OCTOBER AGRICULTURE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 8 October 1928, Page 7

OCTOBER AGRICULTURE.

FIELD NOTES FOR THE MONTH. (By J. W. Deem, Field's Superintendent, AVanganui.) The cold stormy weather during September has greatly retarded the growth of 'pastures, consequently, an most eases they ha ve been well cleaned up and are now in splendid condition to give a nice fresh growth when warmer weather is experienced. This growth should be ideal for milk production by both dairy cows and ewes. As the weather gets warmer there 'will be a tendency for the grass to run away and great care should be taken to prevent this, as it is the young succulent growth that is required. The necessity of grass control has been frequently .pointed out and while u. large number of farmers now manage their grass and get very high returns there are still a fair number who just consider their pasture grow and make no attempt to manage them. HAY AND ENSILAGE.

If not already done, fields intended for hay and ensilage should be shut up us soon as possible. Before closing up they should be eaten down bare and given 'a good harrowing to clean up all rough spots and to distribute cow.droppings, etc. Then give a dressing of 2 cwt of . super per acre. Unless a field has only just recently been fertilised this extra, dressing will always pay. It. means a great increase in weight and better quality hay. If .there is a tendency for the pasture to be short aud the better grasses, like rye, showing ■weakness it will als'o pay to apply in conjunction with the super, one cwt of sulphate of ammonia per acre. It should bJ.wa.ys be remembered that it is better to have 20 tons of good quality hay than 30 tons of poor quality. If the ■hay field has been well fertilised during the winter one cwt of super and one cwt of sulphate of ammonia would be a good dressing now. ROOT AND FODDER CROPS.

The cultivation of laud in preparation for (these crops should be pushed along so as to insure a good seed bed for sowing which wifi start in the warmer districts any time now. This cultivation is also important fur (ho purpose- of destroying as many annual weeds as posible. FODDER FOR LAMBS. Where top-dressing is general iho area under fodder crops may be greatly reduced and in many cases cut right out as most of the lambs are got away fat off their motuers; the balance being finished on the white clover. Rape is still the best crop for lamb fattening, and where it. can be successfully grown, the farmer need not look lor anything else. Soft turnips are also very useful. However, there arc large ureas where owing to the ravages, of clubroot something else lias to be tried, rape and turnips being out of the question. Chou moilier is useful and although not quite clubfoot resisting, fair crops may be grown -where- rape and •turnips w r oukl be a failure. Unfortunately it- is a slower grower than the former crops and is a- bit late in. reaching the feeding stage. Peas or tares are also useful, or a mixture of maize and .peas or tares. A good field of red clover so managed by cutting or gra-z----in<r so as to have it in a- nice succulent ‘condition for lambs is also very useful. SUPPLEMENTARY FODDER. Where lucerne cannot be successfully j crown or good supplies of ensilage provided, it is desirable to grow some (supplementary fodder to carry -the herd over the dry period, January to March. Where soft‘turnips (Hardy or Imperial Green Globe, Purpletop Mammoth, Red Paragon, or Devonshire Ctr cyst one) can bo grown, they arc still the best. Where turnips cannot be grown, farmers will have to rely on such crops as chon mollier, maize, millet, or a mixture of maize and peas or tares. Suitable manures for fodder crops are basic j super, super, .mixture of super and slag. Super and Mauru, or super and blood and bone, at the rate of three to four cwts per acre, and in the ease of chou mollier up to J ewts per acre. On new land most crops arc- better sown on the the flat, but on all land badly infested •With weeds better results will be obtainfed from such crops as chou mollier and turnips if they arc sown on ridges 21 to 26 -inches apart and given inter-cultiva-tion. Where, 4 or 5 ewts of manure per a-crc is used half of it- should be broadcasted and the other half sown with the seed. If, however, the seed is sown on (ridges with a ridger having a double manure box, all the manure may be put on at once, the main portion being put through the front box. It is considered that when large quantities of manure especially super, is sown in direct contact with the seed, germination is to some extent affected. Ia the warmer districts- the sowing of mangolds and carrots may be pushed along any time the land is ready. In colder districts like central Taranaki. Taihape and Raetihi. the end of October or the early part of November will be quite soon enough. Before discussing varieties let me again impress on farmers the desirability of having a small area well cultivated in preference to a large area neglected. More, food at less expense can be grown on the smaller a-rca, with more pleasure to the grower, dud .the extra laud can grow grass.

MANGOLDS. Further trials of new mdnglods have keen- made during the year and the standard varieties were carefully noted when judging the results of the various field competitions. In this connection alone 5*7 mangold crops were weighed and a- splendid opportunity afforded of studying the relative values of -the different varieties. In oil competitions •this year Pri win inner was placed first, second and thin',, anil as it appeared to do well under all conditions it is hard to recommend any other variety, for the main crop. The next best mangold is Pod Intermediate. Whereever this tmongoJil 'was grown it has given very fine results, and those farmers who- do not like Prizewinner should give this mangold a trial. I think so highly of this mangold that I would advise all (farmers who grow mangolds to give it 0; trial. Say two-thirds Prizewinner and one third lied Intermediate. Mangolds like fresh ground, but may be grown for several years on the same area providing the cultivation and manuring is right. The results obtained by Mr .T. B. Hine. Toko, is a good example of this. Mr- Hine grew mangolds on the same urea for four years in succession and the last crop was the best. The individual crops were as follows: 15)25, 89 tons 7 cows per acre; 1920. 11l tonsJ 3 cwts; 1927. 5)0 tons 11 cowts; and 1928. 132 tons 13 cwts. The manure used per acre during the past three years was as follows: 1920, 8 cwt super, 10 cwt salt; 1927. 7 cwt super 5 cwt salt; 1928, 3 cwt super, 3 cwt basic slug, 1 cwt of kainit. aud 5 cwt of salt plus a few loads of cow yard -manure per acre. The variety of -mangold was Prizewinner a.ud the drills 18 inches apart. The cr6p was beautifully cultivated, hardly a weed or a. bit of grass

being visible. Mangolds respond to good treatment, and for the ordinary grower the following manure is recommended: 3 parts super, 1 part Nauru or similar phosphate, l part blood and ■bone, 5 to (i cwt, plus .'1 cwt of kainit or stilt per acre. The kainit or salt is very important and generally -means a few tons increase i-a the crop. The kainit. or salt should be ■broadcasted over the area, and 'harrowed in before the seed is sown. It is not advisable to sow kainit, or salt with the seed. The above quanti-ties may with advantage be increased 2 or 3 cwt per acre, provided plenty of cultivation is given so as to keep the soil free and allow the roots of the plants to get into touch and use the manure. In addition to artificial manures, a few loads of cow yard' manure will give excellent results. About filb of seed per acre should be used and if the cultivation is to be done by hand, sow in drills 1(3 -to 20 inches apart; if to be done by horse labour drills 21 to 28 inches. If the drills are closer than 21 inches it is difficult to work the horse hoe. CARROTS.

This is one of the safest crops to grow both as regards germination, and feeding. Carrots are rarely a failure and are safe to feed, to all types of stock and at any time. Like mangolds, various varieties have been tested and observed and tlie best va.i-ieties for cows are Matchless White, White Belgian, and Sinclair Champion. The true Bariiball is probably the best of the lot, but. seed in any quantity is not procurable. For sheep the Gurande is the- best. It is also very good for cows, but being smaLl there is a lot of -handling. The longer varieties. Matchless TV-hit e. White Belgian and Sinclair

Champion, should be sown in drills 14. to IS inches apart for hand cultivation, and 2(1 to 2(1 for horse cultivation. Carrots like a line seed bed as the seed is small they should be sown as shallow as possible. Sow 1 to Till) of seed per acre. The Gurande carrot is lies! sown on ridges 21 inches apart or drilled on the Hat the same distance apart, and given a few inferc.iilfivations with the horso •hoe. Sow 1 illi of seed per acre. A similar manure to that recommended for mangolds -I to 5 ewt per acre is suitable. The champion carrot crop this vear was grown by .1. .f. Sulzberger, of Mangatoki, Taranaki. li9 tons 15 cwt. .Variety Matchless White, was- fertilised with half super half bone —5 cwt per acre.

In writing these notes T have only been able- to deal with the various points in a general way and if fuller advice is desired on any particular subject, it may be obtained by application to the instructor in Agrticulture for'the district.