NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2985, 31 May 1911, Page 14

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

In the immediate neighbourhood of Dunedin we are having a most Form Work unprecedented experience. for June. Farmers' tanks are running dry, and the ground is so dried up that very little work can be done away from the river flats. The stubble and turnip ground may be worked with ihe help of the digger, but lea cannot be looked at. On the stubbles disc ploughs have been vised on - green crop land with a team of six horses, and are followed by the Norwegian harrow, to which the ground falls well. Although the appearance following the disc is extremely rough, the soil has never been saturated properly at any time during the last 12 months, and has not run together in a way that is unmanageable. It crumbles easilv with the harrow, and is in splendid condition to remain all winter. For the same reason any grain which has been sown lias gone into a perfect seed bed., and only wants a good soaking to start into immediate growth. Mangolds pull up with 61b or 81b of earth attached by small roots all round' tihem. instead of being clean and taprooted. This falls away in a cloud of dust when shaken. Potatoes have dug a good fair crop on the plains, and been disappointing anywhere else. During summer tuiere was every indication of a bountiful crop on the terraces, but they were all shaws. and even on wellmanured ground have dug up like large marbles. In most districts down south there has been enough rain _ to bring the ground into workable condition, and farm work is well advanced. Farm labour was scarce for lifting potatoes, and many farmers' wives cannot get girls either to milk or for their houses A sight which is not often seen on the farm was witnessed last week when passing in a train—a full-grown girl carrying out seed to a farmer occupied in distributing it by hand. This somewhat unusual occurrence led to a discussion on available labour, and it was stated that there was plenty of a kind that was useless and not wanted. One farmer was called upon by an old fellow who could hardly drasr one leg after the other, and who was so doubled up and tender on his corns that he could hardly

get along. This old gentleman asked for work, although he could not have done an hour's strenuous labour to have saved has life. Yet the farmer thought he i might stop grey hairs wandering for a. Gay or two, and offered him potatoes to dig, but remarked, "What about wages? ''Oh, 1 never work for less than 75," said the old man* who could hardily crawl, and left in high dudgeon because the farmer thought he couldn't earn 7s in a week and pay for his keep. Another fawner had a byre largo enough to hold 40 cows, and a complete plant to work the milk by power at home, and had such a bad time With his wife and family for want of milkers that he sold out his cattle, and his plant is rapidly rusting for want of use. It is painful to have to complain of the unsettled feeling among farmers in reference to their business. Many of them are refraining from growing wheat because they do not know what it may cost them to harvest it, or whether, hands will be available or not for that purpose. Wheat-sowing.—-In June,. as a rule, sowing wheat goes on till about the middle of the month, and after that time for about one month the ground lies very dead. ■ And if wet weather came on in an ordinary year anyone sowing would run the chance of losing-his seed. But this year there is no fear on -that account. There IB no moisture in the ground, and frost has little effect on it. If the seed bed can be got into first-class order the farmer would be well advised to sow and let it take its chance. In reference to the germination, of seed, Mr A. D. Hall, the director of Rotharnstead, says:—"ln.the first place, the seed must be alive; it must not have begun to sprout and then been dried off again. It must not have been overheated in the stack, or harvested' prematurely before the embryo had come to its full term: it should not be. so old as to have declined in vitality. It is easy to make a germination test of the common farm or garden seeds: select a soft tile, and with a file score 10 parallel grooves across it, then 10 more crossing them at right angles. - v . Stand the tile in water so that the scored surface is above water level, and set out seeds at each, intersection. Cover over with another plate or dish, set in a warm place, examine daily, and remove all that 'have sprouted after counting the number of them. A saucer of fine sand or three or four thicknesses of blotting paper will do as well as the tile, but ihe water supply will need more care. . ,•'■";' Given good seed, it is no use to sow it until the year is advanced enough to ensure sufficient warmth, in the soil, or without a proper preparation of the land. , . . The great art of the farmer —the prime act of husbandry, in fact—lies in the preparation of a proper seed bed, and its character may in most cases be summarised in two words—fine and firm. It must be fine to ensure that all the seed can be put in at the proper depth, because there is a proper depth for each seed, depending on its size: it must be firm to keep the seed and the infant plant supplied with moisture. . • • Lastly, as air is necessary to the germinating seed, the soil must be worked ireely at sowing time. If the seed is plastered,,.'into wet, heavy soil the seed may die. or become very weakly for want -of air. Certain classes of heavy land again are apt to develop a tight glazed skin on the surface if seeding in a fine tilth is followed by heavy rain and later by drying winds and sun;' a roller should be-put over the land to break the crust and let air into the seed." , In reference to the steeping of grain, the point may be emphasised that total immersion is much more likely to be successful than mere sprinkling and turning. The potato crop is pretty well finished up, and mangels should be pulled and stored when the bottom leaves begin to turn. In this state they keep better than when more fully matured. « , Carrots should now be raised and' p/Med in clean sand.. They would not niaJCe * second growth yet, but their feeding vahn deteriorates. - Drainage work should not be neglected before the drains get filled up with water and the work takes twice the time and is not half as well done. Horses should be allowed to cool down well before being turned out for the night with covers on. If the horse is not worth providing a good cover for he should be passed over to someone better able to look after him. Linseed.—An acre or two should be grown on every farm, and reserved till spring for that purpose. It requires fertile land in good tilth, and is not sown till October. Sheep.—Dipping has been a great difficulty this year, and the act simply could not be complied with, but an attempt must be made before the weather gets tec cold to relieve the stock of their troubles. if mangels are used for winter feeding they will require dVv food along with them, or 'heavy losses will occur. Mangels alone are not suitable food for any young, beast until thev have been stored for at least two months. Cattle.—ln proportion to the care exercised during winter will the return be next sprinsr. If half the season ; is occupied in making a recovery from neglect in winter the profits for the season are badly cut into.

In his book, published this year, on the "Feeding of Orons and ThftAMionof P*ock," Mr A. D. Hall. BaeterlH M.A., the director of in the Sin'?. Roihamsread, devotes a

chapter to living- organisms in the soil, which shows th# fundamental s

importance of the part they play in the nutrition "of the crop. The whole book is brimful of interest to the keen farmer. Mr Hall treats his subjects too scientifically to please m,2Biy_ readers; but interwoven with hid science there i 3 a grasp of solid practical work, described by a mind trained to observe and record its conclusions, which makes his writings in agricultural matters always so acceptable. He writes in a lucid style, and avoids technical terms as much as possible, and his information may bo grasped by any intelligent farmer. In discussing, living organisms in the soil, Mr Hall states that "The actual numbers are very great; as many as" 40 millions have been estimated' in a gramme of a garden soil fairly rich in organic matter:" Now, it is a difficult matter -to conceive what that statement really means. One gramme is equivalent to 15 odd English grains—i.e., equal to three-quarters of a scruple, and a scmpi'o is, lighter than a3d piece in silver. The microscopical nature of bacteria in. the soil will begin to dawn on the mind when 40 millions do not occupy as much space, l-16th of an inch deep, cs a - threepenny-piece, covers. "Different groups are a% work together in the soil; but which-will predominate .... will depend on the cultivation the land receives. The putrefactive organisms break down proteins and kindred nitrogen.' >:'s material into successively simpler compounds, which are then taken in hand by another group, and converted into ammonia. The work of the ammoniamakers is concluded by nitrifying organisms, which produce nitrates forming the chief source of nitrogen for our crops. The work of alb this group of organisms is promoted by the same factors as forward the growth of other living viz., a proper degree of warmth and moisture, and a due amount of soluble food. It is also stimulated by such special conditions as an abundant supply of air, a sufficiency of carbonate of lime, and cultivation to distribute the bacteria in the soil." It should therefore be apparent to.every practical farmer that warmth in the soil, secured by perfect drainage, moisture in the soil retained by _ Raving the ground in a'fine state of division, and good cultivation, to distribute organic matter evenly throughout the soil are necessary factors in providing the greatest possible amount of plant food for our crops.

In prepared land for small seeds it must be made as fine as an onion bed, and the best possible way of doing that is to oall in the assistance of heavy frost. If the ground is .to be sown out without a crop, if turned over with a good furrow at this time of year and exposed to the action of frost, before spring it will, as a rule, be easily worked down into a fine state of division. But long before spring it is more than likely it will be possible to work if with barrows and cultivators and help to kill indigenous weeds.' j.. In the spring, if not before, it will work down, as fine as flour, and pilot vide the desirable seed-bed for small seeds. The cultivator and harrows should then suffice to prepare the ground for the reception of the seed. A second ploughing at that time is not permissible. It would only bring up another crop of weeds, and result in an undesirable pasture. ' In order to provide a satisfactory bed for small seeds like some of the finer grasses and plovers, the land must bo worked so fine that it can touch a single seed on evelry side, then rolled firmly, both before and after sowing. When these conditions are complied with —and they are very seldom literally possible—germination immediately results, and roots are sent out in all directions into the fine soil in search of moisture) and food. An attempt should be made as nearly as possible to secure those conditions before sowing small seeds like grass seeds. _ Soil in a state of fine division is retentive, not only of rain water, but assists the moisture of the subsoil to move upwards and sideways and every way—i.e., to distribute itself through the whole layer of fine soil. In this condition the seed starts off, and the conditions of successful growth are present. When fine the soil is somewhat like a sponge, which if one corner be dipped in_ water will soon get damp all over. And it should not be forgotten that the finer .the tilth is made the greater area is available for the roots to cling to, and derive nourishment from, and the greater facility is given for moisture to travel through the soil. Up till now we breeders have managed to get along fairly well without the assistance of breed societies, mainly because of the enterprise of enthusiastic individuals, who have supplied the various districts with highclass stud animals. The success of breeders _in any_ class of stock depends largely in securing high-class studs, and this would be one of the principal functions of a horse-breeding society ip the various centres. One of the objects of the Scottish. Clydesdale Society is to secure a firefcclass stallion for the exclusive use of its metnbers, if. there are enough of them; and for a particular district if there are not. Such societies -would be of material assistance to the horse-breeder by putting the breed in an assured footing—that is, a footing which would enable a buyer to take hie purchase to any part of the world. There are many controversial points in

The Seed-bed for Grass Seed,

Clydesdale Breed Societies.

the conformation of the Clydesdale -which breeders could discuss with profit, such as the number of top crosses which constitute an animal that is entitled to be considered purebred, and can demand to have its name registered in the stud book. It is hold by some that after six ganorations the characters of ancestors are not transmitted. Whether the converse is true or not requires discussion. Are _ six generations of careful breeding sufficient to stamp a horse -With the hall mark of purity, and entitle it to registration? Then there is the question of bono The -Americans do not attach so much importance ito the question of bone as we do. Tho quality of the bone, and the development of sinew, tendon, and muscle are important points. Oan these be obtained satisfactorily without breeding for bone specially? Generally there is the question of having the same ideal.. Do all breeders set out to breed the same type of animal? Is there, an established type? Such questions are difficult to generalise upon for want of data ito go upon; but the experience of associated breeders would give some direction to guide anyone interested, and if such questions are hammered out by associated breeders, nothing hut good to the breed can result. It would be firmly established on a basis buyers could not take exception to, and that fact would reveal itself in improved prices for our best. If there were three societies to begin with — viz., one in Oamaru, one in Dunedin, and one in Southland, —if did nothing else than see that the stud book was established on a thoroughly sound basis, their existence would be justified. "If trade is to -'continue with Australia and be pushed further afield, it is compulsory to have authentic records of pedigree. Buyers are already debarred from the importation of horses which will bo acknowledged in 'Canada without them, and other countries will soon follow. The winter show should not. be allowed to pass without making a forward move in this important matter. The importation of bonedust from India has been stopped, unless the -bones oan be certified to as thoroughly sterilised and free from plague germs. Calcutta mills cannot possibly do that unless at considerable cost, and the result, shortly stated, is that importation from that country has ceased _ altogether meantime. What is India’s misfortune is Australia’s opportunity, and the Sydney firms have taken ad-vantage of tho prohibition by immediately putting up the price of Australian supplies. The farmer now finds that be 'has to pay _ nearly another 20s per ton for his supplies. Good class bonedust oan only bo obtained at a retail price of about £8 5e per_ ton, which, although not altogether prohibitive, is more than its relative value. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Bt Aghicola. “ Subscriber” asks bow long it takes sheep to fatten on rape or turnips. “Subscriber’s” question cannot bo _ answered in the concise way in which, it is asked. There are many considerations to be taken into account. It might be asked what kind of sheep are being dealt with!? A Border Leicester or a Southdown, cross will fatten. quicker than a _ Romney, and any of them will beat a Lincoln cross or a Oorriedale; whereas in the case of a merino, some old wethers would not fatten if they were on rape or turnips the whole season. Again, an inferior and badlybred sheep of any breed will take more time, ©at more food, and ho worth less when fat than a well-selected one suitable for the purpose. No hard and fast time can therefore be fixed. A _ good lot of second cross young wethers, if in forward condition, and health}', will go off turnips in three months if also fed on suitable dry food, and having a run off on grass or stubble. Of course, many of them would go before that, but tho season varies. With rape it is generally sown to be ready for ewes and lambs to go on together. The land:® under these circumstances thrive like mushrooms, and go off fat in six or eight weeks; and the ewe follows in another month or six weeks. But no definite specified times can bo given. This year, for instance, the rape was so wilted and dried up with the drought that neither ewes nor lambs did much until they got on to soft turnips.

Imnortatlon of Bonedust.