SEASONABLE HINTS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3088, 20 May 1881, Page 3

SEASONABLE HINTS.

Tho time for wheat sowing has como round again, and there are sundry matters of detail in connection with this work that farmers will require to keep in mind. It is scarcely necessary to repeat what has so frequently been brought before the eyes of grain-growers, namely, that early sown autumn wheat generally yields better than that which is sown late in the fall, and has no time to get well-rooted before the frost and snow of winter. The weather during the harvest was so exceptionally fine that there cannot be much damaged or sprouted corn in the district, and those farmers who make a practice of sowing sprouted grain from economical motives will not be able to do so this year, though there is doubtless in the late districts plenty of wheat pinched by the red rust which invariably makes its appearance in late sown—and therefore, necessarily, lato harvested —crops. Good sound seed gives tho plants a good start, and a good start to a plant,, as to an animal, is half the battle. Weakly, stunted, and ill-bred animals are never expected to throw strong and healthy progeny, but are generally culled out and disposed of by boiling down, or in some other way, as soon as possible. Yet farmers in sowing bad seed forget that the result is in most cases a eioily crop, which is very liable to be at*

tacked by some one or other of the diseases common to while crops.

Tlicro are various methods of applying a solution of Milestone (o seed corn. Tim operation can bo done speedily and effectively by means of two largo tubs. One contains the solution, and the corn is dipped into it for a momsnt and then stood on a frame over the second tub, into which the drainings drop ; when the first tub is empty the other will be partly filled with what has drained into it, and the process can be repeated until the whole of the solution is taken up. Wicker baskets are cometime3 used for dipping the corn into the solution, but old bags can be used for the purpose. Another way of bluestoning wheat is to shoot it into a tight tub or case, and after sprinkling the solution over the grain it is well stirred and put into bags' again ready for sowing. About two ounces of blue stone to a bushel of wheat is ample. It should be well pounded and dissolved in boiling water. The potato crop should be taken up before the middle of May afc the latest, and securely pitted in a dry place. It is necessary that those intended for seed should be sorted out and kept perfectly dry until required. According to all accounts this crop is very light throughout the island, owing to the protracted spell of dry weather during the past season, and those farmers who are fortunate enough to have a good yield this yeai* will probably make a good profit by holding them back for a time. Mangolds also should be taken up this month and stored or pitted for winter use. Mangolds are excellent things to have on h#nd when there arc little or no grasses in /the fields; sliced or pulped they are an agreeable relief to a regular diet of hay, and milch cows will keep up a, good flow of milk through the winter, with a liberal allowance of this root.

Good managers need nofc be reminded that heavy rains may be expected next month, and that there are a great many jobs that require to be attended to now, and which are useless if not done at the proper time. Stacks to stand the winter should be (if not already done) securely thatched ; ditches and drains cleared out; all machinery put under cover ; and things generally mado snug for the winter.—Otago Witness.