SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2200, 30 April 1896, Page 14

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

CPmoja Our Own Correspondent.) Ihe weather has been very fine daring the month, with the exception of a !Pie Weather few, web days, The* rain has ■,■- and improved the growth of the the Farm, turnips, and it was much needed -, for filling tack* as well as ordinary water-courses, which 1 failed to,Bupp!yithe wants of stock. Although the turnips have improved considerably during thi* mouth, the crop will f*ll short of the average. The strong gales which were so continuous during harvest , hindered their growth, an they did alao the crops of rape grown for feeding sheep, the rape nob being up to the average of former seasons. In a few instances only have sheep been pat on turnips as yet. Lambs have been turned into the turnip paddockn in several cases, bat they do not break the turnips aa long as oats or grass is found growing among the toraips. JThe best freezers ire sometimes found among lambs which have been running over paddocks of turnips for & few wetks. The pasture is f»ir at the present time, notwithstanding that fcharp frost has been experienced on a few mornings. Land laid down in January if looking well, which is contrary to exj ectations. It may be remarked in this connection that some farmer* here consider that when ryegrass is to be cut for teed a year afterwards, better crops are obtained j when the seed is sown in January than when it is town two or three months earlier. Potatoes are being litted at present by those who can $ pare .the time now, whioh is a. busy month in our principal oat-producing districts. The crop b as disappointing as tb-s other crops, and the area, m usual, is little m >ie fcfcau what is estimated to produce sufficient for the requirements of the farm. With such favourable wetther as was experienced this mouth, it was not difficult to make good progress with the threshing, and, aa the mnoliincs were at work for some hours of the| night, as well*' as the whole day, the work ,i» iv«w r«r advanced, although two or three weeks will olap-.e before ; it will be finished in districts whet c a large area has been under oats. Reports received from the owners of the threshing machines are no more favourable than they were last month ; but, as was the case then, the portions of the crop whioh were out down before the. gales occurred yielded well, which goes to show that reports regarding the appearance of the crop- before harvest wete not exaggerated, as some have asserted. But, unfortunately, the area that was not shaken is small indeed, and the aggregate loss is very large. A great deal of the oats have been carted to the railway sidings and townships, but the mo»t of the grain is being stored in anticipation of a better price. Last year reports were so discouraging that many fold at from lid to Is per bushel ; but at Is 3d, which has been the price offered for some time, and which would have been considered Eatisfftctory in' previous seasons in districts where the yield was large, few feel inclined to sell. It is now well known that the aggregate yield will be much leas than iv previous seasons. The price has improved recently, and I may mention that oats have for some weeks been sent by buyers here from some of our northern sidings to Ohristohnrob. Since the date of the excursion to Edendale the practice of liming land has been Lime. talked about a little more than usual, but there is a great diversity of opinion regarding its value as an agent in the production of crops. Some who have bad experience of ite use in Britain sp* ak in favour of liming, white others condemn it, and > assert that they have aeen.laod rendered worthless by the use of lime. There is truth on both lides, for it must be at ed with a knowledge of the condition and requirements of the soil. Boils having sufficient lime— a mineral which is one of the most widely diffused of those forming the crust of the earth— in their composition would be injured instead of benefited by .having an addition of lime. As a result of Dearly 70 analyses, is has been estimated that about three-fourths of New Zealand soils are deficient in lime, and there is a good deal of such soil in Southland— land which contains too much stiff clay, evidence of which is. to be seen on uncultivated land by the luxuriant growth of the tall snow-grass tussock, and cultivated land which denotes the presenco of too much humus, acids which favour the growth of sorrel and other weeds &c. Lime has been used to Borne extent in a few places here of late years, and has been tried by a few with more or less success in different places. This year others contemplate giving it a trial on small areas. As there, are many farming in this country who have little knowledge of lime in practical agriculture, it m*y not be out of placebo put readers of these notes in the way of learning more about the subject than is to be found in the newspapers. I would recommend P, M'Connell's " Agricultural Note Book," published by Crosby, Lockwood, and Son at 4b 6d, Rod Profeesor Johnston's " Catechism of Agri- j cultural Chemistry," published by William Blackwood and Sons at Is. In the first-named (a book of 529 pages), which should be in the hands of every farmer, dealer, and others directly interested in farming matters, there is a elf ar explanation, occupying five pages, of th« composition of lime, its effect on soils, and the quantities applied in several districts of Scotland. There are half a doz'n pages devoted to the subject in the other little work mentioned which are roost ut renting. If mcc information than thei»e »•< rk» contain itt deoiiei it vill be foonrf in Pro'es ot Johnson's work, ''-On , the Use of Lime in Agriculture." 1 do not know the published price of th ; s book, but it is ' probably; only a few shillings. Bboks not in •took can be obtained from Britain in from four to five month*' tine, and the price is no bi^h^r than that charged for books kept in shock. Farmers at a considerable dkt&nce from towns Dan easily obtain any work by leaving a 6m*ll deposit with « bookseller. As popular boptfa {books «o farming m "SOU fts others) can

through several editions in a few years, anyone ordering should take the precaution of asking thet the latest edition of the work ordered be sent. s The ram fairs were not a success from a breeder's point of view this seaMiscellaneous, son, and in a number of casts not » single bid was elicited for pens of good ram*. Breeders who were well known were able to sell at a low price. Four or five years ago the price w»s much too high ; now it is too low, as good ram* can at present be obtaiued for £L If the dulness contiuuas I much longer sellers may di»oontinue the prac- ! tice of demanding that the bids shall be in the j form ef fcuitaeas or fractions thereof. It could not fail to he noticed that the Leicester was in' greater demand tbau the Romney, which shows that the raising of fat lambs for expert is beiog considered as much as h^avy fleeces of wool. Shropshire Down tarns are coming into favour by these who aim specially at raising fat lambs,' but they should be used for rough-woolled ewes. A few farmers ia various districts arerextending drainage operations, and truck loads of drain pipes are to be seen at the sidings. The drain plough is also used whore tile drainage is oarried on.