 1 The greatest care should be taken to prevent the seed from being buried too deeply, half an inch is quite sufficient. There is little danger of this happening when the seed is broadcasted, but with drilling, all possible precautions should be taken to avoid this. The young lucerne, in its early stages, is a weakly plant, and if the seed is too deeply buried, the young, tender plant expends all its energy in forcing itself

up to the light, and cannot then hope to outgrow weeds. Everything should be done to bring the young lucerne away quickly, and after sowing, the area should be rolled and lightly harrowed with a light chain or brush harrow, so as to form a mulch. The actual time of sowing the seed depends on the district. In warmer areas, the crop may be sown in late October, but where there is a danger from late frosts, November sowings are better. Spring sowings are always preferable to the autumn, although good results may be obtained from autumn sowings. If the autumn is chosen as the most suitable time, the seed must be sown early, otherwise the young plants will be killed by the frosts. Grass—Lucerne’s Greatest Enemy In its first year the lucerne stand will invariably produce weeds as well as lucerne. This is nothing to worry about, for most of the weeds will disappear by the second season. Grass is the greatest enemy of lucerne, and should be kept out of the stand if possible. The ideal lucerne stand is never grazed and stock, particularly sheep and cattle, should not be allowed on the crop, especially during the first year. Under suitable conditions, a spring-sown stand will produce a first cut in February. The stand should be allowed to get well in flower before cutting, as this will allow the root system to develop. There is a mistaken idea amongst some farmers, that it is necessary to mow the first cut on a young stand of lucerne and let it lie. This is quite wrong. Mowing the stand early, is only necessary when the weeds are beating the lucerne. To avoid the young plants being smothered, the mower is run high over the weedy patches, but the lucerne should not be cut until it is well in flower, and that cut should be harvested for hay.

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD19341117.2.77.3

Bibliographic details

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19959, 17 November 1934, Page 15

Word Count
1,199

LUCERNE Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19959, 17 November 1934, Page 15

LUCERNE Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19959, 17 November 1934, Page 15