AUTUMN CULTIVATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 138, 5 March 1908, Page 2

AUTUMN CULTIVATION.

. r ARE THE PLOUGHS. READY ? .: A TIME FOR SURFACE SOWING. > Tho. return of ; wet weather. will move tho ' \ wise farmers into early activity. . There ; wai' . trouble last spring- that, the-hard state ol . thq.. ground, made ploughing impossible, 1 and crops wore delayed ..;in ; quonce. Delays are dangerous on a farm, ap fcverywhero else,, and (jarly. workj ,sp,-sooir as the soil is . amenable,',will prove wise. , Surface sowings of grass 'seem now: to,.be, safe, as the. drought gives/no tjireat,- ; so "far, -' of returning; and a : ; continuance of 'tho , warm weather, - which'is-accompanying thp' ' rain; coupled ' with the heat that ', has been accumulating in tho soil, should pro-: mote -early, germination'-..and 'abundant: . growth/ With:proper energy'tho fears tbpt' ' have been stealing upon us that' thei'p will be a' great shortage of feed during tho winter may not be fully realised. Probably, ■pjueh of Ulie ctore'.of , preserved food usually, set by for the winter may be lacking, but we .still: have before us a probable period of ■ good growing weather, and it rests with tho ■ farmer to'riiakethe most' of-lns chances.■, A fear that still holis its.own is the dread of scouring-iiv stock through- the. sueeiilence that will eharaeterise': thoi nQW . the next ifeiv. weeks paddocks.- .Tliero • arc spme : anxious 1 days ahepd. < In all cirr , cnmstances a farmer can only do his best, but when he does that, it generally happens that, sooner, or later something," turns up trumps'." Very few farmers; fortunately,, need to bo told that' it is better to plough ground dry, than wet. The .only question is how. wet-should it be allowed .to become before we try ' the - horses on it.-" For our ■ part, tho stiffor a soil is by nature, tho ■ more would we try- to do something with it while it is yet' firm. Mere 'surface''' tillage with" dico harrows has somo "advantages;, when deeper tillage is impossible, and. the work is more rapid, ' The practice is'.adopted by some farmers in. cases where a thin crust ■ is mbist, because the loose surface expedites the 'softening of the lowor soil, and ttiauea tho later ploughip'g ■ easier. -Farmers vwhq are in a hurry to provide feed for the.win- , ter will', take advantage of all rcasonabla ways of reaching, their end.