PROVIDING FOR STOCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14895, 22 January 1912, Page 10

PROVIDING FOR STOCK.

GROWING FORAGE CROPS. BT W. S» This season being, generally speaking, a moist one, a great number of forage crops can yet be sown that could not be sown so late in an average season. The recent heavy rains will give the late-sown crops a Setter chance*" Once the land has dried sufficiently on the surface it will be in first-rate order for sowing such as turnips, rape, mustard, and kale. The first threementioned can be sown pure or as a mixture. Rape and mustard that is sown now will como in for topping off late lambs, and should, under favourable circumstances, bo ready to feed in March or April, the turnips in June or July, according to variety. The kale will come in for any class of sheep or cattle. It is especially suited to carrying through the winter such as ram and ewe hoggets, as it will give a lot of good healthy food, which will help to bring them out well in the spring. The Value of Sale. Kale is also a valuable addition to the ration for dairy cows. Every dairy farm should have a plot of kale, as it pro- • duces such a huge bulk of succulent food, that will greatly assist to keep up a full flow of milk when there is very little else, as the pastures by that time will be unequal to the demand. 1 might again - remind farmers that while feeding cows on kale they should have free access to straw or hay, or, failing this, some other rough feed to prevent undue scouring. Some farmers who grow kale prefer to sow a little oats in the drills with the kale seed, as this gives the stock a little variety, and the two combined help to keep them healthy. The oats will be ready to feed about the same time as the kale and will increase the bulk of feed. Cape barley or rye will serve the same purpose. .Kale and Sheep. Kale, unlike rape, is a very safe feed for sheep, and is often used as a restorative to turn sheep on when inclined to go wrong on other feed. For instance, sheep running on old pasture that is foul will take lung-worm or other complaints characteristic to their tribe. If turned into the kale, providing thev are not too far through to eat some of it, they will in the majority of cases come round and commence to thrive straight away. Kale that was sown in October or early November is almost ready to feed; so if another plot is sown now this will come in when the other is finished and will give a succession ,of feed until well on. into the winter months. If the kale is not fed too bare in the autumn it can be fed lightly all through winter and will grow a large amount of feed in the following spring. As it has a tendency to run to ; flower in the spring, it is better kept fed j bare to . keep it in check, for, although there is -a big growth at this stage,, the j quality will be inferior. Rotation of the Kale. After the grass comes and the kale is not seeded for feed it is usually best to plough it up as soon as it is convenient ) in order to give the farmer a chance to j ] follow it by some other crop, such as rape i i or a similar crop; after which the land j ' can again be ploughed, fallowed through j the autumn, and then followed by a cereal- j By this means the land will be kept fully, , occupied and at the same time, by judici- j ous manuring, kept in a high state of i fertility. Kale, being somewhat similar j to rape in its habit "of growth, it is es- \ sential that the land should be well culti- j vated to allow of the vigorous root growth, i But while" a deep tilth is important, it is a mistake to leave the seedbed loose. In- ! variably after such deep working as kale ! requires the seedbed should be consoli- . dated by the harrows ami rolled, as this ' crop, like wheat, prefers a firm seedbed, ; and also that the small seed may not be covered too deeply. .. The Order of Cropping. In fixing the order of cropping it is ; unimportant what position is given to kale, though when it is grown as a main crop it is well to- bear in mind that it grows best on soils with a sufficiency' of organic matter, and that therefore it ', should not be placed far away in the succession from the lea furrow, that the • soil may not have been depleted of the ' fertility acquired during the period of \ rest under grass. It is important that the kale crop should not be grown at f short intervals on the same land, as the • bulk of the crop gradually diminishes with ' each succeeding year when it is grown , in frequent succession. On the other » hand kale, although it is considered an ' exhaustive crop, if fed at proper intervals 1 and not allowed to get too large and overgrown, improves the land for wheat and other corps. Its very vigorous root system opens up the soil and subsoil. Improving the Soil. The surface soil is enriched' by the forage fed down on it, and, in addition, it serves as a cleaning crop, in that it is fit for feeding before such weeds as are present have matured their seeds. Kale can be made to follow turnips or rape, and although it means two crops of the same genus in succession there is some justification for the practice. It offers in the rotation a second opportunity to clean the ' land, and there is no hurry to have the 3 turnips fed off, as is the case when » turnips have to be followed by oats, for i. example.' So frequently does one observe I the yield of oats seriously diminished by being sown too late in the spring when after turnips that the case in favour of kale is strong. This course certainly ' allows of a break of turnips being reserved i till later in the spring, and the consei quent saving of green forage or early grass . at a time of the year when it is most valuable, goes to encourage the practice. It is not to be forgotten, however, that the ' most luxuriant crops of kale are not to I be expected from this course of cropping, • ■ unless in very favourable seasons. 5 The Time to Sow. The best time to sow is unfortunately past for this season. lam merely advising sowing at this late season where circumstances did not permit of earlier sowing. The best time to sow is usually from the beginning of October until the end of November. But as many are anxious to a give it a trial without waiting for ant other season, and, providing the land is a of a fairly moist character (not wet), t a fair return may still be obtained. The r seed is usually sown in drills 21in to 28in e between the drills and from lib to 21b of i seed per acre- If the land is dirty 28in S drills are the best, as this gives plenty of * room for horse hoeing between the rows • and so keeps weeds in check. The seed '' is occasionally sown on the ridge. In £ moist land this method is to be com- ,. mended, but otherwise bettor returns will it be obtained by sowing on the flat. Then, :- when the plants are a fair size, say, 6in y or Bin high,, run the horse hoe through, '. followed by the moulder, or a wide sweep n may be put on the back of the horse hoe. ° This will generally be found • sufficient, as * it will mould them up quite enough for j medium land. '• Moulding Up. i. Kale, being of the same genus as cabbage, one cannot do better than follow the 3) plan as near as is practicable that adopted it by gardeners, which is usually to plant r - on the flat, then mould up when the 16 plants are large enough. The stirring of n the soil sweetens the land and allows the '" air to penetrate the soil about the roots „ of the plants; this encourages a more a vigorous root growth. Like rape, kale y always thrives best when liberally treated a with manure. When farmyard cannot be d procured in sufficient quantity heavy dress--7 ings of artificials should be applied. On '• much of the land in New Zealand the y special kale manure made up by the fc fvozen meat companies will be found highly ,f suitable for kale; from 2cwt to 3cwt per II acre will be found a profitable dressing, is or even more, according to the degree of exhaustion of the soil.