THE LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 224, 20 September 1924, Page 20

THE LAND.

SAVING GRASS SEED. ! A VALUABLE SIDE LINE. THE COCKSFOOT CROP. (By "ANCHORITE.") It has frequently been pointed out to farmers and others the enormous amount of hard cash paid out of this country every season for imported seeds, and that were farmers in the King Country, and elsewhere, to pay more attention to growing seeds, we could save 90 per cent at least of the money Bpent in importing, besides which we should be able to produce a much better quality than that grown in other lands, as it has been proved that there is no country in the world more euitable for the purpose than ours. Indeed, there is no reason why we should not export a large quantity of seeds which we now import, and thus bring cash into the Dominion instead of sending it out. There are many seeds that might be grown on our agricultural lands very profitably, but probably few would return more profit than that which, may be derived from a well laid down cocksfoot paddock. The bulk of the Dominion's present cocksfoot seed supply is grown on Banks Peninsula, and when one realises the class of country this seed is grown on, and the great difficulties in harvesting and threshing it there, one must conclude that cocksfoot could be harvested here at about oue third of the cost as compared with the Peninsula, besides which, being able to cut it with a binder (when the crop is specially grown on our level lands) the crop could be, quickly cut, thus saving a lot of seed shaking out as happens when it is harvested by hand. King Country farmers could profitably expend a little energy in this direction, and make a name for themselves by producing superfine cocksfoot seed.. Weight of Seed No Criterion. When buying cocksfoot for sowing, ' the weight packed in each sack is not always an indication of quality. Weight per bushel is the usual test, and the highest weight should indicate the best quality, provided the seed is pure and fresh. But even heavy bushel weight seed may give a bad germination. So it is necessary to know the germination of one's seed to be sure of getting solid value. When contemplating sowing a special plot—or paddock—down with pure seed for seeding purposes, the very best plan is for one to cut their own seed, however small the available crop may be. By this method, and this alone, is one' positive of securing the pure foundation for his seed cocksfoot paddock. 'Closing Tip the Cocksfoot Paddock. The great flush of grass in this Dominion, is from early September to the beginning of January. If there are plentiful summer rains the season is prolonged, but even in this case the grasses begin to run to seed at the end of this period, and in the best of seasons becomes less nutritious and more fibrous, while in the wanner parts of the King Country a few -weeks' hot dry weather shrivels up many of the grasses in January and early February. The cocksfoot paddock intended for seed harvesting should be closed early in September (it is usually done on the Ist of the month) and remain so until the crop ie harvested, early in January. When the Crop is Ripe. In normal seasons;, cocksfoot ripens about the 10th of January, when.the "beard" disappears from the seed head. If being harvested by hand, it is cut with a reap-hook, about six inches from the seed heads, and placed on the bent down stubble to dry and further ripen, which usually takes three or four days, when it is threshed with a flail (in the absence of a combine). On agricultural lands the crop can be cut with a reaper and binder and stooked by placing three sheaves in eacfi stook. It is inadvisable to place more than three sheaves in each stook, as the three dry sheaves can be forked on to the dray all together, ■whereas larger etooks would be productive of a very considerable waste of valuable seed during the forking operatittos. . Although cocksfoot is an exceedingly tough grass, it readily sheds its seeds when they are ripe and exposed to the heat of the mid-day sun. If the standing crop has been allowed to become over-ripe through any combination of circumstances, it should not be cut during the heat of the day as tlten great loss of seed would surely result. It should, in such a circumstance, be cut at night time, or very early in the morning before the sun's rays have-gvaporated the moisture from the seed heads. When the seed heads are damp they swell considerably and thus retain their position on the stalk. At the present market price for this valuable grass seed, which is about 1/4 per lb for superfine quality, there should be an incentive for our farmers to plan to augment their banking accounts this coming season by saving what seed they can for their own requirements, and garnering a surplus for cale. Experience has shown that when pasture is laid down where bush has been felled and burned, it will last averagely, under our present methods of stocking, about ten years in good country. On poor hilly lands it begins to go back after about the third year, and this applies to all parts of the Dominion. It ■will therefore be seen that we will annually require very considerable quantities of cocksfoot to keep our pastuxes renewed. The production of cocksfoot from Bank 3 Peninsula is rapidly declining .and what is now being produced is not up to the good cample usually received some years ago, which indicates that the Peninsula, crops are deteriorating. Taranaki and the East Coast have now almost ceased to harvest cocksfoot in any quantity, therefore the seed must remain at a high price for many year* to come. Land in other localities that formerly grew cocksfoot for seed. is now reserved for her majesty the cow further J thj posß Ze It must also be remembered that the »™l T , " U Bn\iiag cocksfoot for eeed, does not lose the use of his cocksfoot paddock for grazing purposes. The cocksfoot paddock may & £«* ,££ I tlie Ist of. September, one jeallv

only loses the paddock for grazing purposes for four months out of the year. Ensilage and. Hay. An additional revenue may be derived from the seed cocksfoot location when this lends itself to the use of machinery. In cutting the crop for seed, the machine may be set high, to catch the seed stalks only. When the threshing of the seed is completed the paddock may be re-mowed close to the ground for hay, or ensilage, as weather and other circumstances may direct. ; The dry straw from the threshing stacks can either be used for the top and bottom of the hay stacks, when hay is made, or it can with profit be mixed in with the ensilage. There are big possibilities in the cocksfoot crop, and all landowners would do well to carefully consider the above suggestions for the checking of the annual outflow of capital to other lands, which we can well do with in our own Dominion. CARE OF THE COW AFTER CALVING. Dairy farmers at this time of year have their hands more than full, and they cannot neglect any part of the work without suffering pecuniary loss. As each cow calves she should be washed out with a lysol solution, or some equally effective germicide. The lysol solution should contain one gallon of water to two tablespoonfuls lysol. This is a wise sanitary precaution, even when the cow is thoroughly healthy, and the placenta, or afterbirth, comes away immediately after calving. In the event of the afterbirth being retained, repeated flushing out induces the cow to expel it. Retention often occurs when birth is premature, and is sometimes due to the closing of the os uteri. In such cases a light weight may be attached to the protruding portion of the placenta, and when flushing out the uterus, the placenta should be held up and slightly twisted without exerting much force. An aperient medicine should always be given in such cases. A retained afterbirth may be removed by hand, but it requires some practice and confidence, and the attendant, no matter how skilful, should not be in too great a hurry to operate. Cows have beam known to die of hemorrhage aa a result of too early and forcible removal of a retained placenta. In the case of mares there is always danger when the retention is longer than a few hours. In all such cases a liberal use should be made of antiseptics. Very heavy milkers are all the better for being milked thrice daily for a few weeks after calving, and. care should be taken that,,if they are the first to be milked in the morning, they should also be the first milked in the evening, so as to avoid any undue strain on the udder. CONCENTRATES IN FEEDING. A. R. Horwood, F.L.S., in a recent article in the "Live Stdek Journal" dealing with foods rich in nitrogenous matter, states that the proportion of proteins or albuminoids in selected types varies considerably, and submits the following details: Barley, 9 per cent; wheat, 12 per cent; oats', 12 per cent; peas, 23 per cent; beans, 2*per cent; while decorticated cottoncake contains nearly twice as much as the last, or 44' per cent. The amounts of fatty materials vary considerably according to the foods used for fattening. Linseed contains as much as 34 per cent* whereas peas only contain 2 per cent, and oats only 6 per cent. The decorticated - cottoncake contains .10} per cent. To this add the 44 per cent of' nitrogenous matter, and it is seen that oilcake contains- SO per cent of highly nitrogenous and heating matter, hence its value as a winter feed. Nor is it necessary to give such large quantities of cake, which contains little Water (10 per cent) as other foods, such as turnips, which contain 92- per cent of water. Oilcakes vary in the percentage of nutritious food. Thus, decorticated cottoncake contains 10 per cent oil, 44 per cent albuminoids, and 24 per cent sugar and digestible dry matter, as against 7 to 12 per cent oil, 28 to 33 per cent albuminoids, and 32 to 34 per cent sugar and digestible dry matter in linseed cake. The percentage of carbohydrates in different crops may vary considerably. Straw is very deficient in all the cereals in digestive carbohydrates. The straw of oats contains only 36 per cent, of barley and wheat 37 per cent. The percentage of carbohydrates in beans is somewhat higher, or 40 per cent, and equivalent to the amount contained in hay. Peas contain rather more, or 54 per cent. Cereals, if one considers the grain itself, are rich in carbohydrates, for in oats there is 57 per cent, in barley 64 per cent, in wheat 65 per cent, in rye 67 per cent, and in maize 69 per cent. In the ash of crop constituents the mineral foods are contained. These consist of phosphoric acid, potash, lime, etc. The first is richest in bran and oilcakes. There is potash in the ash of malt dust, oilcakes, bran, straw of beans, and in root crops. Turnips contain some lime, as do legumes. There is less in cereals and in potatoes. All crops contain some proportion of water or moisture. It is naturally most abundant in the root and in vegetable crops, such as turnips, swedes, mangolds, and carrots, and varies in these from 88 to 62 per cent. In clover it is less, or 83 per cent, and in pasture grasses only 74 per cent. Roots vary in the amount of moisture in the roots and leaves. There is more solid matter in the leaves of turnips and swedes. These root crops are rich in sugar. In white turnips the dry matter is 8 per cent, in yellow turnips 9 per cent, in swedes 11 per cent, and in mangolds 121 per cent. Half or more than half of this is sugar. In mangolds it may amount to twothirdß. Indigestible fibre varies in different crops; thus it amounts to 40 per cent in wheat and barley etraw, 39 per cent in oat straw; in meadow hay it is only 23 per cent. Of the crops that are generally of high feeding value, none can compare so favourably as fodder crops with others than the legumes, or clovers, and allied crops. ■ There is a considerable variation in the constituents between these and the various types of grasses in the manurial refuse, and in the process of digestion, mastication, and assimilation. For different clovers these vary a good deal. As an illustration of the value of legumes in feeding stock, the results of teeding cattle with vetches may be given,

Cowb fed on these for 45 days maintained a regular milk supply. Aβ to feeding value for steers, animals fed with vetches for 42 days gained in one case 3.071b, and in a second 2.071b per day. Others, fed with red clover, gained 2.561b in one instance, and 2.161b per day in a second, pointing to the superiority for fattening purposes of vetches over red clover. Hairy vetch hae an even higher feeding value than the cultivated tare or vetch. So far as red clover ia -concerned, when compared with the value of grate hay, experiments have shown that animals fed on clover consumed 1.411b i more bay each day, and 3.001b more corn. The gain and cost of putting on lewt showed the euperiority of clover over grass hay. In general terms, the relative values of cereals in albuminoids range from 10 to 15 per cent, peas and beans 20 to 25 per cent, and linseed cake 25 to 30 per cent. ■ MANURING—FOR MILK An experiment to estimate the improvement of pasture produced by artificial fertilisers, by the practical method of grazing milk cows on the plots and weighing the milk, was started last year at a British Farm Institute. The field selected for the purpose is on a sandy loam, and has refused to respond in the post to repeated treatments with different kinds of phosphatic fertilisers. The herbage has been consistently poor for years, and characterised by an almost total lack of clovers or other leguminous plants. As the field appeared to be sour, it was decided first of all to lim» it, and this was carried out in February, using 2 tons of ground caustic lime per acre. The field was afterwards divided into three plots, each equalling 3} acres, and two months later one plot , was treated -with 4c ut superphosphate (30 per cent) , per acre, another was treated with 4cwt superphosphate (30 per cent) plus lewt sulphate of potash per acre, and the other plot was given no manure at all. On the 12th May, three cows were put on each of the plots, but in consequence of the rapid improvement in the quantity'and quality of the herbage on the plot which had received the superphosphate and potash, as evidenced by the growth of clovers and fine grasses, it was considered necessary shortly after' the commencement of the experiment to put an extra cow on this plot in order to stock it adequately, -whereas the other two plots remained stocked with only three cows, the superphosphate by itself having not yet produced any marked improvement. ~ ~

The plots continued to be grazed until 20th September, that is, making a grazing period of 18 weeks. During this time the cows were changed over from plot to plot at the end of each fortnight, so as to even out as far as possible the effects of any natural irregularities in the field. The extra cow on the superphosphate and potash plot was not transferred, but remained on this plot throughout the period. At the end of the period the yields of milk from the various plots were as follows:—No manure, 881 gal; superphosphate, S7O gal; superphosphate and potash, 1072 gal. These figures show that the increase in milk production from the addition of superphosphate and potash was approximately 191 gal, which, valued at 1/ per gallon, leaves a net profit of £5 9/ per plot after paying for the manures. ■ THE CLINICAL THERMOMETER. Although the nature of a cow's illness cannot be determined by the use of a thermometer, yet it will always enable the farmer to decide whether or not the cow is seriously ill, except in the case of milk fever, when the temperature is always low. The average normal temperature of a cow is nearly 101 degrees F., but in individual animals it may range between 99 and 103. The normal temperature of a horse is about 100, a cheep 104, and a pig 103. When taking the temperature, the 'thermometer should be inserted in the rectum or vagina, and kept in position for from one to three minutes in accordance with the type of instrument used. The normal pulse beat of a cow is from 45 to 50 per minute, and the , best place to take the pulse is at the undersurface of the root of the tail. As a rule the pulse becomes quicker as the temperature rises. In cases of debility the pulse is slower than normal, and the pulse of a very young animal is almost double that of a mature one. The normal pulse of the horse is about 35 to the minute, and it may be taken by placing the finger over the artery that passes under the jaw. If the pulse of an animal rises three degrees above normal it is almost a sure sign of illness —in the absence of undue excitement or abnormal exercise—and if the farmer is unable to diagnose the symptoms he should consult a vet., is one ia available. The rate of respiration, or bieathing, usually increases during illness. The normal rate in a cow is 12 to 15 per minute, and ahorse about 9 per minute. Of couree if an animal has .been hurriedly driven the number of respirations will J» hjgb.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. ( SKINNER (Ellerslie) sends a seed pod for identification and asks some questions about it. —The seed pod is off Physlanthus Albens, often known as "codlln moth . plant." The silky hairs around the seeds may be of use for stuffing cushions, but I have never heard of their use for the purpose. So far as its poisonous qualities are concerned I cannot definitely be sure, but it is a member of a highly poisonous family, and I should certainly credit it with poisonous qualities without I was certain otherwise. BIRKENHEAD asks how much tar and sand is necessary for fifty square yards. Would it need heating, would the sand and tar have to be mixed first?—To Mr and sand a path the surface of the path is made firm and level. The tar is then poured on and brushed, or rather smeared over level, and as ihln as possible. Sand is then scattered on until it has absorbed all the tar, and the whole forms a solid mass. The heating of the tar is sometimes done, but is quite unnecessary if duo care is taken to put the tar on thinly, and to choose a flne day for tho job. 3?he thinner the tar is spread tUo less sand will be required. If the surface of the soil is very dry and dusty it Iβ an advantage to damp the surface. The hard or it will cause it to roll up and drag dirt with it. In doing the work start at one end, pour on a llttld tar, keeping to the centre of the patli, which is or should be the highest, then smejir the tar with a brush, drawing it towards you and downwards to the edges. As soon as the surface is covered scatter on sand to prevent tnr running further. The quantities vary greatly according to the surface of the pnth, and also with the men who are dotns the work. A fair average would be to allow about a gallon "of tar to the square ynrd and a "yard" of sand would do about ufty square yards of surface. REiTUERA writes: I have a Japanese Plum tree, which has had largo crops for the ]iait four years, but just before the; ripen the fruits fall. Would you advise what, to do?— The trouble Is disease, and yon will have to spray with llmo sulphur 1 part to BO parts water; or Bordeaux mixture 4-4-40. Spray tho first time as 'soon as the fruit lias set, and every three weeks after, till tho fruit is ready. LEMON (Tarnell) sends a specimen of citrus fruit for Identification, and asks If it is a Lemon or a Uino?—lt Is ft Lemon, but a variety which produces large, more roundish fruits than lliu ordl-

GENERAL OPERATIONS IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

At this season, when there is so much work, more perfect conditions could scarcely be wished lor. The soil is Z ? u' y e * worka °le, the weather is mild, and there is an absence of cold winds. Every advantage should be taken to any piece of ground which was dug during autumn, and has probably got weedy. Fork it over, turning the weeds under. Kext to manure, cultivation is the most important factor in maintaining growth. It is not only such ground, but even among standing crops a forking over of the surface and burying the weeds is much better work than hoeing and raking off the weeds. The planting and sowing of seasonable crops should be done but do not fill up the space with crops that will all mature together. Try an d arrange quantities and varieties so that there is as good a succession. It is the same* with saladings. It is little use planting rows of lettuce which will go to the fowls. Sow a pinch of seed or put out a few plants about once a fortnight; tlie same applies to radish, the root 9 of the radish are in good condition for about a fortnight. Where there is any vacant ground which is not to be in use for a time sow a crop of oats, vetches, or some such crop, to be dug in when about a foot high. This digging in of green vegetable matter is tlie Dest method of supplying the lack of stable manure. Green manuring, although an aid to manuring, must not be expected to take the place of artifi-

cial manures. These latter should be •applied in reasonable proportion. Asparagus beds should be thoroughly cleared of weeds, and care must be taken not to injure the crowns in the operation. Hand weeding i 3 the be3t and practically the only proper method. To use a hoe or fork is to take undue risks. After the weeds are removed, a mulching of stable manure or seaweed can be applied. A dressing of nitrate of soda at the rate of one ounce to tae square yard can be applied. New beds should be planted now. The best time to plant the crowns is when they have commenced to grow and when the soil is not too wet. One or two old, or even older, plants can be used, but j the best in the long run are the one year old plants. In planting, take out a shallow but wide trench, so that the roots can be spread out and the crown will be covered with two or three inches of soil. Broad beans are now in flower, and as ueual are not setting very well. The best remedy is to pinch out the tips when the plants are about eighteen inches high, this will cause more shoots to spring up from the base, but the tops should also be pinched out. Broad beans do best on a heavy soil, in fact, clay suits them well; in light, rich soils they grow freely and do not set. Peas will, in many cases be up, and, in fact, some early crops will be in flower. These should be attended to in the matter of staking and having the soil drawn up to the stems. Sow a row every week or so. The question of whether dwarf or tall varieties should be grown is a matter for the person growing them to decide. As a general rule dwarf varieties are quicker maturing, and suit shallow soils. The tall varieties are much heavier and more continuous croppers, but require good, deep cultivated soils to succeed. As a rule the tall varieties have larger pods, peas, and the of a better flavour than the dwarf varieties. Potatoes planted early are growing nicely and should have the soil well worked; several hoeings will be necessary. Spraying is also essential, and should be done every week or so. Do not wait till your Potatoes are blighted and then think by spraying you can cave the crop. Spraying is a preventive, not a cure; therefore get to work on the crop before the blight geta a start. PRUNING OUTDOOR VINES. The pruning of outdoor Vines is somewhat of a stumbling block to many amateurs, although there is nothing mysterious or difficult about it. The accompanying illustration will serve to make the matter clear. The Vine, it will be Been, has been trained on the horizontal system, which is by far the moet satisfactory for plants on walls

PRUNING OUTDOOR VH«ES. out of doors. The upper branch growing from the main rod "c" has in the past received the proper attention, and each spur now carries only one ehoot, shown at "2." At "b" there are similar spurs, carrying their single shoot, which has been duly cut back *o within half an inch of their base, leaving one stout bud. The lower branch has been neglected, and in consequence a number of shoots start from each spur as "c." These must all be cut back closely as at "d," and the strongest of the young shoots selected to grow on. PROTECTING SEEDS AND SEEDLINGS. The time for seed-sowing is now at hand, and we must be prepared to protect the seeds and seedlings from birds, who otherwise may cause many gaps in the rows. The first contrivance in the illustration will be found very useful in protecting seed beds, and it has the further merit of being simple and cheap. It consists of three rough boards six or seven inches in width, nailed together at one end as shown, and further strengthened by a couple of laths. The top is covered with tanned garden netting or wire netting. It will be seen that one end is left open so that a second frame can be put against it, if desired. The length of the boards

depends upon circumstances, but about five feet is a handy length to move about. The width should be a little more than the row or bed to be protected. The second sketch gives a hint for protecting Peas. Laths are nailed together to form a rough framework, and the ends inserted in the ground at intervals of nine or ten feet along the row. Two stout cords or wires (Bhown at A) are stretched from frame to frame, and tanned garden netting placed over them. By extending; the frame,

as indicated by the bottom sketch and running one or two extra cords or wires to prevent the netting from sagging in the middle, this contrivance can be used for seed beds of any width. If netting is not available, nails may be driven all round the frame at three or four inches apart, and black cotton run in nil directions over the bed. FORCING GROWTH OF ANNUAIa An interesting experiment is at present being carried out at the Botanic Gardens, Christchurch, by Mr. James Young, curator. The experiment consists of the installation of a set of electric lamps in one of the propagating houses, with a view to forcing the growth of a number of annuals, which. are: Lobelia, Salpiglossis, Campanula, Marigold, Phlox drummondii, Alyssum, Godetia, Amaranthus, Asters, >~emesia, Coreopeis, Stock, and Salvia. The electric lights are switched on automatically at S p.m., and turned off at 1 a.m. By this means the plants are given five hours' additional light daily, and as a, result the growth is stimulated. It is not considered that the period of Bleep the plans are thus deprived of will in any way adversely affect them, this having already been demonstrated by experiments previously carried out in Britain and the United States. After Mr. Young's experiments had commenced the beneficial results were already obvious. By way of comparison plants similar to those mentioned were put out at the same time in boxes to grow in a room adjoining, no extra light being allowed to penetrate to them, so that they are being grown under normal conditions. An examination of the two lota of plants shows that those grown beneath the electric lights have made on an average a 25 per cent greater growth than the others (states the "Press"). THE AVOCADO. This fruit, generally regarded as strictly tropical, and not generally known to New Zealand, appears, however, to be making headway in many districts. Tho6e ■ who know the fruit consider it one of the best. A correspondent -writes from the Wanganui district: "They are growing in a few gardens here, and have fruited in one garden some miles up the Wanganui <River. TheTe are several large trees in gardens about here. I have a seedling coming into flower just now. Ai grafted Guatamalan and Mexican ar« showing flower buds, while a number of the best grafted varieties, and a few small plants grown from seed off trees growing out of doors in this district, are looking and growing well."