THE LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1926, Page 24

THE LAND.

CLOVER AND BASIC SLAG. The most striking manurial effect ■which slag has when applied to grass lands is the luxuriant growth of clover, and more especially white clover, that it produces. In some pastures so marked is the different appearance of the herbage in the dressed and undressed portions, and so sudden the transition, one would almost fancy that the clover had been actually sown on the one portion and withheld on the other. Indeed the view has actually been expressed that slag.has the power of raising the spontaneous generation of clover, but the old maxim that nothing comes out of nothing holds as true in the realm of agriculture as anywhere else. Another equally fantastic explanation for the wondrous stimulus given to clover growth by the action of slag is that the lime which it contains by facilitating the decomposition of the husk of the seed allows in this way the young seedling to emerge. The truth, however, is that in nearly all pastures clover plants are present to some extent, and email and diminutive though they may be, they are nevertheless there, and it only requires a combination of favourable circumstances to ensure tfieir vigorous growth. What Slag Does in Reality. In transforming unfavourable to favourable conditions of growth for the ■weakened plants lie 3 the chief part of the explanation of the magical effect of slag , ai -a pasture- top-dressing. This improved condition, which induces a close undersward of rich succulent feeding, in .pastures .is,, -without doubt, as much due to the indirect influence or its alkaline constituent —lime —as to the direct plant food which slag supplies in the phosphates. The lime wJiicV it ebritains hot only corrects the over-acidity of the soil, thus making the pature; unCotigenial for fog, worthless grasses and'wee'ds"; it does more, it act 3 on'tfie:.in>6luble plant food present both mineral-or organic. From the former it unlocke a store of available potash — the plait : food- of all others to which clover "most quickly responds. The \&t< ter , it serves to decompose, and thus to increase the amount , of humus as well as the supply, of available nitrates. The': effects.' at slag on a pasture art,therefore, 'bptti direct and indirect. Directly ..it-, furnishes phosphates, the chief, effect of which are. evidenced in the increased luxuriance as well as the superior quality of .the. grasses; mdi Tectly 'ij, discourages such undesirable intruders 'and monopolisers as sorrel- and other pasture weeds, and by unlocking the potash constituents of the eoilMfc gives an' immediate-stimulus- to the'spread , and development of the clover. Slag'iji Conjunction, with Kainit. -'■ On-light, soils likely to be deficient in potash, slag, if employed for.the renovation of pasture, should be used in conjunction , with a potash manure such as sulphate of.'.potash or kainit. On such soils the use of slag alone may not bring about', the 'desired luxuriance of grass, tvt 1 the' addition of potash will ensure the , increased value 'of the pasture so treated. '■ Strong loam or heavy clay soils •will,"however, respond better to application of slag alone, also peaty soils on ■which "there, is l much undecrred vegetable matter. —'"Farmers' Gazett'" (Dublin). DIGESTION IN lIVE STOCK. ■ Most farmers • know that a cow possesses four' fetomadhs, so-called, while' pigs and : horses have but one. The cow, as contrasted with the horse, has a large' Stomach capacity, and a email bowel tract, wherens the,horse hae a small' etomach and an extended bowel lengthy- /The. work of digestion with' cows., fs done' almost entirely 1 in the etomaclr; 'iji 'the'.liorse assimilation of. the * food takes place chiefly during its passage tlirough the bowels. . In consequence. co-ws rarely suffer from digestive troubles, while ' horses are often in ' pain' from' colic, and 'other bowel affeetioW ' ' Tbe v digestive system of bovines 'is complicated' yet wonderfully adapted for the different classes of food —bulKy,. subculent and concentrated— with ;which' it has" to deaL First of all, thereT is the,'rumen or paifneh. In this, ■which ° is Vknb-wn as the first stomach, which is never entirely empty, the feed is mixed, and-: macerated. Alongside it is ;thevreticulum o.r -honeycomb, the con- - teptstof; which .'are always fluid. Little is lUnderstojod abgut ■ the purpose of this "the /second; stomach, except that it is believed Jq.Jja connected -with the process -of v ru"minatio,n or chewing, of the cud..'. Next comes the masuni.or third Moinaeli, commonly- referred to ac the mariyplies' on account of the muscular leaves which, are , arranged, .alternately and grjnd the.fbpd into very small particles.. 'Finally, there is. the omasum, or , fourth stomach, referred to as the true stomach,, for'in it only does real digestion, : or food absorption, take place. Orice' the' food, or'the residues of it," have' left the fourth ? stomach; it passes into the : bowels" to be eventually discharged.' ' The' stomach of the cow is thus) an elaborate -machinery for disintegrating various kinds of "food. : The Btomach of a pig is simple in comparison. The pig possesses a small stomach, and, haying a long intestinal canaj, ■with strong digestive functions, it requires , to eat' frequently.' It is claimed that -with frequent eating and active ingestion,' which proceeds rapidly while the animal rests and sleeps, the pig is m£* i ? 11 ° n more flesh and' make the ™ other animal during SV t« f , a " enin S P«>cess. A thor■Sf?J l dg l ° f how the digestive Si-til •During-the. past f ew years much eviinllV 0 , Un d er field <=ondition P s P for a or lS ° f y - r? ' after > hldl the or lime requirement o f the „ J determined , and compared with the saTe •so.l-which had not received ny a ™ &£?*"•. Sff ° f ■«»* increase' m the • acidity ■ due to the use 'of thia: fertiliser. c

INFLUENCE OF POTASH ON PLANT DISEASES. A judicious use of fertilisers can generally be regarded as being all to the good in the elimination of plant diseases. Food supply haa a dominating influence on the growth of the plant. It is exactly an analogy to the food supply of animals. Each element has its particular function. Its function is specialised within certain limits. Plants grown under control in pure sand or water cultures provide unmistakable evidence of these special influence, according as each element in the food supply is added or omitted. Nitrogen gives size and succulence to all the parts; phosphoric acid induces the formation of buds, flowers and fruit, and hastens maturity; potash gives strength ana tenacity to the structure, and at the same time fills the grain and fruit with starch and sugar. All the elements of a plant food work together in buliding up the plant, so that healthy normal growth is actually the outcome of the proper association ol these elements—undoubtedly not the product of any special one. We know that it. is possible, to produce by means of certain dressings large plants which were weak in constitution and very susceptible to disease, or on the contrary small wiry plants which are practically resistant to disease, but are not of sufficient! substance to make a paying crop. The manurial dressings, therefore, must be adjusted and balanced to get the greatest possible amount of , succulent growth or weight and quality in the crop without inducing susceptibility to disease. The proper balance' of the ingredients is very important. • ' ■ ''■..-. The question- naturally arises' as to' whether "in -the general- practice of manuring certain 'fertilisers -which give, stamina and "relatively greater strength to plants, and thereby greater immunity from disease-,. are' supplied" in amounts sufficient in comparison- with./ 'other fertilisers which induce more profuse vegetable growth. Phosphatic manure has been used more extensively in this country,'due no doubt partly to its great Value in grain; growing and 'for ' root crops, and partly also 'to priority ,of introduction to agriculture. Phos'phatie and nitrogen manures were introduced in quality at an , earlier date than potash fertilisers, and the extended application' of phosphatic and •nitrogenous fertilisers has been more fully appreciated'during the past-half-century, or so. It is 1 dnly within the-last'few years that research work on. potash manures in relation to crop production has-been carried out to any great extent and as a result-it is only now that. evidence is , forthcoming to show that the use "of potash, especially with regard to the prevention of diseases, is not appreciated up to its. full economic value. This is all the more a disadvantage as the consumption of phosphates, and nitrogenous manures increases,'for healthy natural growth depends on the proper relationship of the plant food-elements. " ' • ; " "' It cannot be claimed that potash alone in additional amounts is all-sufficient for the prevention of plant diseases generally, but there is a 'great deal of evi-. dence , accumulating to' show that the influence' of'potash 1 in.its'special effect in building up strong vigorous plants Which are better able to obtain moisture and fo6d supplies makes a difference to the resistance .and recovery which sucli plants are ab)e to'" make when', attacked by disease. ' The matter is "easily understood in the case of animals; when their vitality is lowered through lack, of sustenance or through want'of a certain element .in the food .supply,, they" are much more liable to succumb., ' HOW TO CHOOSE A BOAR. Breeders pick boars for' Breeding purposes _from the best of a litter from' \yell-tried parents,, 'prolific and typical, and generally high-class pigs, writes a correspondent,' They' are specially looked after, well housed and fed regularly exercised, 'etc., and altogether a good deal of trouble is taken with them, and in the end—unless the owner has considerable luck—-many ot them are 'a dead loss. • • • ' The following will probably meet with a good deal of criticised, which will be very \velc6inev as -the ideas of; the' more experienced breeders, will be valuable to us p.l\., . . , . '~ , . • . When looking over a good litter, bred from really gp.od parents,, for a : likely young boar, the principal-points to look for seem to mc to be: A. high tail at the end o.f "a long, straight back, an exceptionally light coat of hair (for I fully believe, that a strong, heavy coat at six weeks old is indicative,of a future coarse pig), ears well, apar.t,. and a lively manner. . , , I 00 not beljeve that, at six weeks old it is possible to judge what the shoulders and haras of the grown pig will be, how deep he will grow, or whether his ears will come out at .the proper angle to the end of his nose! . ... the boar has, been, selected, if the dam is. in good, condition,; I think ' he, as -well, as any , gilts, which . it. is intended to keep for breeding purposes, should be.kept with the sow .till at least ten weeks old. ... : , > When weaned, he , may run in the open with other boars of his own age right up ■to - - - •- THIS SECRET OF IN-BREEDIWG. It has been knojv.n,for. quite a. time that certain . factors are transmitted crosswise—e.g., the milk-yielding'cape-' city of a cow is transmitted through-her made' offspring to their female offspring. Something perhaps still" more remarkable has been discovered regarding milk production. It has been found that— 1- In-breeding to a female relationship tends to decrease, the quality and especially the quantity of milk produced. 2. In-breeding to male relationship tends to increase the quality and quantity of milk produced. . . «vl h l 3 o^ as be€n fou *«l *o be true in. about 80 per cent of cases. f l P nrl? Ce " b u eedsn - *»»'bwh found to

! Full relationships are made when the same bulland cow give ; rise to the animals .through which the link is carried on., 1 Here I .may. state that it has been found fthat breeding to the full,relation-' ships maintains the dam's record in her female calves. . . These striking occurrences have been announced by. Elizabeth Robertson in the 'Journal of Genetics," and notwithstanding the, fact' that more work "is required 'firmly to establish them as facts, I think the work done'by Elizabeth Robertson is of such a nature'tha*. :we eaii in the meanwhile rely on her results and- breed for improvement of our herds on the lines advised by her ; It does not require a prophet to fore-see'the-great practical value of'these announcements if they are proved to hold true under all circumstancessomething which seems highly probable; and the sooner our breeders will make ■use of the available knowledge" <m this point, the sooner will our dairy cattle probably start on .their way of improvement to' the goal which has -been so nearly reached by the beef breeders. ' _ THE FERTIIITT OF PASTURES. The drain on the fertility of pastures, especially; when the pasture: is used for milch cows, both of the phosphate, and potash, and, unless this loss is made good, impoverishment of the .field, accompanied' by herbage of poor feed in quality, is bound to supervene. There is also a* loss of nitrogen, and only, a part is returned to the land in the droppings of the animals. The ideal remedy to replacethe drain of phosphates anu potash consists in, dressings of* suitable ph.o3pb.atie fertilisers and potash salts, and. the best time to apply the fertilisers is in the. autumn. A dressing of lime is also advisable -if the character of the herbage indicates that-.the-soil has a tendencr-to be sour. Aβ; is well known, a sour'eoil ii'an enemy/of eweetheiDage

MIXING SHALL SEEDS.

The success of a new pasture is dependent. upon" a' number of points'in managership, and,one of theseis'carefui ibixing of '..-the; different kinds, of seeds used. Some farmers prefer t<? mix their own, and when this is the case, it must be remembered that uneven patches may .easily result in a field if the difference in 9ize and weight is not borne in mind. 'These differences are, sometimes very acute, as may be seen from the- number of seeds found in a pound, and the ease with which thousands of small ones may remain in contact with each other. A number of seeds of the same species will probably produce less grass than a mixture over the same area, as scientific dovetailing of the species enables each kind to flourish in its own peculiar way. We. have only to .note the immense discrepancy between, say, tall oat grass, with its .138,000 seeds to the pound, and the meadow grasses, with from 2i to 2J millions, to realise how this operates; 8 p also with ryegrass and cocksfoot, which are about : 6 to 1 in disparity—though both big, strong grasses—and the clovers which latter run up to 900,000, or four times the* number in ryegrass. Yarrow, again, has 3* million seeds to the pound and we know that it is apt to be a nuisance if it gams any ascendancy. Some of the grass seeds, .moseover, have hairs which are apt to lock together unless mixing is very thoroughly done. Like every other cattle ailment, the main point is deal with milk fever in its" initial stage, but there are many Btocknien and farmers who are not gifted with, the .faculty- of observation. a few.who! do not .realise the necessity of being constantly on the outlook for any sign of illuea^