Farm and Garden

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 360, 2 April 1903, Page 7

Farm and Garden

ORiaiNALARTICLES HARVESTING SORGHUM FOR FODDEB. &jJ3?, WO m thods may be practised ia yjwNj, harvesting sorghum. The most (jBLs common is to cat with mower and let it cum for a few days, then pile up in large shocks eight or ten feet high aad let it remain in the field until wanted for feed, or until it h«s dried thoroughly, when it can 'be placed, in stacks convenient to 'the feed lot. Gutting should commence when some of the heads are pretty well ripened, as it is not advisable to cut too soon before the sugar is formed in the juice. One need not fear making the shocks in the fMd too large, for there will be plenty of air space between the stalks, and the larger the shock the greener and fresher the forage will be; also one need not fear about keeping the fodder in the field. It is a coarse material, and will turn water almost as well as a thatched roof. The outside of the shock will bleach, but just beneath the surface the fodder will be blight and preen. The other method. which is rapidly growing in favour, is when planting, to drill in rows, and when h'ai vesting to cut with the corn binder ana make the bundles very small, about eight inches in diameter, and let them lie in the field until cured, or nearly so j that may take a week or mora. If one has the time it is a nsideicd beet to stand, say, sbout six bundles in a place, and.after they have dried build into large shocks j there being practically no limit, provided the tops are tied tightly together, so as to | keep out the rain, or, as in some places, , where the fodder is to stand out all the winter, the tops are covered with bundles broken at the bands (as cap sheaves for small grain shock. This method of harvesting is decidedly the best, as the crop is so much more eadly handled in bundles than when loose. Toe yield'of forage from sorghum usually amounts to about six or ten tons j.er acre where the crop was grown in rows, and very much more where broadcasted; but, as with every other crop, there is a wide variation in yields in different climates and different soils. All cattle like good sorghum fodder, and if chopped fine the chickens will get a lot of picking from it. When accustomed to handling the fodder and fully aware of its value, the stock farmer wil not do without it, and will entertain such a high opinion of it that he seldom can obtain sufficient to satisfy his requirements. BEHEADING PEACH TREES IN OLD ORCHARDS. There is a tendency at the present time among fruit-growers to head trees considerably lower than formerly. It is not only much easier and more economical for picking the fruit, but also such trees oan be sprayed more easily and thoroughly, and more advantageously used in every way. Cutting back old peach trees and forming new heads is being practised in maay parts by up-to-date fruit-growers. The reheading process for the reconstruction of tho entire orchard is unique, and has not been considered by some fruitgrowers as feasible and practicable. Recently a fruitgrower decided to rehead and remcdel an old orchard. The trees were originally headed rather high, and had grown to such a height that it became very troublesome and expensive to gather the fruit. In the spring of the year, before the buds began to swell, he cut off the tops of all trees in alternate rows. A good crop of fruit was taken from the untrimmed trees last season, and the trees made more growth than usual on account of the thinning out of the alternate rows. It was the original intention of this fruit* grower to so treat the other rows this year, but owing to the satisfactory growth and good set of buds last season he has decided to fruit the trees again and postpone cutting them back for another year.* Bj that time the heads of the trees—-re-headed previcusly—will be better matured and capable of bearing a fall crop. • The robeading and thinning out of the alternate rows of the larga trees at that time will also be favourable to the growth of the trees first trimmed, In remodelling an old orchard, the new growth should be carefully thinned out before the buds swell, so the new head will be well balanced. Sometimes it is desirable to leave a single limb c n the tree, while all others are cut back to serve as a kind of pump, or sucker, to quicken growth. The ends of all limbs: should be covered with white lead paint immediately after they are taken off. Sometimes it is desirable to change from one variety to another. In such cases the new shoots can be budded at the proper time. R. IT. Wright—' They say Miss Antique hast a past.'Miss Gutting—' Yes, but she dames about fifteen years of it'