SEASONAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 157, 29 March 1941, Page 8

SEASONAL NOTES

Dairy Farm Work If the season be normal, one must reckon on the possibility that by one month from now the ground will begin to be soft. For this reason it is urged that any earth work, best done while the soil is dry, should be ' now pushed forward as rapidly as possible. Such Warks are the tilling in of worn-out gateways, that also in worn depressions about troughs,and the putting in order of routes used by the cows going to and from the shed. In filling in such places, it is recommended that any mud and/or impure soil , should ! be removed and then, that when filling, it is generally preferable to do so with subsoil rather than topsoil. At all times when conditions are dry,,.it is desirable, that the cattle trample the new earth to consolidate . it.; but if at all possible, they should ibc kept off when, it is soaked by rain. It is important, too, to keep an eye on the fillings' and say, once a week, these should be levelled as they may not sink evenly. If these jobs are done now, they are most easily attended and best results are achieved. They are timely works also for thereis practically no attention demanded now by crops; these, having been weeded months ago, can now be left; to look after themselves and not for two or three months will they require attention in feed ing out. Next , job in order of importance is attention Io pasture. If fertilizers are at hand, put on assoonas possible, for every “Single day is worth gaining: lime, too. should go on without delay. Harrowing also is a worthwhile 'work rind a most Seasonable one, now that the autumn rains have fallen. This..cab be a useful wet day fob. Mature Grass. ■. Harrowing in conjunction with top- I dressing should be specially devoted to a I few paddocks which should be saved for ' mature grass. The setting aside of such , grass is all too little practiced, specially , eo considering the great value of this prac- , tice. What is recommended is the setting aside of from 15 to 20 per cent, of a dairy farm’s area, this of two or three ' of the best paddocks, and that all the April and May growth thereon should remain unfed. Firstly these paddocks | should be quickly eaten out if they carry any roughage, but if their pastures be in good order and of clean growth .then just let them grow. If they have .been top- ' dressed and limed so much the better. ■ if not, do so if at all possible, and finally i harrow them to spread all droppings. The paddocks so prepared are left to I grow til! the grass there has attained a Jieight of. say. six inches or oven eight inches. They can then be grazed roiationally, but only to such extent as will eat off about three inches from the top of the growth. Such pastures will carry an astounding quantity of stock all through the winter and finally provide a wealth of high quality feed as the milkers come-in, in the spring. The writer is 'speaking from heartfelt personal experience. Attention to Drains. On much of our dairy land drainage is of importance and the season for treating drains is April-May. Leaving these till June will all too often result in bad work, as the drains become too full of water to be properly dealt with and in such event a double loss is suffered, for the soil will have become water-logged with water that should have got away. A point ever to be remembered in regard to drains is that their maintenance, to allow a clean water flow, is as important as their ■actual width and depth. Another matter that may be given attention is that of pig accommodation.

for though this may have been good enough to see one through the summer it may probably require some reconditioning to give, the pigs reasonable quarters for winter 'conditions. It is timely to look to draught prevention particularly. And, where it is intended to relay the pig plant, it is a good thing to give early consideration to plans for a new lay-out and thoughts could now be turned' to this. Finally, if it is proposed to graze out stock this winter, it is as well to make arrangements for this now, if. these have not already been made. With feed so plentiful, charges should be a little below those current last winter.