Agricultural and Pastoral.

Otago Witness, Issue 823, 6 September 1867, Page 14

Agricultural and Pastoral.

OTAGO FARMERS' CALENDAR

FOR SEPTEMBER,

The sowing of oats, which was commenced last month, will be proceeded with, according to the circumstances of the soil, the weather, and the average climate. What may be late in one locality may be early in another ; but whatever be the appointed time for sowing any of the Bpring crops, the preparation for them, in ploughing and harrowing, scarifying, and grubbing, cannot be too soon commenced — always supposing the soil to be in a fit state for stirring it. A good sower, who can distribute the seed evenly and in just proportions, is an important personage just now. Much depends upon his skill. It would be well to see that the seed is plump, fresh, and free from the seeds of weeds, and to ensure this, it is desirable to put the seeds into a tub of water, and skim off the floating seeds of weeds, and then drain the oatß through a sieve, and leave them for a while to dry. They require no other preparation before sowing. When sown broadcast, from four to six bushels ef common oats is necessary to the acre, but less is required of the potatoe oats, as they tiller more than other kinds, and having no awn» lie closer together in the measure.

Where the land is dry and in fine condition, wheat may be Bown in the beginning of this month. There has been a great demand this season for barley in Victoria, the price having been lately 12s per bushel. Those of our Otago farmers who have land suitable, might give a good malting grain a trial. Those who wish to try flax should sow their seed now, upon well-prepared ground.

Where grass seeds are to be sown, time is well spent in getting the soil into good tilth. 1 n reference to seed, the Melbourne Economist says :—"lt: — "It is from the system of saving seeds from young pastures, which has already led to such grievous disappointments among our recent grass growers. Seeds have actually been placed in this market within eight months of the parent grass having been sown, and yet some farmers are surprised at their grasses dying so soon as they have yielded their first crop of seed ; yet nothing is more natural ; perennials have an inclination to become annuals under such treatment, and in this colony they are, we are sorry to Bay, receiving every encouragement for degenerating. As we have said repeatedly, the first year's produce ought always to be mown or fed off quickly, so soon as the seed stem is well formed, and upon no consideration ought a plant to be allowed to ripen its seed. Some few of our best farmers carry out this system even to the end of the second year, to ensure the perennial character of their pastures." Vetches, parsnips, carrots, and turnips, all present themselves as claiming t© be sown, and exprience has fully shown that the early-sown crops of those kinds are generally more weighty iiv their yield and altogether more successful than those of later spring.

The potatoe crop will now. cjaim attention. Good seed should be secured in time. A few beds or drills of early potatoes would pay well. The culture o! early potatoes differs from that of the later kinds, in Requiring less intervals between the drills, if they be drilled, greater care and neatness in the tilth, and manual labor in a greater degree. Freshly broken clay ground is the best for them, and the spot assigned to them should be exposed to the sun, and sheltered from the cold winds. To insure the preservation of the tubers from injury, arising from the humidity of the, soil in. the early pr»rt of the year, the old Irish method of setting ihem on a lazy-bed about four feet wide, is the best ; and the crop so raised will be earlier by some days than if raised in drills. When the stems and leaves appear at -the surface, a light earthing from the furrows should be given to defend them from, frost ; and this operation should be *• seated as they rise up. The rapidity with which the plants rise immediately after this moulding, and the preservation which they receive from light frosts by this earthing, are hardly credible to those who have not witnessed the. effects of it. , On general principles, it" must be understood that the lazy-bed system has been long since abandoned by all good farmers. It is recommended now only for an early crop.