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IA NEW FODDER PLANT.

The Lathyrus Silvestris.

Important to Settlers throughout the Colony.

We are indebted to tho Town Clork (Mr Purnoll) for a copy of tho following letter, which explains itself : — Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, sth Juno, }891.

I am directed by the Hon. Ministor of Agriculture to forward herewith a small packet of seed of the " Lathy rus Silvostris," a new fodder plant, together with som<) directions for sowing tho same, and some information as to its uses and advantagos. Tho Minister hopes that you will be sufficiently intereated in the matter to sow the seed and raise tho plants, and, if they succord, to distribute tho seeds to settlers who may wish to havo them. Tho Ministor would bo pleated if you will inform him what success you moot with in raising tho plants, aud any other particulars that may be of intorost. Tho London agent for tho seed is F. E. Clotton, 258 High Holborn, London, W.C , and tho price in London is £2 2s ncr lb. I havo tho honor to bo, Sir, Your Obediont Servant, S. Peso? Smith, Seoretary Crown Lands.

Instructions for Planting the Lathyrus.

Boforo tho plants are put into the land, tho toil should bo thoroughly dug up or ploughed with a subsoil plough some 15in to llin deop, then well harrowed, so that it becomes as loose and spongy as possible. The plants should be dibbled in 12in apart, in rows 12m apart, cliafc is ]2in apart oach way, and put in sufficiently deop so as to allow the crown of the root to be covered up overhead with about Jin to lin of soft soil. The deeper and better the land is piepared at the Btart, tho hotter tho crop results. It is not required to manure the soil previous to planting, but, of course, it goes without naming that on a poor soil the application of somo manuro always to be applied previous to planting, and most udvdntugeously while preparing tho soil — about scwt of kuinit and sewt of superpbosphato well mixed, por acre, have been found to answer woll — will greatly insist to strengthen tho young roots, and to increase the crops. As no further manuring will ovor be reqmired afterwards, such a firjfc outlay is, of course, woll spent, though not necoßsary.

3UBBBN SANDHILLS AND DBIFISAND.

Professor Wagner had already some years ago direcred the attention of the Prussian Minister of Agriculture to the importance of thiß plant for the immense area of barren sandhills along the coast of Northern Germany, and pointed out that it would prove a far superior moans for bringing these vast wastes under profitable and permanent cultivation than pine and fir trees.

Little faith was, however, put in that statement until its correctness had been incontestably proved on a large Pomeranian estate, tho ownor of whioh had for years, at heavy expense, endeavoured to successfully grow on his sandhills pine and fir trees, but had utterly failed on account of the sand ever shifting as also containing a very large percentage of lime. Indeed the BUCOOBB of tho Lathyrus sihetiris has been co phenomenal in this particular instance that it played no little part ia making the German Agricultural Society atd tho Prussian Ministor of Agriculture so anxious in their endeavours to seouro Professor Wagner's seed crop. On breaking through dried roots of the Lathyrus grown on these sandhills they were found to contain between the bark and the marrow a stiff layer of almost pure fibrous lime, a fact, I may say, which many scientists and f armeri here would not credit, until they had convincod thomeelvcß of its correctness with their own eyes from several such root specimens in my collection. This may be accepted as conclusive proof that the Lathyrus silvestris does not only grow luxuriantly on Bandy soil, which is too woak to carry lucerno, as for instanco in the Now England States, but also that it thrives even on sandhills and eaady coast lands, which are so much oharged with limo and so subject to shift and drift, that not even fir and pine trees permanently succeed there, and star-grass loadi only a precarious oxistenco.

It may safely be said that the Lathyms silvestris has been found to be pre-emi-nently the plant for cultivation on game preserves and arid moors, as it affords after tho second year not only the most effective protection to the birds, but also the most nourishing and abundnnt food. In order to cultivate the Lathyrus to beat advantage for aforesaid purposes, the soil on the preserves or moors must be thoroughly dug up or ploughed np with a. subsoil plough some ISm to 18in deop, freed of all weeds and well harrowed ; in fact loosened and cleaned as much as possible previous to sowing in spring. The seed must in this case be sown more closely than if intended for growing forage, that is, in ridges 9in apart from one anothor, these ridges to be ljin to 2m deep, which have to be covered up after sowiuf! with about lin of soft soil and then rolled, and fully 601 bof seed are needed per imperial standard acre. During the first year they produce very little upper growth, which in mo3t cases has bosides a rather weak and blighted appearance, but the young roots are meanwhile striking down all the deeper and grow the stronger. During the second year, however, they develop very strongly and densely, and produce already a fair quantity of Beed, averaging some 250 ib per acre. Winged game of every kind, prrticularly pheasants, grouse and partridges, aro Boon attracted, and creeping under the dense upper growth rovol in the picking up of tho seed. It is advisable to allow the upper growth to remain intact during autumn and winter following, and in spring of tho third year now shoots coon graw up and break through tho dry old ones.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WH18910625.2.9

Bibliographic details

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 7448, 25 June 1891, Page 2

Word Count
993

IA NEW FODDER PLANT. Wanganui Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 7448, 25 June 1891, Page 2

IA NEW FODDER PLANT. Wanganui Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 7448, 25 June 1891, Page 2