ON THE LAND,

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18353, 10 March 1920, Page 9

ON THE LAND,

RURAL TALKS. (By RUSTICUS.) RAIN AND WIND. Tho rain which set in at the middle of last week, and which iasted lor tlireo days, was uo cioubt good lor the country but very bad lor tbo harvest, iho delay in operations alone was a serious matter, because there is so much to do beloro winter tlifft every day counts. The harvest was practically hung up lor a week, aud even when operations were resumed- the snuff was not in good condition, even though nor’-west winds followed the rain. If the rain had delayed its coming for one week only the matter would not have been so serious, but even then it would have caught a good many farmers near the hills and on the heavier lands. Perhaps we have to be thankful that it did not come earlier. As it is, quite a uuuibor ot farmers had finished up and thus were not affected by tho downpour. However, a good deal of grain has been damaged. Of course, we have seen matters much worse, but there is a good deaf of sprouted stuff and a considerable amount of grain has been sprung, as the saying is, although it has not actually sprouted. Stacking has been resumed, and that is really what ought to bo done with all the stuff 111 oruor to recondition it. If it were left in tlio stack for about a couple 01 montns it would regain some of tho excellent colour it hau before the rain, and would probably be in fair milling condition. But stook threshing has commenced also, indeed, it was only a day, ii as much, behind the recommencement of stacking, and that means that much of tile grain that was threshed during the first day or two was not in good condition and was literally very much off colour, l'erhaps it will come all right in the bag, and 1 would advise that it bo lef t lor a lew weeks stacked in the paddock. There the wind can blow through the piles and thus do much to improve the condition in a short time. The majority of farmers are very anxious to see the end of tho harvest. They want to get on with tho preparation of their wheat lands. They are gomg to put in more wheat than they aid last year, not so much because they are gomg to get a guaranteed price from the Government that is slightly better than has been given in the past, but because tne meat position is noc at all reassuring, and farmers are desirous of having more than ono string to their bow. There wilt bo a good deal of stubble skimmed, and .1 notice also that there is some grass land being turned over, evidently for wheat. Or course, it will not be possible to put in tho extra hundred and ten or twenty thousand that we should iia_vo to fulfil our requirements, but there will be an increase, and a considerable ono, over the area that was sown last season. The country is looking very well after the rain. The turnips are still healthy, though soiiio of the swedes showed signs of biight before tho rain. Tho grass is growing well and tho paddocks aro nice and green. It is likely that there will be plenty of winter loed, both in grass and roots, and if wo get a fine spefi for another week we shall bo through our harvesting ti'oubles and we shall be able to givo our stock tho attention that they need at this time of the year. ADVANTAGES OF THE SEPARATOR. When the separator is employed, one of its greatest advantages lies in the tact that the cream may bo produced only a very short time after tho milk has been drawn from tho cows. This cream is perfectly sweet, and has come under up, undesirable influences, either from the atmosphere or from any other source. Further, the separated milk is likewise perfectly sweet and wholesome, and is a useful asset on any dairy farm lor feeding or selling purposes. Aow, the butter-maker, having procured perfectly sweet cream, is able to exercise his own experienced judgment in order to ripen it to tho required degree. From tho commencement of ripening, the cream may be entirely under his own control. The possibilities, therefore, of securing properly’ ripened cream for butter making aro much greater than whore the shallow pan system is adopted. Anymne who lias used a separator is aware of the vast accumulation of separator “ slime,” which remains in tho bowl of tho machine after the cream and separated milk havo passed through it. By tho setting methods, the dirt and tilth which constitute this slimo will be inevitably retained in the cream and skim milk, and, as this slimo undoubtedly contains a largo number of bacteria, it follows that the shallow pan cream will be subjected to tho risk of all kinds of undesirable fermentations. Of course, the separator must not be regarded as a milk filter; its object is not to separate the filth from the milk, but to split up tho latter into cream and separated milkOne of tho principal objects of using a separator is that tho cream may be produced in a thick or thin state as required- In tho case of shallow pan setting, the consistency of the cream cannot be regulated in any possible way, but with a separator this regulation can he effected by means of the cream screw, also by' an adjustment of the speed of the machine, the inflow of milk into the bowl, and tho position of the cream outlet. The amount- of fat lost in the separator is practically unworthy of notice. Some of the modern cream separators are at once both simple and efficient in working. They are so constructed as to skim practically every particle of fat from tho milk, in some cases barelv 0.3 ner cent being left in the separated ' milk • where careless skimming is practised’in tho shallow pan system, there may be a loss of fat amounting to quite 1 per cent. USING NEW HAYCan the newly-cut bay be fed, without danger, to farm stock? Many practical farmers say no, as they consider the consumption of new hay to give rise to various disorders, such as nutation of the alimentary canal, colic, skin outbreaks and nervous trouble. It may be said, however, that such fears are not based on the judicious use, but the abuse, in feeding new hay. If employed with discretion, there is no risk —indeed, it may be said that there is an advantage in using it without delay, as new hay possesses tho maximum of nourishment and aroma. Only, as above indicated, the quantities supplied to the animals should be moderate, and should be caretully adjusted to the requirements of the stock, In adding new hay to tho ration, it ;mld be done gradually, mixing it at first with nay or chopped straw. If these conditions are observed, the use of the new fodder can be recommended. Tho old hay is relatively improved by tho mixture, and the ration, in proportion to its bulk, is relatively t more productive. TO KILL TWITCH. The best way to deal with twitch—there are many different methodsbut the best way is to skim plough the ground. Then after tho shallow furrow has been a good time tunned up to the sun, tho disc harrow and cultivator should be used, particularly the latter, until the roots have been quito shaken clear Of soil. If the furrows are so compacted with roots that neither discs nor cultivators can touch them, the land should bo given a cross ploughing;,

not a deep one, however. Die skeiths will have to be sot down very close to the share, to enable the blade to cut the old furrow clean through. Tho disc plough may also be used in this connection. Die tripod harrow is a necessary implement in the work of eradicating twitch; in fact, the ordinary plough, the spring-tined cultivator, and the tripod harrows, used in conjunction, form the host trio of implements for successfully dealing with twitch.