Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-07-05
From the Southern Honl'
LUCERNE.

GEN. HILL have succeeded very we'll
with Lucerne. Many of your patrons have
requested me to give my plan of culture,
through the Southern Home:
The selection of land is very important. I
prefer deep, rich loan, neither clay nor san
dy land, but what the plow boys call "poshy
land"-sticks to the pIow. 1t must be far
enough from the barn that the chickens and
other fowls may not find it; must be at least
thirty yards from green tree of any kind !;
will not grow near roots; old clover land
will not answer. The clover lives on she same
food that lucerne wants, and it is exhausted
Also, the clover will come up with it and
choke it out. prefer land that has been
worked in Irish potatoes for number of years.
If that is not convenient, 60 into the wheat
field in June, select the richest lot, as we'll as
loose, soft land, turn the stubble after apply.
ing twenty-five wagon loads of stable manure
(two hundred pounds per load,) to the acre.
AS soon as the grass and weeds come up, plow
again, with a narrow bulltongue Contrive
to plow after each rain until all the seed, both
grass and weeds, have been brought to the
surface, sprouted and killed.
The first good turnip season in August,
(prefsr the first week in August,) SOW ten
pounds to the acre, after the ground has been
thoroughly plowed and narrowed, until you
have good seed bed eighteen inches deep.
Cover with a light brush. During August
and September, the young plant must be
watched, and if attacked by grasshoppers,
top dress, while wet, with ashes, lime, silicate
or ammoniated guano. There is no more
trouble to get a stand than of turnips, ifsown
at the same time, only the land must be much
richer. The young plant will grow ten or
twelve inches the first fall, but must not be
cut nor grazed.
The next year cut as often as you can with
a good Dutch scythe. Cutting often makes
the root strong, and hence more branches
from the crown.
The first year you will get from three to
FIVE cuttings eighteen to thirty inches,
each time. After the first year, you can get
from six to eight cuttings, thirty inches.
Messrs. Burwell & Springs, furnish fine
seed from 40 to go cents per pound. One
acre will furnish more horse feed than ten of
the best millet, clover, corn or oats.
In the last FIVE years have fed my horses,
from the first of April till near frost, on moth
ing except green Lucerne, (cut twice week
and hauled to the barn. except during a
long drought 1t don't grow fast.
l will compare my stock at any time with
cornsd stock that have the same hard work
to do. For hay nothing is better. Cures
quick and bright-no lost leaves all stay on.
Six hours sun will cure it. One acre is
enough for ten horses or mules-will keep fat
all summer without any corn. In fact, stock
that have enough Lucerne will not eat corn,
fodder or clover, but must have access to salt
daily.
Suppose it costs one hundred dollars to pre-
pare and SOW one acre, you get your money
back every year, with interest. Although
the crop taken off is very heavy, don't con-
slider it a great exhauster, as it roots very
deep into the subsoil as we'll as feeds from
the atmosphere. I have made this plant a
study for years, and think that | can answer
any important questions on the culture. Eve
ry farmer should have lucerne lot.
w. A. D.