LUCERNE ENSILAGE.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 3, 15 March 1913, Page 315

LUCERNE ENSILAGE.

In the month of December, 1911, a stack of ensilage was made from lucerne at the Moumahaki Experimental Farm, nothing being mixed with the lucerne for the purpose, though at the time there was a good proportion of sow-thistle growing in the crop. It was impossible at the time to make hay, owing to the very unfavourable weather; indeed, the silage was made in practically continuous rain. The stack, weighted merely with earth, was not disturbed till January of this' year. When opened it was found that the material was as green as when stacked, while the aroma was excellent. Stock took it very readily, and it provided excellent succulent fodder in the dry months of the season. The weight of silage per cubic foot was 60 lb.

' ' Ruakura Rust-resistant Oat. —Reporting on the progress of the Marton experimental plots,'the Farmers’.' Union Advocate says, v The experiment where two or three rows of various kinds of oats were sown together with the rust-resistant oat in the middle is very interesting; It is not, however, very convincing, because there is so little rust on any of them. There is scarcely any on the Algerian, none on the rust-resistant, and little on any of the others. A friend who has just visited Moumahaki Farm says that-a similar experiment is being tried there, and the result is very marked. Rust is bad on nearly all the others, whereas Green’s Ruakura oat does not show a speck. 'This is very satisfactory, and if it proves a better-looking oat than the Algerian will be of great . value. Curiously enough, the Ruakura oat is ready for cutting, whereas the others are all green.” . . ■