FARMS AND FARMERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 November 1931, Page 8

FARMS AND FARMERS

ITEMS OF INTEREST

(By

“Rouseabout”)

SUPPLEMENTARY CROPS In the spring and summer widespread improved attention should be given to an important and wide range of supplementary crops—that is, crops such as mangels, swedes, chou moelHer. carrots, and turnips, which are used to supplement the feed from the pastures during periods in which sucn feed is available only in amounts below those required by the stock, states the N.Z. Journal of Agriculture. The supplementary crop position well warrants consideration principa • ly on account of such grassland developments as top-dressing, ensilage, and systematic grazing. The pas few years have been marked by increased knowledge and increased enthusiasm in respect to our grassland, and it is very desirable that our zeal in respect to grass-farming be maintained and extended. But it would be a pity if our enthusiasm tor grass were allowed to lead to a loss of our sense of proportion. It would be a nitv if the sound belief that grass is important were allowed to be transformed into the unsound belief that grass is all-sufficing. In other words, the recognition of the true role of grass in our farming is no justification for practically ignoring the value of other crops, particularly when some of them may give most valuable assistance on the way to improved grass-farming. Yet there is at times evidence of a tendency to focus attention too completely upon the pastures alone, and to conclude that through such practices as top-dressing more can be accomplished than actual results give grounds for expecting. Topdressing, ensilage, systematic grazing, are all intrinsically of great proved value, but for maximum success they frequently require to be reinforced by other practices. In brief, there are several links in the chain of agencies, which, acting together, tend to give grass-farming perfection. It may be asked wnen should the plough be used on farms on which grass is the dominant crop. While detailed rules capable of general application cannot be laid down in answering this question, it may be said with confidence that the plough should be used as a rule when two commonly occurring circumstances are present.

UNPROFITABLE PROPOSITION A North Taranaki farmer recently showed a “News” reporter his account sale in connection with the sale of a cow hide. On the credit side was 1/6, the proceeds of the sale; on the debit side: cartage 1/-, commission 3d. The profit (3d) was enclosed m stamps. The stock agents had put on the letter a 2d stamp, so their gross profit from the transaction was Id. The carter and the Government evidently made the profit. The farmer employed a man to bury the beast, which cost at least 1/-. The cow, a pedigree one, had cost him £4O, so altogether the proposition was a decidedly unlorthbate one for the farmer, THE KITCHEN GARDEN The first half of November is a most important time in the kitchen garden, as all main crops must be sown without delay. If a crop of pumpkins is desired remember that it is waste of time to i attempt to grow these gross feeders on ordinary garden soil. It is much the best plan to dig a fairly deep hole which may be used as a rubbish pit, filled in with good top soil, mounded up to form a hill and the seeds sown on top. Scarlet runners beans are gross feeders and a good trenching of th.e site for this crop will be amply repaid by a more prolific and finer crop. Keep potatoes well cultivated and have all spraying equipment ready for the first appearance of blight. Plant out tomatoes, remembering not to plant more than can be conveniently and thoroughly staked, pruned and sprayed. Casualties should be replaced as soon as conditions warrant it, protection being afforded the plants until they are established. Sow for succession peas, dwarf beans, lettuce, carrots, parsnips, radishes, etc.

Thin out and weed all seedling crops in the early stages. This is especially important in the case of root crops such as carrots and parsnips.

Thinning of seedling crops will be done more effectually and with less damage if the rows are thoroughly watered a few hours before if the ground is at all dry. SMALL-FRUIT CULTURE For two or three months, commencing at the present time when the last of the stored apples are being marketed, and terminating in January when the stone-fruit harvest commences in earnest, is a period when the small berry fruits of summer-time are looked for. First come the gooseberries and strawberries, followed by the raspberries and currants in December. The gooseberries are harvested green and firm in a suitable form for culinary use. When of a comparatively even size they look well and are packed to best advantage. All mature berries in the strawberry beds should be gathered every twrt or three days. If any are overlooked they are either w’asted, or, what is worse, gathered when overripe and spoil the pack. Mixed maturity is one of the worst defects in packed fruit. The fruit should be gathered when the surface is dry, and always kept in a cool shaded place while awaiting shipment. Weak and surplus canes should be removed when hoeing weeds in the crops of raspberries and loganberries. Cape gooseberries should now be planted out; 3ft apart and 6ft between rows is suitable spacing on land that is rather rich. Plants of the edible pas-sion-fruit may also be planted, if this is not already done; Bft to 10ft between the plants and 10ff or 12ft between the rows are the usual distances. This distance between the rows appears excessive, and it is possible that Bft or 9ft would be suffi-! cient and more profitable. Cultiva- 1 tion to keep down weeds and carefully i training the plants on the trellis provided are the main operations at this season.

HAY AND ENSILAGE Paddocks shut up from now on for hay and ensilage should be given a dressing of some quick acting fertiliser to ensure a good crop. For this purpose a dressing of from 2 to o cwts. of super, or, on pastures that are in exceptionally good heart, 2cwts. of ammoniated super should be carried out. So much has been published in regard to ensilage making that it seems hardly necessary to go into the whole business in detail at this juncture, but a few notes on the main operations will not go. amiss. Firstly, the quality of. the ensilage is governed very largely by the quality of the raw material and on this account good raw material should be used. Secondly, the quality is affected by the stage at which the crop is cut. Cutting should be carried out when the crop is at its maximum of leaf growth. Thirdly, the sooner the material can be harvested after mowing the better. Fourthly, in building give the stack plenty of height and keep the centre hearted up a little, keeping the walls upright and well tramped. Fifthly, build continuously if mechanical apparatus for hoisting is available, otherwise a day may be missed between building to get advantage of subsidence. With the pit a day or so spell between buildings is an’ advantage. Sixthly, get the soil on straight away, using at least a foot, and keeping it well out on the walls Where a suitable site exists for the hillside pit this method has much in its favour. For anyone requiring further information the department's bulletin on ensilage making may be obtained on application. ALGERIAN OATS Illustrating the productivity of Algerian oats, a single plant bearing ovei 200 stems was shown to a reporter, says the “Marlborough Express”. The plant was raised from a single seed and had stooled out in amazing fashion and bore well-advanced heads of heavy quality. POULTRY KEEPING. REARING OF DUCKLINGS All hatching operations should have now ceased except in the case of ducklings. which by reason of their early maturity can be hatched even tin to the end of November for the renewal of the laying flock, and even later where the birds are intended for table purposes; Manv people fail to hatch duck eggs successfully in an incubator. There may be several causes for this, but probably the chief one is failure to provide sufficient moisture or to provide it in the right manner to ensure that the air-cell will dry down to a desired moisture or to provide it in the right manner to ensure that the air-cell will dry down to a desired line, whereby the membrane next to the shell will not be too tough for the bird to pierce. After the fourteenth day the eggs should be sprayed with water at a temperature of 103 degrees F.; through the mouth will do. Spray immediately after the eggs have been turned, and then put them back in the machine. They should not be cooled after spraying. The cooling should be done at night and the spraying 'in the morning. This process should be repeated daily after the fourteenth day until pipping-time, when if the temperature has been maintained at the right degree throughout-—lO2 degrees the first week, from this on to the pipping stage 103 degrees, and 104 degrees when hatching—-the incubation process should proceed satisfactorily, states the Journal of Agriculture. If the correct degree of 'heat has been maintained in the incubator the eggs should commence to pip on the twenty-sixth day and to hatch out on the twenty-eighth. Beware of the common mistake of trying to help the young birds out of the shell until they have been given their full time to hatch. When once the eggs have commenced to pip, the door of the incubator should not be opened until the hatch is practically cleaned up. Where, however, any of the pipped eggs make no progress at this stage it will generally be found—in fact, it is almost a certainty—that more moisture is demanded. The most effective method of providing this is to take a piece of thin flannel the size of the egg-tray, dip it in hot water, wring it lightly, and then place it over the eggs. The flannel may be left on for, say, an hour. If the covering is not too thick the birds will have no difficulty in hatching under it. During the final stages it may be rolled up and left at the end of the machine next to the heater until the trays are removed from the incubator.

During the early stages the eggs require very little cooling. After the second day they should be turned both morning and night. Usually the time it takes to do this is all the cooling they require for the first week. In the second and third weeks the time of cooling should be extended by degrees up to twenty minutes, or even half an hour, while during the last week if warm weather conditions prevail, they may be left out much longer. After being set for four or five days the eggs should be tested and the infertile ones taken out. Frequent tests should be made, and during the incubation process any eggs containing dead germs should be removed promply from the - incubator. Such eggs rapidly decay and soon give off a bad odour, which is apt to injure the hatching-qualities of the remaining eggs in the incubator. Usually the shell of a decaying duck-egg becomes discoloured, and can be readily detected by a person of experience without the use of a tester.