The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-10-19
FARMER ANDPLANTER.
GREEN MANuRINo.
Tho valuo Of Lucerne ~ . Fertilixinc
AVAoew

Agency.
How can plants increase the fertility
OF the soil? In two ways. One by add
ing to it that part of themselves which
they obtain from the air. and the 9TH
err by searching many feet into the
ground with their roots and bringing
to the surface the chemicals and fer
tilizing materials stored there, and |
filtered from the surface for ages.
This Is lucerne's method of benefit |
Ing the soil. This letter, from prac-
tical farmer, SO completely explains |
and answers every point and question, |
that we feel we can not add TO it.
"In September. 1894. wrote a short
article about lucerne Ihave received
letters concerning it from all parts of
the country. and at the request Of my
friends all over the Union. will talk
little more about lucerne, its habits,
uses and culture. Lucerne will grow
on any land that will produce wheat,
corn or potatoes, and will thrive on
many lands that none of these will
grow on. especially very light sand or
gravel, though it does well on clay.
But 1t will not grow on any land that
the water stands within one foot OF
the surface, and there is no use in SOW
ing it in an nllsnli that is strong enough
Though particular about wet land,
1t will stand any amount OF
wet in the summer, as long as there is
plenty OF drainage. 1t will also stand
all the water in the winter that may
fall in the shape of rain, or snow that
may melt It is a very quick grower,
and will mature the first crop in about
two months from the time that growth
commences The second crop will ma
ture in about six weeks from cutting,
and the third in about Ave weeks from
cutting of The second. The second
crop is the heaviest, but the first is
little the best feed, as it grows little
longer than the others. 1t will
yield about on an average of six tons
per acre. and ] have known it to pro-
duce double that quantity. 1t is a
perennial of the clover tribe, but;will
outyield it two to one, makes just as
good feed, and has q great advantage
over the clover, for it never falls down,
but stands up straight
Slowing best method is to SOW
broadcast about fifteen pounds per
mere where the land is in good condi-
tion, buto very weedy land or clear
gravel, or sand that is very poor, put
about three pounds more. You can not
get any crop from it the first year, but
do not get discouraged If, the plants
ure on on average ten inches apart
little, Slim single stems about foui
to six inches high. Your prospect
Is good that you will get fcui
tons per acre next year, and the nex'
it will be as good as ever it will. ant
stand that way for ten years. 1t j.
best to SOW with grain. Oats are tho
best; thus you will lose no time bu
can have crop from your land every
year. In fact it docs better to have i
shaded when young. Sow at the same
time that you do spring grain.
s'Cu1tiyation. Where there Is plent.
Of rain there is no cultivation needed
for it would be unwise to manure it
as it thrives fully as well on washes
sand as will on the best garden
spot, but in few years it viii
make clear sand n rich land, ow
ing to the decay of the root. Tn
roots will sink themselves for dis
lance Of ten to twenty feet straigh
down. They are about one and a hal
inches In diameter. and fully one-hal
Of that root decays every year from tn
ontside, and keeps growing large
from the center every year.
ut should be cut when in full bloom
A little old is better than too younl
when the bloom is ready to fall of
not too late. Do not cut too much q
once, for IL you allow rain to come o
your hay after 1t is cut. it will not
worth more than one-half f
feed, and win be entirely wortl
less for market Heavy dew
are not good either. Rake I'M
windrows II cut with q moving. M
chine, and let dry until it begins
let the leaves fall when handle
roughly. then pick it up and l9nit
piles, just one forkfull in pile
cure. Do not roll it together or
will not load easily, then you wi
have to pull 1t to pieces thus losir
one-half OF the leaves BY followir
nv directions you can put each I
pcrfectly clean Mt one fork-fuil, al
not waste time nor my of the leave
But right here let me warn "
against condemning it as a worthle
lot OF sticks until you try your hors'
and cows, and see them clean up Z
sticks before they do the leaves The
are not many animals that tai
to it when dry, without having it
their manager for a few days with OF
er hay; but in a few days you will s
the grass hay left while the lucerne
cleaned up A ton of lncerne win n
60 quite as far as ton of timothy.
not let hungry cattle get on it VIII
green, especially when wet for it W
bloat them, which is apt to result