Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/151

131&#93; LUC somtitimes grows naturally in mea- dows, pastures, and onditch-banksj flo'A'ers in the months ot June and July. — It was introduced from France into Britain, about the mid- dle of the l/th century, Lucern thrives best in deep, rich, friable loams, whether they abound in sand or gravel ; as well as in all good dry soils, and in the coldest climate. As the luxuriance of its crops depends entirely on keeping the soil clear from weeds, this cir- cumstance ought to be particularly attended to, while the plant is young. The laud ought, therefore, to be previously cleaned ; for which purpose Mr. Young recommends two successive crops of turnips or of carrots, as the most successtlil mode of preparing it ; but, if a fal- low be found more convenient, a man should follow the ^jloughs or harrows while workings colletl all roots, weeds. Sec. ; and clear away such as have taken too deep root, to be eradicated by those implements. The soil must be ploughed and harrowed three times in the second .spring, previously to the sowing, in order that it may be perfectly pulverized. — Ti,ere is no absolute necessity for manure; though, when laid on, it should be spread with the tirst crop of carrots or turnips. The land being thus prepared, lucern may be propagated either by sowing it broad-cast ; by drill- ing j or by transplanting it ; all of which methods have been attended ■with such succt ss, as to render it difficult to decide which is the most advantageous. The proper season for sowing, is towards the end of March, or in the month of April : if broad-cast, 20lbs. of seed will be required for one acre j if drilled, t>lbs. will suffice; prgvided the seed LUC f'Jt be set in equi-distat^it rows of two feet ; and, if the lucern be sowa with corn, the value of the crop will be considerably increased.— The best grain for t!: is purpose, ia Mr.YouNG'sopinion, is oa/i-; Specks of which should be sown on aa acre of very r.ch land ; bat, if the soil be indifferent, two bushels are requisite ; and, if it be pnor, three bushels are to be allowed to each acre. — As soon as the oats are sown and harrowed, the lucera should be deposited in the ground, and a light harrow passed over ; a similar method ought to be adopted if the seed be drilled ; but, if sown in a nursery, with a viev,' to trans- plantation, it should not be mixed with any corn, but committed to the ground early in the .spring ; af- ter which the young plants ought to be carefully hand-hoed, to facili- tate their growth till the month of August, when they will have at- tained sufficient size to be removed to the field. This operation is per- formed by taking up the plants with a sharp spade, during moist weather ; (hen cutting off the tap- roots, eight, nine, or ten inches be- neath the crown of the plant ; though the lateral fibres must be .somewhat .shortened, and the stalks clipped off" about five inches above the crown. A.fter these operations by the knife, the plants are to be throv/n into a vessel of water, and placed in the shade, that they may retain their freshn',ss. Holes are next to be made with a dibble, and filled with water, in which the roots are set at the distance of forty inches from each other, the stalks being rarthcd up to the height of two inches. Should a dry season succeed, it wiii be requisite to wa- ter the pLuits liberally ; as they will thus not only be invigorated, iv2 but