LUCERNE EXPERIENCE.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XVIII, Issue 4, 21 April 1919, Page 213

LUCERNE EXPERIENCE.

The several notes which follow deal with experience in certain localities, soils, or situations where, lucerne-growing is still more or less in the trial or initial stage.

IN THE LOWER CLUTHA VALLEY

The suitability of the lower Clutha Valley. for lucerne-growing has been well demonstrated by one of the Department’s original co-opera-tive lucerne test-acres laid down some years ago on Mr. G. Anderson’s farm, at Clutha Island, a locality which was recently visited by very severe floods. The area- was sown in December, 1912, and despite adverse weather conditions the lucerne on the whole made a good start in its first season. Of the four divisions into which the area was divided for test purposes the plot with lime and inoculated soil did best; that with inoculated soil alone came second ; the plot with lime alone was patchy ; in the untreated plot the plants were thin and backward, although- very even in growth. Although the stand eventually evened up it was demonstrated that on this land it would be well to dress with both lime and inoculated soil before seeding. The untreated soil sown with lucerne would in time become inoculated, but to secure an early and reliable stand both liming and pre-inocula-; tion should be practised. The area, which was sown broadcast, has up to the present had no cultivation given to it. Three cuts have been taken off the stand each season. About two years ago the lucerne i appeared sickly, and, thinking it was dying out, Mr. Anderson in thefollowing ~winter carted and fed turnips to stock on the ground, with, the idea of ploughing up the stand later. To his surprise, however, the lucerne came away better than before, and the stand was allowed to remain. This treatment was rough, but the stock very probably trampled and killed aggressive grasses and weeds and to some extent manured the ground. In any case the lucerne is still thriving. A further small area of lucerne was sown in the autumn of last year, under Mr. W. J. McCulloch’s advice, on the property of Mr. Fazackerly, Clutha Island, and this is also growing remarkably well. The opinions of departmental officers concerned may be here quoted: —- Mr. W. J. McCulloch, Fields Instructor, Invercargill - (in whose district- the 'Clutha Valley is comprised): “I firmly believe that the farmers along the Clutha River banks are missing a great opportunity in not attempting to establish lucerne more generally. The land on which both the plots in question are situated is in every way similar to many hundreds of acres in that district.”

Mr. A. Macpherson, Fields -Instructor, Christchurch (under whose original direction the lucerne on Mr. Anderson’s farm was established): “I have always held the opinion that the Clutha.had a most suitable soil for producing lucerne to perfectionthat is, where the land is not liable to be flooded over for any length of time. Farmers would do well, in view of the present uncertainty of the rape and turnip crops, to pay more attention to this valuable forage plant.”

Mr. A. H. Cockayne, Biologist : “ The point of importance in regard to this test, apart from the effect of winter-feeding stock on the area, is that lucerne is likely, to be a success on the silt deposits of the Lower Clutha. I have always thought that such country, well supplied as it is with potash from the broken-up mica-schist of the interior, should prove valuable for lucerne. The success of this experimental area emphasizes the general suitability of river flood-plain land for lucernegrowing.” •

LUCERNE AT SOMES ISLAND.

. In the Journal for April, 1918, an account was given of the layingdown and first season's growth of an area of lucerne at Somes Island Quarantine-station; where the clay soil and the formation are fairly typical of the hills round Wellington. In this case the ground was limed and manured, but no inoculated soil was used. After the final cut had been made last season the ground was hand-hoed between the rows in May, and another hoeing was given in August, the latter cultivation being preceded by a dressing of phosphate manure. . The lucerne came away well in the spring and has made excellent growth during the season, five cuts of average length having been taken. The lucerne is established in three. separate ■ areas of varying aspects but similar soil. No appreciable difference has been noticed between the growth of the' two varieties —Marlborough and Hunter River.

The lucerne forage has been very useful and acceptable for feeding to quarantined stock on the island.

LUCERNE ON PUMICE-DEPOSIT COUNTRY.

At the time of the Tarawera eruption, in 1886, a large extent of country, in the neighbouring Bay of Plenty district was ' covered by a deposit of wind-borne pumice or ash ejected from the volcano. There are thousands of acres of this class of land more or less in fern and scrub which , could be easily, cleared and ploughed. With a view to testing the suitability of the land for lucerne-growing the Department has laid down a quarter-acre plot at the rabbiter's camp, Te Teko, Whakatane County. As will be seen from the following particulars supplied by Mr. R. Rowan, Fields Instructor, Auckland, the results so far are very promising. In the 1917-18 season the landwhich consists of coarse pumice soil on a stratum of black loam lying from 12 in. to 18 in. below the surface —was in maize, turnips, and kumaras. . To prepare it for lucerne it was ploughed in July, 1918, and 5 cwt. of carbonate of lime sown and harrowed in a few days later. At the end of October the ground was disk-harrowed and rolled twice, being well consolidated. On 18th November the plot was sown down in drills 21 in. apart, the seed being mixed with a total of | cwt. of superphosphate, | cwt. of bonedust, and 50 lb. of inoculated soil, in two lots—part Marlborough and part Hunter River variety. The seedling plants appeared above ground on 2nd December, and by 10th January had grown to a height of 4 in. to 6 in., the take being a fair one, but colour uneven. A good deal of fern, sorrel, and other 'weeds were now showing, and the plot was cleaned by intercultivation with a horse implement and hand-weeding. By 24th January the plants had grown to 8 in. to 12 in. high, with improved colour. Early in March the lucerne commenced ’to flower, was leafy, and in good healthy condition generally, with young shoots appearing. -The height was rather uneven, averaging 2 ft. 6 in., and running up to. 3 ft. 4 m. The plot was very clear of foreign growths. On 10th March the crop was mowed for the first time. The -test has attracted considerable attention, and the future development of the stand will be watched with interest.

High Schools Camp at Ruakura. — By arrangement with the Department of Agriculture a very successful camp course, covering about a week, was held at the Ruakura Farm of Instruction last month for senior boys from the district high schools of the Auckland Provincial District. The schools of Taumarunui, Tauranga, Te Kuiti, Cambridge, Rotorua, Matamata, Paeroa, Waihi, Coromandel, Pukekohe, and Aratapu all sent contingents, a total of sixty boys being present. A very practical programme in close association with the varied activities of the Ruakura establishment was carried out in the daytime, while in. the evening lectures on agricultural subjects of general interest were given. The ..camp was in charge of agricultural instructors of the Auckland Education Board—Messrs. W. Hudson, J. Stevenson, and F. R. Callaghan —each of whom dealt with sections of the course. Considerable assistance was also given by members of the farm staff.