FARMERS COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4487, 31 March 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

FARMERS COLUMN.

I propose to write a series of articles on agricultural topics, 'which, shall be more especially suited to small farmers living in the bush. I shall endeavour to maLe these papers eminently practical—something that will at the same time interest and instruct these who are plodding away at the all-important work of subduing the forest, or bringing into cultivation spots where perhaps ti-tree or fern once luxuriated. As I commenced my farming career by taking up my abode in the midst of a bush ten miles through, where the only means of access was a surveyors track, and where for a leDgth of time-1 had to "pikau" in Maori fashion all the provisions for my family, as well as clothing, bedding, &c., and as I can now look round and behold a smiling homestead, the fruits of industry and determined perseverance —paddocks of rich grass, securely fenced, with cattle and sheep grazing—l think I shall be capable of writing from experience. And that is the great thing, as it is too often the case that articles for newspapers are manufactured from books, not from - practice and experience. I shall be happy to reply in this "Farmers' Column" to any questions that may be relevant and of interest. So much by way ef preface. Our Government go to the trouble and expense of collecting, every year, " Agricultural Returns." These returns are supposed to show how the country is progressing—what advance is being made in agriculture. It seems a stupid thing that the collectors of these statistics should go round before the farmers can possibly know what amount of crops they really have. In my district a gentleman, paper ; in hand, paid us a visit for this purpose before there was a single oat or a grain of wheat thrashed, or a potato of the main; crop dug up. Then again there was no column at all for what in 'some localities is a most important—perhaps the principal crop—l allude to grass seed. Take, for example, Pukekohe, where hundreds ] I of bushels of both rye-grass and cocksfoot are grown every year, but of which no returns are furnished. I would-sug-gest that in future a separate column be devoted to grass seed, and also that the returns be collected at the end of March when the potato crop is out of the ground, ] and the grain is mostly all thrashed. When the Agricultural Returns are all collected and the results published—although they mil be far from being correct ; —I believe it will be found that the i potato crop is unusually light. I am j afraid it will not average throughout the ! province more than two or three tons to i the acre. There are various causes why ; the returns are so far below the average, i the principal being the_ excessively wet J season that was experienced from the j time of planting to the period of the j potatoes getting ripe. Then there was the seed. A good many settlers bought j Canterbury seed. From enquiries I have j made potatoes from that province do not j produce well the first j/ear. I would in- , vite information on this matter. As far as my own experience goes I shall never plant such seed again. Such a mixture I never saw—blue, white, pink, red, and a few brown ones ; and when I came to dig them it was a " caution." One of the best crops of which I have heard is that of a settler who planted his own seed, a potato he has now had some 10 years, and it is as good as ever in quality and productiveness. If the crop of potatoes is not yet dug or ploughed out, it is time it was. It is a good plan to pick out I tolerable sized, good shaped potatoes for : seed as they are being taken up, and exj pose them to the sun for a few days though not on the potato field, or they may get wormy. If the potato laud is about to be used for green oats, they may be sown as the digging goes on. Oats for green stuff should now be sown as speedily as possible. An acre or two will amply repay any farmer for the expense and trouble. Especially are they of service on dairy farms, and where young cattle have to be fed during the winter. For cows that may calve early in the season, plenty of green oats and good hay will greatly assist in the supply of milk. Settlers who are keeping their calves in, and who may be short of grass during the winter, will find them thrive well on a small paddock sown with oats and rape—a paddock which may be turned up in September for potatoes or other crop. There is many a struggling settler, with a large family perhaps, who has got a very poor crop of potatoes this season. It is a bad look out, but it might be worse. What is to be done ? The next best thing is to go in for a good quantity of turnips and cabbage. Now is the time, during this warm showery weather, to put in seed of these two excellent' vegetables. Have the ground well tilled and well manured—guano is a fine thing for turnips—and sow in drills, two feet apart, white stone,.. -purple. top, and • swede turnips. That variety will produce a succession of turnips np to September- or I October. If cabbage is sown in a bed

now, plants'mil'be Thegreat matter -in 'growing cabbagerto - perfection is to force them with, plenty of manure, .either stockyard.or guano. That will prevent the blight, of which so many complain. Sow St. John's Day, Enfield, or Drumhead. The last-is an excellent cabbage for pigs and cattle. Carrots may be also sown, and by the application of a little fouls' dung wiU grow well on good soil.

It is a sure sign of progress that many small. farmers, whose holdings were originally all bush, have commenced to stump, and have got the plough to work. This is the month to plough all stubble land, and to turn up- other land that is to be sown with grass or grain. Plough as deep as possible. Most of the bush is now burnt off, and amongst the rest is that of " New Chum," who has made a good start by. burning his first ten acres. He is anxiously considering what he is to do with it so as to secure the most and the best returns. Well, ten acres of good ground, if properly burned, ought to yield a large amount of something. What shall it be 1 The first thing, however, is to log the ground, that is, to roll the logs together as much as possible with levers, and then gather the small pieces of timber to the logs, and make fires on the top of the heaps. But if the ground is well burnt, and there is plenty of ashes, it would be better to leave any further burning to another year, and devote the time to splitting or other work. In another year or two the timber will be much lighter; much cleaner, and will bum much more freely ; besides producing ashes that will assist the grass. All the logging, then, at present needed is to gather the bits of timber that may be left and put them in heaps to burn either next year or the year after. Suppose "New Chum" sows four acres for grass seed, five for pasture, and keeps one for potatoes and a garden. Grass seed generally pays pretty well, is easily got in, and on tolerable ground soil yieVls abundantly. Sow a bushel of clean rye-grass to the acre, and 12lbs. cocksfoot with a little mixed clover. This four acre paddock the next year will produce a crop of cocksfoot. The five acres for pasture will have to be sown with mixed grasses, about the following to the acre: —one bushel rye-grass, Blbs. cocksfoot, slbs. red clover or cow-grass, two white clover, two trefoil, and, if the ! ground be broken, a few lbs. of twitch and ratstail may be added. If it is intended to keep sheep, 4lbs. rape,to the acre may be sown. Rape should not be sown except for sheep, as it is apt when eaten by milking. cows to give the butter an unpleasant flavour. As to the time of sowing on bush ground it will not do to follow the advice given in some directions to farmers I have seen published, to the effect that the bush should be burnt off in March, and then the seed sown on the ashes. As the seed sown on the surface requires a good deal of moiscure to make it germinate, it is not safe to sow before the latter end of April or tho beginning of May. Those who venture to sow earlier, are in danger of having their seed devoured by pheasants, which eat grass seed, and especially red clover, with avidity. "Hew Chum." will, if matters go on as they ought, have plenty of feed in August, either for cattle or sheep. The latter are to be preferred, as it is astonishing the good they do on young grass. If any one has got the American Rose potato, they can now be planted. They : are supposed to be ready for the table ; nine or ten weeks after planting. Agbicola.