The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-12-29
FARMERS COLUMN.
LUCERNE.
From the Lansing Republican.

FROM the AauoluR AsOPu"'
This plant has been cultivated TO soms
extent in this country for many years II
sometimes called French clover, thougl'
is not strictly clover. 1t belongs o"
tonically to the genus Medicago, species
silva. Its greai est value is Tor Ieedlng
green To stock kept on whaf is caiieo the
e0iling systLm,- that is, the animals 90
not Craze, but have their food cut for
them. The system is, of course, specially
applicable to sections where from tue high
price of land or other causes pasturage
for stock is not readily obtained. But III
manv situations it is very convenient to
more or less stock in the stable or yard,
and also to supply additIonal food To
stock which may not obtain su1ncleAcy
by grazing.
Wherever lucerne hourIshes, it is one
of the best plants for feeding green that
can be grown. But has been often tried
where il did not succeed. 1t requires n
warm, deep, itch soil. On thin soils, and
especially those having cold, damp sub
soil. it does not thrive. IL is rather q teu-
der plant when y.unx; is easily overpoW
cred 10y weeds and does not sustain 1T
self we'll during the first season under
long droughts. Hence when sown, as it
frequently has been, with some grain
crop in the spring, great portion OF II
usually perishes in the course of the sue
ceedlng summer and winter
t. guard against such failures, 1t is
better to SOW 1t in drills, which system
admits of its being cultivated and the
weeds kept down until the lucerne roots
have struck deeply into the SOIL and TIE
tops nearly cover the service 1t there is
then good stand, the crop will keep
out all iutruders and grow very fast. We
have cut 1t four times in the season 1t was
sown. the growth vt each cutting being
more than loot in length All grazing
animals appear to like it better then any
other green tod Even swine eat it with
more avdity than they eat clover, and
thrive better on it.
The idea has been commonly entertsiL-
ed that lucerne is not we'll adopted to sit
uations where the winters are very cold.
But the writer saw on the farm OF Fred.
VIM. Stone, E O., near Guelph, Province
of Ontario, the past season, . neld OF III
cerne of three years standing, which was
very strsng. On the goth of May II mao
grown to the height of u foot on the aver
wye. On the farm of Mr. Walcott q
Campbell, New York Mills, Oneida coun-
ty, New York, it has been successfully
cultivated FIR several years. Mr. Glh-
son, the farm manager, states that ne has
cut field If it the past season i've times,
the aggregate growth being nine feet in
length IN letter lately received from
Mr.. G. he makes soIAe remarks on tue
vafue of lucerne as compared with green
corn fodder. The following la extract
Although l agree With you in regard
to corn todd,r, go "a little further, and
say that when it is grown very thick ana
fed early,-thaG is, before it is in full tas-
sei,-lt is the poorest green feed ever
used. In it's very best stage 1t IS not 50
cool as lu1erne. That has bcen my ex-
perlence have no object IN speaking
So highly of lucerne except that of lnduc
Ing rsons who wish to soil stock to give
it, n trial. 1t can be cut four or i've times
year. This season cut 1t five times.
BY giving a coat Of manure in the tall
1t will keep in the ground four or hse
years, nsequently saving the expense q
plpwiAg, seeding, ETC., every year.