The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-03-06
how TO GROW LUCERNE.
IT IS THE MOST NUTRITIOUS OF ALL
CULTIVATED FORAGE CROPS.
1t Requires Careful Treatment. but
Pays Better Than any Other Plant
Livery Owner OF stock Should
Have 1t.
Cotton Plant.

Cotton Plant.
wish to plant An acre OF Lucerne, and
would be glad If you would publish In next
issue of THE COTTON PLANT q piece about the
planting, cultivating and fertilizing OF Lu-
Lucerne is the most nutritious of oil cultl-
waited forage crops, and It's product per acre is
greater than that Of any of the grasses. In
that It is not generally grown by the farmers
of the South, accounted for only by general
want Of knowledge Of It's value. AS Il nutri-
tious plant for all kinds OF stock, including
poultry. IL stands at the head of the list, con-
tuining all the elements of food IN almost per-
feet proportions. 1t Is splendid milk and
ue srns m 6e eedns of S
only a half or third ration Of grain Is necessa-
ry; and for hogs it Ia superior to clover or
other green feed, containing US It Goes plen'
teous proportion of fat producing elements.
1t contains also large per centage OF album
enoid principles, which support and develop
the muscles Of animals and promote rapid
and healthy growth.
From four to five tons of most excellent Lu
cerne Hay can be grown on an acre In sea-
son, the crop reaching It's heaviest yields after
the second and third years. It's greatest val
ue, however, is as green food, and should be
allowed TO wilt one day before use. 1t should
be cut Immediately before the blossoms open,
as II becomes fibrous and woody soon AFTER
| that stage, and conseq uently less digestible.
| SOWING AND CULTIVATION.
Lucerne being perennial plant it will pay
| to TAX the greatest and most expensive pains
with 1t ut the start. In fact 1T will not res.
pond TO anything short Of the best ,prepara-
tion and fertilization. The soil should be al
poor land will suffice, as the Lucerne must
have an abundance OF very soluble and inn
9edate!y available plant food when nj y0png .baE
oughly rich first, and then SOW the seed. a
matter of very. great Importance, too, Is TO
have the land free Of the seeds OF weeds and
/ hoo trtll q n
young and delicate Lucerne plants. and XIII
them out before they can acquire much
growth Of root. 1t Is better, therefore, to pre-
| cede Lucerne with clean cultivation and high
manuring with stable manure that Is thor
oughly rotted and with fertilizers that con-
tain great deal Of phosphoric acid, potash
and lime. Lucerne does not require an am
moniated fertilizer, since 1t is known to ab-
sorb more ammonia from the atmosphere
than any other plant. Following clean culti-
| vatian and lavish manuring, Lucerne, If sown
Der after the most thorough pulverization of
the soil. The land most suitable for IT, how
ever. as above suggested--that already rich
and melow-will not require expensive prep
| aration. The best soil for 1t is rich, deep,
loam-a loan being soil containing about
| 10 per cent. ofsand. Stiff clays and especial.
ly such as have very compact waxy subsoil
longevity OF the plant and the great depth to
which Its roots extend, sometimes to 10 feet
more in porous SOL a and rarey Less ai than @
be, it should be broken deeply and subsoiled,
but the subSoil should only be stirred and not
turned up. If sown in spring 1t is generally
better to SOW In drills 10 inches apart, so as TO
admit of cultivation with the hoe, or even
with the plow, in order to keep down weeds
and grass. II the land Is clean and free OF the
seeds Of these, however. 1t may be sown
broadcast a in sPring as well as ia tne Tnvy
mentioned. Mr.. Alexander McBee. tr:, OF
Greenville. has a remarkably fine patch Of
Lucerne, with a.perfect stand, producing lux
uriant cuttings three times year, which was
sown broadcast In February. The time for
the spring sowing of Lucerne Is In February
or March. During the first year the main
consideration should be the preservation of
The securing permanent and regular
stand. To do this 1t may be necessary to NOW
the crop before 1T Is ripe enough for ordinary
cutting, In order to prevent the seeding OF
10 the injury OF the Lucerne. When mown
the Lucerne will soon start again, while many
of Its enemies will not. The exact course 70
pursue In questions like this must be decided
upon by the grower, who is on the spot and
can judge for himself Our judgment is In IA
vor of drilling the seed In spring planting.
ard working the crop until 1t gets good
start pulling out weeds and grass from among
the plants early With good stand In rows
Is to Is inches apart Lucerne will cover the
entire soil the second year and the rows will
disappear.
From Is to % pounds OF seed Is required to
sow an acre, the greater quantity for broad
casting. In drilling by hand there is great
danger OF putting in more seed than Is neces-
covered with the tooth harrow, brush or rake,
not more than half inch deep. The plants
are very delicate and tender at termination.
and II covered deeper than q half inch many
Of them will never push through,
Under good conditions and with favorable |
seasons Lucerne may furnish n good cutting |
the first year, even sown in the spring, but we |
iterate what Is said above, that the chief con-
0f the farmer Iurinp this first |
should be the protection Of the crop from Its |
natural enemies and lis permanent establish. |
ment in the soil. Once this accomplished Lu-
cerne will hold It's own against the attacks OF
weeds and grass, and will produce about three
good cuttings year for twenty years or lon.
The longevity of Lucerne Is not fully set
tied. The late Mr.. Howard, of Georgia, gives
It life Of ten or fifteen years, while DR.
lege, tells of plats OF it known to have been |
growing for over thirty-fve years, without !,
any marks of decline.
Considering the great value of Lucerne and
It's permanency when once we'll established,
there can be no question about its profitable
ness. Every farmer ought 10 have patch OF
1t, If only the fourth OF an acre. AS 1t Is |
crop that demands the utmost care at the
start 1t would be far better to begin with only |
n small plat and increase yearly than TO un-
dertake a field of 1t without the conditions
essential to It's successful culture. If the soil
Is at all disposed to remain wet and sobby af-
ter rains 1t should be we'll drained, as Lucerne |
will not stand continued moisture.
Lucerne is an aristocrat among plants and
will not tolerate common abode, common |
fare or careless treatment But 1t pays well
for Its living.
The WorId.Budget Company.
Perhaps no enterprise of any Southern
newspaper has ever met with the favor that
has been accorded the latest plan OF THE