The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-10-04
LUCERNE OR ALFALFA,
Correspondence Cotton Plant.


We like the first name better. Wcbc
camo acquainted with this plant in on
earliest years. Our home garden ha,
tho borders on either side of the walk.
marked by rows Of luccrnc. For :
half century those rows held their owl
against all sorts of abuse. How lonl
it would have continued 10 grow there
we have no way Of telling. The ole
home, with all its tond memories, was
turned over to tho negro tenants, and
after planting the garden in cotton fo1
several years, they succeeded in get
ting rid of tho luccrnc. Father paid
sixty cents per pound for those seed.
Those rows of living green arc among
tho precious memories Of childhood.
| From this we are inclined TO think
that when we have secured set or
stand OF luccrne, we have it for a ifo-
time, or even for succeeding genera
tons. Thus is ono great point in its
favor. OF course it can be DESTROYED
by neglect or abuse, but not by culture
and use.
Paluc as Forage CROP. In point
of yield and feeding value, I.ucerno
stands ut tho head Of the list. Through
out the South 1t is green all wlntor. II
begins growing early in spring, and
with favorable seasons may be cut
| four to seven times.
1t ls particularly valuable as a green
forage crop. You begin cutting us
soon rs it is sixteen inches high. If
you cut and feed day by day, by the
| time you have gono over a few acres
it is ready TO cut again where you first
began. Used in this way, you have Il
perpetual green feed all summer and
| fall. Cows show an increased yield of
| milk and butter from the first day it
is given them. And they decrease rs
| soon as you stop the ration of luccrne,
! This will be true no matter what other
food you use. Nothing can take Its
| place in the dairy.
Good for Uuy. If desired for hay,
you begin cutting as soon as it is in
full bloom. 1t is easily cured and
makes first class hay. You can yet
from four to six cuttings az the seasons
and soil may be good or bad. On good
soil two tons per cutting is not an un-
usual yield. One and half may be
counted n safe average. So you get
from six to eight tons per acre per
season.
All stock are fond of it, Horses
and mules keep fat and hogs grow well
when fed Lucernc.
1t is not recommended for grazing
particularly. The caps which furnish
the shoots are generally above ground
and hence liable TO be bitten off by
cattle or hogs.
Where VIZ ii Grow9 We might
| say anywhere. We do not know any
other forage plant that has SO wide a
range Of climate and soil adaptation.
1t grows all over the United States.
The South seems especially suited to
lls wants. Plenty of rain rcjoccs it,,
but owing to it's deep roofing it has
wonderful power for resisting drou.h
UoO to Phmt Luccrnc. The roots
grow deeper than any other field crop,
often penetrating from seven to twelve
inches through the stiffcst clays.
Hence the soil should be broken very
deep, and narrowed very often. Twelve
to fifteen pounds of seed should then
be sown broadcast per acre and cover
lightly. The fall sowing is better. 1t
will greatly help to use four hundred
pounds per acre of acid phosphate
and kainit mixed in equal proportions.
1t will be still better if you have grown
n crop Of COW peas and cut thom for
hay. Top dressing once year with
the above or with stable manure or
both will help.
Every farmer should have a luccrne
patch or field. No farm is complete
without it. Wherever q COW is kept,
luccrnc should grow for hor. They
| should go hand and hand.
For profit and for beauty, nothing
equals Luccrnc. Fields of living
green bcautify and enrich the farm,
and help to keep the boys and girls
happy and content upon the old farm
| home.
II absolutely prevents all washing,
and leaves the soil rich.
JAMES B. UUNNICUTr.
AtIantu Ga