LUCERNE-CULTIVATION.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XII, Issue 3, 20 March 1916, Page 202

LUCERNE-CULTIVATION.

A. McTAGGART,

M.S. A., Agriculturist

The experience of Australia and of other parts of the world in the growing of lucerne emphasizes the importance of systematic cultivation. The best growers regard good . cultivation as essential to success with this greatest of forage crops. The lucerne-plant penetrates deeply into the soil in a perpendicular manner, hence

repeated and deep cultivation with the proper implement cannot injure the crop, but rather, on the contrary, it greatly improves it. Such tillage, while creating ideal conditions for the thriving of the lucerne-plant, effectively removes weeds and all other growths of a shallow-rooting nature. Clean fields ensure an unchecked growth of every stalk, while the. unrestricted penetration, of light and sunshine naturally promotes a vigorous development of succulent leaf. The stirring of the soil by use of the cultivator admits air, and this bestirs to renewed. activity the minute beneficial bacteria, which ■ are of primary importance to fertility.

Knowing the importance of the cultivation of lucerne, the irrigation authorities of the State of Victoria conducted at Tongala a competition with a view to ' ascertaining which implement gave the best practical results.' The Sunshine rigid-tine cultivator was awarded first place. The points most considered by the judges who made the award were lightness of draught, thoroughness of soil-cultivation, destruction of weeds, simplicity of structure, and least injury to crop. The twelve-tine • size cultivator of this make that was used in the trials was easily drawn by three medium draughts ; it cut out practically all trefoil, grass, and weeds without unduly damaging the lucerne; and it stirred the soil throughly to a fine tilth. During a visit. paid recently to . Australia by the writer he inspected the Central Research Farm at Werribee, near Melbourne. While there his attention was drawn to this useful implement, which gave excellent results in the renovating of lucerne, particularly in soils inclined to bake soils characteristic of the Werribee Farm. The Sunshine rigid-tine cultivator is manufactured at Sunshine, Melbourne, by the firm of H. G. Mackay, maker. of the famous Sunshine harvester. The cultivator is made in > various sizes, or in such a manner that it can be extended, thus meeting the needs of. all farmers, large and small. Built mainly of steel, it possesses great structural strength without being heavy or awkward. The main beam, which ensures the accurate working of all the other parts, is. of stout section steel. To this the reversible stub axles are bolted, and. also the front frame of angle steel, which bears the pull of the tines. So strong is the principle of construction employed that there is no possibility of important details twisting or sagging whilst at work. Since the tines serve such an important function in the cultivator, they are made of spring steel, wrought to a hollow shape, and tempered, enabling them to withstand* both direct and side strains to an exceptional degree. The tines used for renovating lucerne can readily be removed, and replaced by duck-foot points for the effective cultivation of fallow.

The following are the prices asked in Australia for the implement in its various sizes : Sixteen tines, 6 ft. 3 in. wide, £22 10s. ; twelve tines, 5 ft. wide, £l9 10s. ; ten tines, 3 ft. 10 in.. wide, £l3 ios. ; eight tines, 3 ft. 4 in. wide, £l2.

As lucerne is a crop which bids fair to play an important part in the agricultural economy of New Zealand, and as the -keeping of the crop clean is perhaps the chief problem connected with its establishment in this country, the advent of a specially effective

cultivator (judging from the extensive trials to which the implement has been subjected in various parts of Australia) must be viewed with satisfaction. For autumn cultivation of lucerne, to provide a growth to carry it through. the winter well ; and again for early spring cultivation, to pulverize the soil and to destroy weeds, the introduction of such an implement at this season of the year would be timely.