Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-03-14
LUCERNE.

Alfalfa, as 1t Is called III SpanlSn, or Eng.
lish, Lucerne, (Medicago satira) has been
known from the time of Darius. 1t was trans.
planted from Persia to Greece about 500 years
B. C. TWAS extensively cultivated in Eu-
rope, and especially in the South of France,
as forage plant, but am persuaded that its
value is not as fully understood and apprecia-
ted as it should be in the South.
l have experimental, for the last eight
years, with Red Clover, Orchard Grass, Hun.
garan Grass, Cor German Milet) and Lu'
cerne. place the latter at the head Of all.
1t gives greater amount of green food or
hay, than any other plant we have. and with
the least trouble after the first year. am
satisfied that Lucerne cannot be excelled for
soilng purposes. 1t has helped ME wonder
fully, more than any other grass, for carrying
out the plan of soiling, which l adopted sew.
eral years ago.
1t is we'll relished by all kinds of stock
both green and dry, and is exceedingly nutri-
tious.
In some respects it is decidedly superior to
red clover, as in being perennial, and conse:
quently remaining long in the soil, one seed
will last for ten years or more, producing good
and profitable crops. When once fully estab.
lished it will yield heavy crops, and may be
cut, if on rich soil, once month. have cut
it as often as eight times in one season. Its
Weld commences much earlier than clover and
continues later in the season.. 1t stands the
winter better than clover. Drought does not
seem to affect it. In the dryest of weather,
when all other vegetation is dropping, Lucerne
will be fresh and green.
It's effect is to improve the soil rather than
exhaust it, since it sends its long fusiform roots
into the subsoil. Its roots have been known
to reach four feet down in the ground. 1t is
we'll known fact that all leguminous, broad
leaf plants derive also large portion OF their
nutriment from the atmosphere, while the lux
uriant foliage serves to shade the soil and thus
increase fertility.
We would urge every one of our readers,
who has Il horse, COW or pig, to prepare a
small piece of ground and seed down in Lu-
cerne at once. The seed can be had at any
of the drug stores in Charlotte. I have or
dered some lately for some parties from Will
son & Black, Charlotte, at fifty cents pound.
Nine years ago l paid eighty cents per pound.
To succeed in growing Lucerne, soil nel.
tber too light nor too stiff should be selected,
very heavily manured, broken up very deep,
if possible subsoiled, and rendered mellow by
successive blowing and narrowing. Lucerne
may be sown either in drills or broadcast, with
or without grain. Twelve pounds of seed are
required for one acre if drilled, and twenty
pounds if sown broadcast
| have succeeded best in sowing in the spring,
from the middle to the last of March, in drills
at distance of sixteen inches apart, covering
The seeds lightly. The cultivation Of Lucerne
is somewhat more difficult than that Of any
other grass the first year.
The plants are very tender the first year,
and weeds are very injurious, and crowd out
the young plants, which are slow in starting.
For this reason, sowing in drills is to be re-
commended, as the hoe or cutivator can then
be used. As soon as the young plants are a
few inches high, they should be weeded care
fully, and the intervals kept clean. This
wedding and cleaning should be done several
times during the season.
Lucerne should be cut as soon as it blooms,
since, if left longer, the stalks become woody,
if cut much before, it is watery and in nutri'
tous. One or two cuttings may be obtained
the first season on rich soil, thoroughly mel.
lowed, and prepared by careful tillage, cult
waited clean until the plants are we'll set.-
Rev. A. l.. SLOUGH, in Shelby Banner.
ns% Nip, one of the two chimpaazees or man
monkeys recently brought to this country
from Africa, died in the New York aquarium,
Friday of quick consumption. This couple
were the first that have ever been brought to
this country alive. 1t was not believed when
they arrived that either one could live long
Coming from the southern part of Africa
where the thermometer varies hardly half a
dozen degrees during the entire year, it was
thought that this variable climate would soon
kill them. On the second. day after their ar
rival, the male seemed uneasy and feverlsh
and had slight cough. Drs Gayler and
Dornor gave him medicine literally. All
through his illness he was like child. When
he died the female showed unmistakable signs
of grief. She has cough.
B9- Maryland is about to relax its usury law
A bill permitting higher rate of interest
than six per cent on special contracts tol
loans of money has been passed to third
reading in the House of Delegates, and i:
| 1ika1v m hpcoma law