NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 7

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Mr Chamberlain's proposals regarding the imposition of duty on TlHiTariff foreign food-stuffs have reProposals. vived a good dead of interest in the speeches of Mr Obbden, who battled for the repeal of the Corn Laws about 60 years ago. Mr Cobden was a shrewd man, and at the time he W9S, no doubt, considered a far-seeing man, but very few of the prophecies made by him and his supporters 60 years ago have been fulfilled. For example, he said that British farmers would always have protection for their wheat to the extent of 10s 6d per quarter, because it cost that to bring wheat from Russia to London. That protection did not last long after his time, and for many years wheat has been carried f roni America to Liverpool for about 2s or 2s per quarter. Again, he said, "All we ask is that corn, meat, etc., shall find its natural level in the markets of the world." British farmers have not been given a. chance to compote in any market; all food-stuffs have been admitted ;to Britain free, while British manufacturers are taxed wherever they are sent. Of course, the . population has increased at a much faster rate than Mr Cjbdon ever expected, and the country is not able to provide sufficient food for the millions that have to hi' fed in excess of the number in his day. There is no doubt whatever about the fact lhafc the roreal of the corn duties and the consequent inrush of fot'cip.n gran has been the can**; of a serious disturbance in the agricultural economy of Britain. There has been a very constant and considerable decrease in the area, of wheat grown in Britain of late years, presumably owing to thi> foreign competition. Another forecast made was, "I do not anticipate that th" price of whpat will fall bclovi 40s per quarter, even by frectradc and mnat, butter and clipcsc "will certainly not fall in tho uanw proportion." Wheat has boon below 30s per "quarter many a lune; in fact. English wheat has frequently been quoted at 26^? nor quarter. IL appears that the only tliiiig that rcmlwd as Mr Cobden expected was the fillip given to manufactures by tho repeal of the Corn Laws and tho consequent cheapening of bread. The shrewdest man that ever lived has not been able to foiv»=oe the future with much accuracy. and Mr Chamberlain's uredictions- as to the result of his propose! fiscal policy may prove to be iu=t as wide of'the mark as were many of Mr CobcJpn's forecasts. In reference to a statement made by Mr Balfour about tho decline in the production

of whpat in Canada, a farmer from that country says that though there was a decrease in tho amount exported to Engrland last year, there is little probability of a decrease in production. He says the Canadian farmers weie simply holding their wheat instead of rushing it ; nto the market, and that as the hack districts of that vasfc country are being" opened up and settled, there is not the least likelihood of there being any falling off in tho croduction of wheat. Ho said that it costs th-e Canadian farmer about Is 6d per bushel to produce an average crop of wheat, and that las* year he grew wheat the femrth season ia succession, and got 22 bushel* an acre-, without any manure. - I have a letter from "J. }1. ." a sheep farmer of Eawke's Bay, What are asking me to say at what Hoggets I age lambs should be called hoggets. This is not so much a matter of age as ot circumstances, but, as a rule, the name of "hoggels"is given. ' to lambs when they are from 10 to 12 months old, 1 take it that thdy are called hoggets in order to distinguish them from. the next year's lambs. For instance, my lambs were born last September, and I call them lambs until abotit August next, when a few early lambs begin to arrive in the district. As the new arrivals must be referred to as lambs, it is necessary to speak of the others as hoggets in order to •-avoid confusion. In very early districts lambs fall in July, therefore the previous year's lambs must then be called hoggets, or else be called "last year's lambs." As soon as hoggets are shorn they are termed "two-tooths," so that the word "hogget" is only used for a few months. "J. M-" says he finds great diversity of opinion upon this matter in his district, even among sheep farmefs of- long experience. In that part they often shear their lambs before they are weaned, and he states that some sheep farmers maintain that shorn lambs are hoggets even while sucking their mothers.' There is no reason why they should not call their lambs hog-gets if they wish to do so: there is no law to forbid them. Others, again, maintain that if lambs are not shorn in the autumn they* should be called lambs until after the spring shearing." They will then be about 1^ months old, and are really two-tooths. If they call them lambs until that age they have no use for the name "hogget" atall, but in that case they will, for some time, have two lots of lambs on the farm, the new crop and the previous crop, and' how do they distinguish between them? "J. M." says foV his part he begins to call his lambs hoggets about the beginning of winter, and uses that name until they are shorn. That is correct, and in accordance with what I have said, because young lambs begin to appear during winter in the north when extra early lambs are reared for tho early fat market ; in fact, there are lambs now in North Canterbury destined for the local market in the s-pring. when the main crop is only just arriving. The name of "te»" is also applied to youn* sheep instead or "hos^et." and fat lamb above the usual freezing weights is now called "teg mutton."' There are many substitutes for the name of hocrget in different parts- of the Old Country. A few of these are teg, hoggerel, lamb hog, tup hog, gridling, gimmeiC shedder, and thrave. "A. P.," Heddon Bush asks for advice a to the most suitable kin Manure of manure to sow «i for Wheat. wheat or light river-bed soil. Light river-bed soil usually means soil of a sandy nature, and I do not think such soil would receive any benefit from manure, or, at anyrate, so little benefit as to scarcely repay the cost of the manure. I should, say it would probably pay him better to sow barley or oats. However, if he wr ->t« to sow wheat with manuro his best plait is to leave a portion of the land unrnanu.t "1 in oider to see if the application of manure results in any increase in yield as compared with the part without manure. Superphosphate is the most suitable manure for wheat, at the rate of about lewt per acre. I have seen that amount used with advantage on clay loam, but I am douhtfui if it will be of benefit to a light soil. Sbme soils are naturally suited for wheat-growing, and, if in good heart, will give a good yield without any manure, and, in fact, it is extremely doubtful vi ether the yield would be improved to any appreciable degree by the use of artificial fertilisers. The be~=t plan, however, is to learn from expei ience, for no farmer can rifely ,-•'• c another on such a matter wiihont \r i-* Hie soil to be treated. If "A. P." .s throe bushels per acre moi-e from the a. l hcation of lewt of super., he will koow that the increased yield will about square Iho cost, but in order to ascertain whether iho manure gives an increase m the yield he 'must compare that yield with what he q-ota from an average portion of the land sown without manure. He ma 3" al=o think ifi worth while to try l^cvit or 2cvrt on a portion of the crop, and see how the results compare with those from leufc of manure. The special Gasdsh Fertiliser niacif up ot »Nimmo and Blair will be found to give excellent results when used for Flowers and "Vegetables; also for Pot Plants, in and out of greenhouse. It ia put up in 71b bags, at la 64 each. Ask your itorekeepw for it.

Special grain manures are prepared by a . Dunedin firm, and some good result from their use have been obtained, but, as I have said, much depends upon the kind of soil and its condition as to fertility. A good wheat soil exhausted by cropping would no doubt respond to a good dose of -fertilisers. {Professor Voelekei has been experimenting in England with seed grain Seed in pots, and has announced Grain. that the results of his experiments go to prove that tail corn that has good germinating power 'is just as good for seed as plump, full-sized grain. He says that the plants grown Jjrom small grain, commonly known as tailings or seconds, proved to be equal in vigour and yield to- those raised from grain, of the. best. quality;, under the same conditions. He explains that the small* seed ■was sound and able to germinate properly, »nd he .dees not mean to say that any shrivelled or germless tail corn, can be sown •with impunity. I think it is a pity that -the professor should - have gone to the -trouble of making such experiments, or should have published the results. Too many farmers are prone to be neglectful about the quality of their seed grain, and a, statement that small grain is as good as -the best for seed purposes is likely to confirm them in their unwise procedure. I am certain that the majority of experienced farmers will agree with me in saying that -it is unwise to sow inferior seed, notwithstanding anything that may result from experiments with seed grain in pots. Small seed may give a good crop sometimes, and when the season is favourable, but when jure sow we cannot tell what adverse climatic conditions the young plants may have to ■contend with, and it is surely the best policy- to run no risks and sow good grain. In stock-breeding .we do not expect small, undersized parents to give as good progeny ■as from the best. Pedigree, size, and Quality must be an advantage, and the few «xceptiona go to prove that the rule is "correct. A good start is of importance ,irith a plant as with an animal, and we •«ow good and plump seed in order that it -anay nourish the tender plant until it takes firm root, and can draw its nourishment jfrom the soil. Hard-headed, practical farmers will not place much reliance upon the ( Tesults of experiments in pots when such j Jesuits run counter to all farming tradi- , itions and practice. There are plenty of <bses to which tail com can be put without , making it the foundation of our hopes of [ .a good yield. To fallow and cultivate \ jthe land and prepare a good seed-bed, and , jihon sow inferior seed, is inconsistent, and , reminds me of the saying. _ "Spoil the ship j for want of a pound of paint." Professor j ■"Voelcker is an excellent scentist, and his father was noted for his devotion to ap-ri- ' culture, both scientific and practical, but he oan surely devote his time ami tak-nts ' if* 4 tetter pwpose than demonstrating ,

against old-established farming traditions that like produces like, or something inferior, and that pedigree and quality are of some importance. AGKICOLA.