NEXT YEAR'S WHEAT.

Press, Volume XLVII, Issue 7518, 7 April 1890, Page 2

NEXT YEAR'S WHEAT.

Weekly Presa, space this week to a couskieraUon of X question, viewing it i a the Ugh? g ftj past year's experience. As ao iinlC! man ever thinks of commencingtooK house without Qrst setting dovm to flM«? the cost, so in like manner nor eSSKt farmer should commence an<*W»K operations without first coasldetlnTThl results of the past season. "** AU things considered the crop of IRSfUn has been a fairly good one, machines are turning out fair The results have beeu marred fcTfiSS extent by sundry causes, such as Bmm mildew, and rust, but none of thM*)*. committed any very appreciable limaS save and except smut. However thalS* of the existence of these 2M Zealand is of sufficient importanceto calf tor special attention at our hands, 'ft? S» purpose of inquiring how far tho X valence of the pests referred to mtl& curtailed, or entirely prevented, &» « intelligent system of culture, by vmm mean **u t only the preparation of U J bub the selection and treatment otX seed as well. The terrible fact M tin rust pest has caused a loss this season la South Australia alone, compared a& £1,500,000, should set every wheat geowst in Canterbury him to ask himself, ** Am Ifanaicgtß, land in such a manner as to secure immunity (as far as is possible) from tas ravages of the rust pest, lv the eveat its visiting this colony to a serious, ertmt next year, or at any other ttma?" We have already informed oai'reaaen that a Conference of scientific men ml practical farmers was about to meet In Victoria for the purpose of discussing this important question (rust). Well, uio Conference has met, with the raiall fb&t they have made a large number of mm<&. tions without doing much more. ThtsuJbgS what we expected, for the reason that the rust pest is as old as the culture of wheat itself. We read that the ancients attributed Its ravages to an offended deity and sought by many means, as ridteoMa as the idea Itself, to appease ths W'j with what success we may imagine, w subject has occupied the nitndsof scieaUftmen from time to time, and mach Ms been writ-ten upon It, and still Itcontiaeta its ravages intermittently but with as macli virulence as ever. Ocofaalonally, of wheat are heralded with a flottriah (if not of trumpets) of puffing adverttetaero such as "Rust proof wheat," " Jjbsdlut** security against rust." The comtaite-i above referred to give it as their opSafeg that" No such cereal as rust-proof f\m\ has yet been discovered." The moil practical, and to our mind, the portion of their report is that in which they strongly urge upon farmers ti**necessity for arrowing wheat only oa land previously fallowed or in succession to peas, beans, clover, maize or sorghumi on the grounds that wheat thus grow in Victoria and elsewhere has empjd a greater immunity from tho attacks oi the pest than that succeeding wheat, oat?, or like graminaceous plants, and on (As broad grounds of sound practicalfarmliif Although the strict carrying out of tl« principles of rotation of crops may m secure immunity,there cannot be a shadosr of doubt bub chat the neglect of it &» been a potent cause of tbe trouble ina?(ja Australia. It is only the old story—NsW punishing the delinquents. Her good*** has been shamefully imposed upoatlSlrt last she has turned upon the SDolter. Tba partial remedy is better farming, and lei New Zealand farmers take a lesson froa their improvident brothers in Soat-h J* tralla while it is yet time. Thfomf be done as above suggested—deep cnltaw and proper rotation and selection of seea. We have seen many paddocks ot vbtti in Canterbury this past season badly ism' ted with smut or " dust brand" known te cryptogamic botanists as the Ursso&§&f> The smut ball or bunt is the Urtfafm* The former more usually attacks tt»«f crop, but ib extended itself to t&8 «*» plant this past season to a vsrf»^ J extent. We are within the ma&sW*™ say that many crops of wheat tore*®** reduced by quite five to ten i»mV* acre by Its ravages. As the to maturity the black spores wa*»n and by the time the crop is fltfts,^ the infected stems are found denuded of every grain of seed, «&«*! rust (urecfo rubigo) this pest ntaf, extent, be guarded against of steeping with genuine blue stone, w"® care that every grain of seed ia saturated by the dressing. Our la*®®* wM do well to make special note« *»■ point, careless steeping may cause tm of at least £1 per acre, which wtfjg amounts to the profit. Beep «"| iß X*t° and early sowing are important f^w^. 1 ;* securing satisfactory results * tcW >*|! -wheat crop. By deep cultivation «mJ not mean ploughing a deep Jwwr turning the crude bottom iott « Wg On the contrary the mellow must be kept on the surface, soU should be broken up as deeply •■«• slble and left below; by this »«{»■* soU wiU retain moisture ««<* OTg than if treated in the ordinary w|j, ™J a four or five inch furrow. ."•SK heard complaints made of the ™**LS digging, plough, bub if they" «*!E groundedTb must be because ofJagJ too deeply the. surface soil, ft «•"»■£*; ever, be remembered that wheat lorn/ -firm bed, and a rough surface, es^ w* for early sown. The clods »h*ig| m plant, and in spring supply moal* earthing the young plants when with the harrows or roller. Sf.i?ni«7 a couple of strokes of a barrows early in spring -Is <#*, known, but a trial of it, fill **£2JBB the fact thatit is a of time and money. sow early (by which you wW»JSIK* of seed per acre) on Wjfffl previously borno a cereal cleeply. Use only the best thoroughly steeoed with stone, and the chances are •^Ct* — ai be troubled very little, if at aU, with*® 6 *' bunt, mildew, or rust. i Great care should bo taken to ft , phSphorusfor the destawttonofJgJH A. grazier at Yea some I a quantity of «gsptWf spread it over a !^ d *** bait to bunny. After t *E?Sn*. put a flock of sheep to Staff" St dreaming % a moment ggggßj would befall them, war; ■»*"/"* „# $< the animals must have Sofsoned feed, for one % fell iurprised to find notewter t&«lfs£ Ab bsstewes lying dead in tn« prf«* dl^ instance also trict. A carter travel ing hotJ^ s i« alia and Lancefleld with »l«J^^ '#& halted a few mUMi from *• "SSSh to camp. Unharneaaia^g turned them into •* for the night. The next &&; two out of the four «J doclf.and on consequent «££%#* * a d^vT»Sg rabbit* s