LUCERNE NOTES.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XIII, Issue 3, 20 September 1916, Page 232

LUCERNE NOTES.

A lucerne plot coming to its second spring, provided the plants are abundant, should never be given up as a failure until the land has been well cultivated and a check given to the growth of weeds. The lucerne may be injured if it is handled too roughly, but it will be found a hard plant to kill by surface cultivation.

Before sowing, lucerne it is essential, that the seed-bed be, in good tilth, and also firm. The seed must not be buried at all deeply. Inoculated soil should not be exposed to a hot sun, and preferably should be distributed on a cloudy day, and immediately lightly disked or well harrowed in. Land intended for lucerne should invariably be rolled with a Cambridge roller before broadcasting or drilling the seed. Those anxious to sow this season on land already limed and prepared, but where difficulty from weeds is . anticipated, might ' with ~ ‘advantage drill in 28 in. " drills and intercultivate. This would probably result in the establishment of a crop, and would • most likely - accomplish the inoculation of the soil, while the interspaces would be cleaned from weeds. If these interspaces were drilled into yin. drills or broadcasted about January or very early in . the autumn directly after the. crop had been cut, a full stand might probably be obtained before' the advent of winter. It may be taken as a general principle that although in districts such as parts of Hawke’s Bay, &c., early sowing may be necessary on account of the likelihood of a dry spring, still usually it is a faulty practice to sow before the soil has become thoroughly warm and a rapid growth can be counted upon. Weeds grow in cold weather, but newly sown lucerne does not. When the young plants are up they should be carefully watched, and as soon as ever they are rooted sufficiently to stand a fair pull a light harrow should be passed over the land to cripple, if not to kill, the surface weeds. By so doing much afterwork may be saved.

The clipping of young lucerne when about 9 in. high is not always advisable. Personally, provided the land is clean and the lucerne-plants are healthy and making vigorous growth, I would not cut it until the small white spurs at the crown of the plants are formed. These are the provision for the next growth, and they are usually present when about 10 per cent, of the plants are in flower. If, however, the land is weedy and a hard crust has been formed on the surface of the soil, and. the plants are weak and sickly, clipping not too low, followed by a light harrowing, may be beneficial. — G. de S. Baylis, Fields Supervisor.