CULTIVATION WORK.

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 42, 17 August 1918, Page 10

CULTIVATION WORK.

Mr. Primroso M'Connell writes as follows in the New Zealand Farmer: —

Weather and soil conditions permitting, spring wheat may bs sown from now to end of September, and, in some localities, even later. Two and a-half bushels per acre should bo sown at this time of the year. As the roots o£ wheat penetrate deeper than any other cereal deep cultivation will always yield best results, and a rather stiff soil is much more suitable than a lighter one. On the other hand, the lig-ht soils are the best for barley. Oats do wel 1 on either class of soil, but the greatest yields are had from a good bodied loam. Early sown cereal crops will be greatly stimulated by a stroke of tho tine harrows after they have been grazed down for tho last time, and clover seed may be sown at the same time, if not already sown. Land intended for the potato crop will be benefited by a deep stirring with tho cultivator, after cross ploughing. No attempt should be made to plant the main crop of potatoes until danger from normal frosts is past. It is also a well known fact that the late planted potatoes are always tho freest from disease. The land should be prepared this month for sowing rape for early lambs. If the soil and weather aro suitable this crop should be sown early in September, so that it will be ready for tho newly-woaned lambs about the beginning of November. A fine tilth is essential for this plant, and the seed should be sown in rows sufficiently apart to admit of inter-cultivation. Rape should be looked upon as a fallow crop, tho main object of which is to destroy weeds as far as possible, and, of course provide very valuable fodder. For cow iodder tho most suitablo crop for very early sowing is Chou Moellier, and aitnough it makes a heavy demand on tho lertility of the soil, m return it yields a great weight of succulent fodder per acre. It is not easily injured by frosts, and may be sown at a time when maize sowing is impracticable. Good deep cultivation and liberal manuring are essential, btubble catch crops that were ploughed under for green manure about the end of May should now receive a second plou^h--1n.7- «e«per than the first one, so as to still keep the manure undor the soil, and encourage- further decay without loss of fertilising matter, as sometimes happens when freely exposed to the sun before the manure is thoroughly incorporated with the soil by cultivation. A farmer ploughing under green manure for the first tim« will be greatly surprised at the effect on the texture and colour of the soil. Even stiff loams become loose and friable, and the colour much darker, both results being beneficial in a high degree. Tho paddock that is set aeide for luoerne should not be overlooked, and the. oftener it is harrowed or otherwise cultivated the greater will be the number of weeds destroyed, and ultimate success will be more certain. It is a great plant and well worthy of the most careful attention.