CORN WITHOUT PLOUGHS.

Bruce Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 51, 8 July 1918, Page 4

CORN WITHOUT PLOUGHS.

', Necessityas the -mother of invention j has been responsible f Q r some remarkable discoveries, and war conditions Ijiavc probably 'stimulated endeavour to a degree which would not otherwise j.h'avc Obtained. -A'remarkable claim, is made by a, Sussex farmer which will be of distinct interest to his brethron overseas. ■Failing-'to-get some pasture land pl6ughed in time for com planting in ■the summer of 1017, he conceived*the .idea of drilling the seed into 'the .turf. He'planted some oats in this manner in July (corresponding, with our January). In September the grain wag.about lOin high, and he turned live stock on it. There was a thick- growth of the usual pasture combined with the fresh and nitrogenous stalks of the young grass. ■ln 'the spring the oats came up "early with-a strong growth, together with a strong stand of hay. This year ho is going in for this intensive scheme of corn cultivation on a larger scale, and is going to plant oats and wheat on Ms pasture without ploughing the ground. By doing so he is going to double the capacity of his land, preserve and improve all his pastures, and increase the food supply by raising oats and wheat without encroaching upon the live stock feeding resources of his farm. The possibilities of this- discovery arc enormous, and they 'have attracted the attention of - food'production experts and •of many practical farmers. The British Government is overstocked wi'th winter wheat seed bought last year at high prices, and it is desirable that it should' be planted and not milled. The source of supply suggested by the possibilities of planting grain in turf has so appealed to the 'Government that priority certificates 'have been issued for the

necessary work to be done on agricultural implements to Jit them for the .jhirpose. 'The machinery, can 'he provided at a minimum expenditure of ■time and 'money, and if the matter is I taken hold of at once thousands of j'acres of fine old English pasture can be i made to produce 'wheat or oats, an ineroased yield of stock feed and hay, , and lose none of their permanency or value. Describing the method adopted it is stated that in the mouth of July, 'by means of a .simple attachment to an ordinary seeder, a winter grain and artificial fertiliser are drilled through the turf of any pasture intended for haying the.fallowing year. By -September or October this grain will have made a growth of nearly a foot. This with the accompanying grass is fed off by live stock. The roots of the grain arc protected 'by the turf, and spring growth begins earlier and is stronger than in the ordinary cultivated field. The result of this early growth is that the grain opens at flic same time as the hay, and they are harvested 'together. The harvesting is done by attaching an extra knife, with a carrier, above the. knife of the mower. 'The top knife acts as a 'header and cuts tha grain, the grain heads 'being deposited in a separate swathe and collected at once, as they need no drying. The lower knife cuts the straw and the hay together, thus producing a ready-mixed fodder. The advantages claimed for this system are-many. There is a saving of at least one-half of the seed, as theuc is a higher percentage of germination in duly, and no loss from 'birds or from exposed grain. The passage of the drills through the turf improves the pasture, ancbthe deeper rooting cereal loosens the soil and fertilises it below the roots of the grass. Hay and straw j arc equally mixed in the cutting. There is enormous economy of labour all through, for all ploughing and harrowing are done away with; :bo'tli crops arc I harvested together; planting and rolling are done at the same time; no drying of the cut grain is necessary. If the Weather is bad in haying time the assembled labour 'can be used for planting other pasture, and under this system land now arable can be put down to pasture 'without loss of corn-yielding area. England would particularly beno;fit by such a system, if successful, and thorough 'tests are urged as to its general practicability. j

Cabinet has agreed to increase the allowance to the guardian of the motherless children of a soldier to 3s a day, the rate: allowed to a soldier's wife. After many 'months, during which the ma'tter had' evidently 'been lost in obscurity, something practical 'has at last been com'menced with regard to the fencing of Hasborough 'Road prior to its being opened for. motor traffic. The strainers and fencing posts, have been carted to the scene of action preparatory to the work boing com'menced. The Grim Reaper has claimed a heavy toll in the Clutha district of late, no fewer than V 9 deaths having occurred since April. Last year only 30 burials were recorded for the year. It is a noticeable fact that of 'the deaths in the past three months the majority have been old identities; 18 of the deceased persons were 'born in Scotland, and the remaining nine were colonial 'born. The Nieuve Rotterdam Courant states that a large number of Germany's eats and dogs have been killed owing to the food scarcity. The majority of the poultry has 'been slaughtered. The cows-

rire insufficiently fed, and if they do | not yield the prescribed quantity of fimilk they 'are slaughtered. .A worse fate has befallen the horses, great numbers of which are starving. Pig-breed-ing is threatened with utter ruin. Slieep-farming is the only industry which enjoys . toore favourable conditions,