FARM AND FIELD

Lake County Press, Issue 2637, 22 June 1916, Page 7

FARM AND FIELD

ORIGINAL ARTICLES (By F.C.8.)

GOOD MANURING. Having ascertained the elements in which the soil is deficient, and those which are likely to best meet the needs of his trees, the grower is faced with the problem of the most economical and at the same time most satisfactory method of applying them. The' cheapest way to increase the nitrogen content of the soil is by growing and ploughing under leguminous crops. These, as is well known, have the peculiar characteristic that they draw nitrogen directly from the air through their upper growth, and introduce it to the soil through their roots. Either an annual legume such as field peas may be used, or, where irrigation is practised, a perennial such as lucerne. Lucerne is very effective for introducing nitrogen to the soil, besides being profitable in other respects, and where the water supply is sufficient, and the soil is of a suitable depth and of a loamy character, it may be planted between the rows oi trees in an orchard with great advantage to their growth and productiveness. Lucerne is more effective for introducing nitrogen into the soil than annuals like field peas, rape or tares, because its action is not confined to a j few months' growth, but is more con- i tinuous, and increasing as the plant develops, a supply of nitrogen is carried by its powerful root system deep into the subsoil, and maintained there. Lucerne is not. however, suitable for all soils, and can only be used where there is ample moisture available both for it and for the needs of the trees. In a shallow soil, or one which has a stiff clay subsoil or an impervious rock or clay pan between the surface and subsoil, there is danger oi the lucerne roots choking those of the trees, and therefore lucerne should not be planted with fruit trees where these conditions prevail. THE SEWING OF FERTILISERS. Artificial manures may be either drilled in or sown, from a speciallymade box attached to a single furrow plough. If the latter method is cmployed, the land should lie furrowed ! out as for irrigating beforehand, and the plough with the manure box attached should follow in the same furrows, deepening them ahead of the manure as it is sown; the manure should then be covered in immediately by a single furrow ploughing, which will leave the furrows ready for the water. This method is to be preferred to drilling in manures on a fruit farm 1 if the manure is to be put in by itself; ' the drill will, of course, be used if

seed for a green manure or crop ib tr be sown in with it. The method ol sowing by hand in the furrows is ver % \ • expensive and wasteful. CLOVER AND PROTEIN. Being a more nitrogenous feed than maize or the grasses, clover supplies a good deal of the protein compounds —flesh-forming substances—required by ! farm animals for the maintenance of their bodies and for the production of milk, wool, and meat. It will be seen by tins that where clover can be grown* it is a most desirable crop to sow, for it not only gives an abundance of valuable feed while occupying the ground, but it also enables the farmer to maintain tho fertility of his land. Clover should not be fed too hard tho first year, much damage being often done the young pasture through stocking too heavily before it is properly matured. It has been proved that for every shilling the tanner secures by overstocking his young clover ho loses several shillings in his next year's feed. Many prefer to take a light crop of hay off first, instead of grazing, to prevent tramping while reeding it off j but this is not at all necessary, providing it is fed judiciously, the tramping it gets while feeding in most cases proving more beneficial than otherwise. Stock should not bo allowed on dining wet weather, or the surface will afterwards become baked and much haroi will be ' done to the young plants. CLOVER FOR ENSILAGE. Clover is next to maize in importance as a silage crop and is superior to J ordinary grass hay on account of its succulence and greater pliability. The j last-mentioned point is mainly due to I the fact that all parts of the clover I plant are preserved in the silo with a j small unavoidable loss in fermenting, I while in hay-making leaves and tender J parts, which contain about two-thirds ! of the protein compounds, are often largely lost by abrasion. The hotter j and drier tho weather the greater tho loss. In spite of the fact that there have been many failures in the past in siloing clover, it may earily and cheaply bo placed in a silo and preserved in a perfect condition, the failures reported being largely due to a faulty construction of the silo or the working of it. OATS IN COW FEEDING. At a recent conference of agricultural chemists in Victoria, for tho discussion of various cattle foods from a scientific point of view, it was argued that "oats undoubtedly constituted the best form of grain for feeding to dairy cattle, and was at the same time one of the most useful concentrated foods at the dairy farmer's disposal. Oats certainly stimulated the flow of milk to a very appreciable extent, and, besides being extremely t wholesome, they were held in much favour where butter is produced, j Crushed oats were included in most standard dairy cow's rations. In this I form they we're exceedingly digestible. I As regards the feeding of the whole ! grains to cows, heifers, and calves, some experiments showed that when whole grains are fed to cows 22.75 per cent, passes through them unmasticated; when fed to heifers, 10.77 per cent., and when fed to calves 6.26 per cent. When whole oats are fed to cows 12.06 passes through them unmsticated, when fecV to 'heifers 5.48 per t cent, and when fed to calves 2.98 per j cent. The results of these experiments showed two things first, whole j grain fed to cows and heifors is a j very wasteful practice; and secondly,] the younger the animals the more cap- i ablo they are of masticating their . grain." ' j