FARM WORK.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 4 October 1927, Page 8

FARM WORK.

NOTES FOR OCTOBER

(By J. W. Deem, Instructor in Agriculture, Wanganui.)

Well cared for pastures' are now malting rapid growth and require very careful management if they iai*e to he kept in good order and give off their best. Experiments conducted in several countries prove conclusively the value of short pastures. The young <Trass is much more palatable and richer than when .it gets older Analysis show® that as grass gets older its rood value declines. Another important point is that properly controlled grass has a- much longer growing period than when allowed to grow rank. Again, if properly grazed, the finer grasses and clovers are- preserved land encouraged, whereas if the pasture is allowed to get rank, they are depressed and in time lost. When it is'recognised that practically the whole of milk production conies from these finer grasses and < lovers, the necessity of proper management will be understood. Having accepted the* fact that it is. desirable to keep pastures short, great care must be taken to see that this is done in a suitable, manner. For instance it is very harmful to pasture and eat it down short and keep it continually fed short. Tf this is continued for any length of time, it. will be found that most of the good; grasses have disappeared and little but amor grasses and weeds remain. The proper method is to eat a paddock down rapidly, then spell it- for a few days and eat it niraln and so. on throughout the season. To do this effectively proper subdivision is necessary. The leaves of a plant are its lungs, hence the necessitv of rapid feeding and spelling to .r e t, the best results. If it is found impossible to properly control pastures with the stock on the farm, it meians tint more must be secured or the mowing machine must be brought auto use and the extra growth controlled bv this means; or an extra field or two ninv be shut up for lhav or ensilage. Dry fattening stock, particularly rattle, will do jail right on long pasture, not. so dairy cows, owes and lambs or young stock.

CEREAL CROPS

The good weather during the last fortnight has allowed work in this direction to be pushed along, at the same time there are a good many areas still to be sown and this work id lon Id be done as .soon as possible. This subject was fully dealt with in last months notes.

FODDER CROPS FOR LAMB FATTENING.

Now that so much top-dressing practised there is not the same necessity for supplementary crop for fattening. the bulk of the lambs being got away fat off their mothers. When it can he .successfully grown, Rape is .still the best crop, and following this soft turnips, Gliou Moollier, pea® or mixture® of rape and maize, ]>eas- or tares .and maize or straight out maize or millet. However, it is very doubtful if many of the.se latter crops pi J for the growing. Where Rape cannot be successfully grown it is probable that a good paddock of red clover that lias been well fertilised and properly grazed or cut to have it at the right stage for lambs when required, will be found the next best thing. Soft turnips are, of course, good but where they can. be grown rape usually does well. Chou Moollier, while quite good, is a bit late in.reaching maturity.

SUPPLEMENTARY FODDERS FOR DAIRY COWS.

Where they can be grown stilt turnips are the best for this purpose, al ways provided that, proper care is taken in the feeding of them to pie vent tain!.. Follow, ing this, Chou MoelHer, mixtures of maize and peas, maize and tares, or straight out maize or millet. In turnips the best varieties are Purple-top Mammoth, Rea Paragon, Hardy and Imperial Greer: Globe,, and Devonshire Grey-stone. It is good practice to grow a small area of' Purple-top Mammoth or Red Paragon for early feeding as they mature a little quicker than other varieties, and Green Globes for the main crop. 11 both varieties are sown at the same time they will mature about right. A small- aiea should he sown about the end of October and the main crop a week or two later, weather permitting. Suitable manures are Basic Super. Super, or mixtures of half Super, half Bphos Slag qr Nauru phosphate, or a good proprietory turnip manure, 3 to 1 ewt per acre. Nitrogenous manures are not generally desirable, as they cause too great a growth of top at the expense of the bulb, and potassic fertilisers are’not profitable. On new land, turnips should he sown on the (tat, sowing about Bozs of seed through every second coulter of the drill. On old land it is best to sow them on ridges 21 to 28 inches' apart, sowing 21 bs of seed, afterwards thinning and giving intereultivation. Chou MoelKe'r should be sown at Hie rate of i-jlb.s per acre through every second coulter of the drill or on ridges as advised for turnips. Sowing in>iv be done any time between November 1 and Christmas. The same manures as advised for turnips are suitable at from 4 to newt per acre. Ea.rlv maturing varieties of maize. ''lce Nine,tv Days, are best. Sow 2to 21 bushe's per acre or 14 bushels maize and 1 bushel pears or tares.

CARROTS AND MANGOLDS

'flic nrepaartion of land for these crops should be pushed along so that sowing may be done when conditions are favourable. Varieties, manures, ml cultivation were fully dealt with last month.