CHATS WITH THE FARMERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1488, 22 May 1880, Page 5

CHATS WITH THE FARMERS.

A Visit to the Fabm of Mr Grant, off

Gbanton.

This farm is situated in what is known by'the name of the Taieri basin, Outram and Mosgiel being termed its centres. From the former township it lies about two miles distant. The farm wns described in these columns some time ago, and the main reason for dealing with it a second time is to place before our readers a description of the various pests which the Taieri lauda are subject to, their origin, and the care of the evils dealt with. In the firet place we may mention that Mr Grant has upwards of 330 acies of pasture land composed of English grasses— the following quantities^ having been employed in laying down the paddocks : One bushel of perennial rye grass, four pounds of timothy, two pounds of red clover^ the pame of cowgraas, and a pound each of white a y d^ alsjke olovers. The above mixture in our opinion is good, but the ground would have stoed an extra bushel of perennial rye-grass. Many farmers make this mistake, being under the impression that gras3 invariably stooks and _so covers ithe surface in a few months after being fed off. The object should be to form a good thick close turf. There are thousands of acres throughout the oolony that do not produce half the grass they ought to do—this result arising from a deficiency in the best and most productive hinds. If anyone possessing a meadow of this kind were to pare and bum the turf so as : to eradicate the weeds, grow a root crop so as to get the land iv the best possible tilth, afterwards laying down a proper selection of the better English grasses, it would repay the expense and trouble seven-fold. When the short time that is necesary for the full development of a grass plant on the very small space allotted to it in a pasture is considered, it is obvious that by sowing a proper selectionhaving a due quantity of permanent English, grass seed— on land free from weeds, two years will suffice to obtain a far better sward than 20 years could produce without this seeding. Then, if you consider the opposition the^e better kinds meet in overcoming the coarse but less permanent weeds, like Yorkshire fog, lop, and other brome grasses, it is easier to believe that the best sorts indigenous to the soil would be very slow^in forming a thick, close turf. Mr Grant prefers rearing shorthorn cattle, but in this connection he remarked that sometimes they were subject to dropping their calves. On examination, he discovered, several plants affected with ergot, a parasitical fungus technically termed Aoinu'a clava, which infests various kinds of grain and grass, especially that of rye. The grasses infected were timothy and perennial rye-grass, and so covered were the shoots with this fungus that the appearance is as if they were fruiting, the fungus being large and projecting. This pest is to be met frequently in pastures subject to wet, and on. inquiry Mr Grant stated that frequently the land was covered with water— the Taieri River being the cause. The first flood was in 1861, the next 1868, that of 1870 succeeding, while the last notable one was in 1877. Smaller floods have occurred at intervals, but these did not extend over the whole surface of the plain. The loss thus sustained has been almost incalculable, being reokoned sometimes to the extent of thousands of pounds. The loss has inclnded crops, and occasionally cattle, implements, and f enoes have been carried away, and a thick ooat of mud left on the surfaoe after the waters have subsided, rendering the herbage for feed useless. The damage to the district in one year on an average would be from fifty to sixty thousand pounds. To these floods is attributed the origin of the dock pest. It is generally known that the seeds of various weeds are carried by the agenoy of water to long distances, fand the Taieri being subject to floods nothing could be expected but that weeds of various kinds must be deposited even in the most careful and systematically cultivated fields. It might also sometimes happen that weeds wouid be sown in. a manure top dressing. Mr Grant mentions that he gives his land over a thousand loada or manure annually, at the rate of thirty loads to the acre, and for over twenty years no straw has ever been burned. All is_ put on the land in the shape of manure. Guano is also used, especially when drilling to start the turnip crop quick. It may be mentioned that upwards of 30 acres of roots are grown here yearly, while ingrain from 300 to 400 acres are under cultivation. The grain has sometimes been subject to ru&fc, but the effeots have only been of slight consequence compared to what our Australian neighbours have to complain of. This subject js under consideration by many learned professional agriculturists at [present who are trying to solve the cause and cure for rust. It may be of interest to know that graiu grown on brackish land, or subject to the influence of the sea breez9 is very often liable to rust.but whether this is caused by its absorbing saline matter in the shape of moisture whon the plant is in a growing state ia as yob an open question. Strong winds, sovero storms, and electricity, or jr. jury from external causes affect trees and pkutsj bub parasitic fungi cause the #realeot injury and disease to plants. Some think thafc the spores o? fangi comiug into contact with fcbo plant act both as tho predisposing and exciting cause of diseaeoj others, perliapß more correctly, think that some

change is first produced in the colls of the plant which enables the ppofes to find a nidus, and then t'ho disease #ces on rapidly, assuming a tpecufiar type on account of tlto presence of tlie fungus. For the phuio reason that vegetable organisms found in diseases of tbe skin are Hot io be tooted upon «s tho origin of Lho disease, l)utaa being di'velored iv tesfcurea previously mjrbid, and aa giving often n peculiar character to the di6ea&o, many o?lho diueaeea of cultivated crops aro attributed to fungi (peg Houelow'e report on tLe diseased of wheav. in Joum, Agricult. Soc. of Borland 2.1 ). Tho spores of funci avo very minute, and are constantly floating in tbe air. They can easily be applied to the bui face of plants. Wheu they find an appropriate soil, they send out extensive filiform ramifications, which spread under the epidermis of plants, raifre blisters, and finally burst forth in tbe form of orauge, brown, and black Bpots, constituting the frnitifictition. They attack the etem, leaves, flowero, and fruit Different i-peeies aro restricted to different plants, and even to different, pnrts of the same plant. But to oonfhe our remarks to the disease called Rust. Red-rug, or red robin, and Ted gum aro caused by a fut>gus known to botanists as TJrodo llubigo. It forma yellow and brown oviil spots and blotches upon the Btem, louf, and chnff. Tho spores Imrftt through the epiderwio, and are dispersed as very minute grains. The difease is common in corn and grasses. The tlisftß?e called Smut, or Du*tbrand, is caused by the same genus, although of a different ppeiu-B : it ia technically termed Uredo Segetnm. This fuogua chiefly destroys the ear of corn by first causing the innermost parts of the flower to become abortive, while the pedicels on which these arc reated rwcll and become very fleshy. Tho fungus at length appj-ara betwee.ii the chaff scales in the form of a black soob like powder. tinvut ia rare in wheat, it is common ia. barley, and more so in oats.

The improvossvesafce on the farm are complete for its exoeut, iho whole of the psddocka being subdivided «nd securely fenced, chiefly with post and rail and wire, and posts and wire, the ■wires beiug from two to six i>i number, toiilnng them sheep-proof. Iv reference to t'heep, Mr Grant rears Leicester aud cross breda, which he Bays fatten very fast on tho plains of the bome-farru, but aro subject to fuot-ros, hooce the necessity for keepiug them on the hill* Tho homestead is composed uf very substantial and coma-odious buildings Wo uctiued (me 22-staUoil Ktable, and another with two stalta and a loose box for light horses. Tho byrestwo in number — contain each six stalls and a large loojo box for foala. Tho barn and granary, men's huts, carpenters' and blacksmiths' shop», chaff. house, two stock-yards, capable of aco'>m xnodating 100 head of cattle during winter, aro Very conjpleir. The dwelling house is Bituated at a considerable distance from, the homestead. It contains 14 rooi^a with dairy, soullery, &c, detached, together with a spaoioua hall, whioh is used by the menus a dining room. The house faces the couth, in front or which ia a flower garden and orchard well Btocked. The extent of the garden ia about 1^ acre. Around it are planted for uheltur aud ornament various pines, wattles, &o. We may here mention that on Various portiona of the esfrite clumps for shelter have beer introduced in patch 9B that were only Ferviceablo for tree planting. Ten thousand different pines have been planted, boi-ides wil lows and poplars to a considerable extent One thing that struck us at the time of our visit was that no bel ting exista from the public road to the house. The d>ive being of a considerable length and in a straight line, if a belting of treoa were planted, sty a chain wide on the south eide of the walk, and a bolt of half the breadth composed of evergreen shrubs on the north side, the effect would corn become apparent in beautifying and sheltering tbe surroundings. Tbe reason of the emoll flouts being stationed on he north tide in that, tun suu would penetrate to us walk, which otherwi-e would be damp. A edge instead of Bhrubs would ansi\er the same urpose, but cattle sometimes ore apt to diaigure the latter, and if it it; kept untidy it proves an eyesore. In conclusion, Mr Grant remarked that after dressing his groin crops h« has had frequently tons of dock seed, and if they could be used in a commercial point of view. io<- any purpose, it would be coneidorably to his udvautage.

In this connection might be mentioned the faot that the leavts and htalks of different species of docks have I)* en U3"d as a substitute for trus rhubarb, jisuticularly that of liunicx alpinus (callv-d Monk's rhubarb). Some again have oxalic acid in their lenves, and the fruit of ■E. orientals isuaed for packing Smyrna opium. The seed of the common field dock if infused as tea and sweetoned, s-topa colds in cattle and horses ; and evou it has uucoeßefullv been the means of stopping eevern coughing iix persons when other meaiis htive failed.

Next week a "Chat." with Mr Stanley, the proprietor of on extenrivo orchard in the vicinity of O'uristchureh, will Rpncai-, and will be succeeded the following week by "A tiip from Tapomii to Miller** Fiat, ami a chat with Mr JohnEdio."