NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3278, 10 January 1917, Page 8

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

In the mountainous country in Australia

Calling Cattle.

where there are numerous small cattle runs without boundaries save those created TSJnf.nm rmo wnnl/l n:il nr-

oy iNuturc, one would iiaiurally conclude that the herds would become extremely wild, and correspondingly unmanageable. Indeed, in New Zealand, a land of smaller distances, the fact that fences in many cases would prove no earthly use if erected, ns might be determined on occasions by Land Boards, comprised of inexperienced members, has deterred many land-owners from grazing herds of some hundreds of breeding cattle, and so incroas ing our cattle numbers very considerably. Without, doubt, if cattle are left to themselves, and allowed to wander at will, they will do endless damage. In Australia, however, says Bardlcby, of the Australasian, cattle are kept comparatively docile and well in hand by one very simple device. Cattle are very fond of salt, especially where the pasture is devoid of saline herbage. There are several camps upon the mountain runs referred to, where salt is fed to tiie cattle by the stockman. When replenishing the supplies of salt and, generally. wlit'ii moving about among the camping grounds, the stockmen make a habit of assiduously calling out to the cattle. The result of tin's is that the cattle are attracted by the sound of the voice, know what to expect, and follow at once when they hoar a call. Also the wisdom of keeping some of the older cattle on the runs wh on making sales is obvious, ns they know the run of the country, and, bring docile, act as coachovs for young cattle coming on and for any purchase lots. Thousands of cattle mi "'lit he bred as a side line on stations, and made to pay handsomely. A good deal of common sense is required when it comes to set aside country, and due consideration must bo given to the configuration of the land for best results; but hero at hand lies an opportunity to largely increase our beef supplies.

The effects of treating turnip seed with

Prevention of Turnip-fly.

tho view of preventing tlio attack of turnip fly were recorded some time asm in

• i mi uv,(i avaui; 11111v_ jii Scotland. (1) The seed was st oeped in paraffin and dried before sowing ; (2) the seed was steeped in turpentine and dried before sowing; (3) sand or sawdust damped with paraffin was strewed along the surface of the drills before the turnips were quite through the ground; (4) the surface of the drill was sprayed with paraffin when the turnips were coming through the ground. Returns wore received from 15 farms where these methods were tried. The “fly” did not appear, but some secondary results of the steeping wore interesting. In several eases it was reported that sleeping the seed in paraffin or turpentine produced an earlier and more vigorous growth. One farmer, on whose turnips the steeping had a marked effect, though j.o fly appeared, stated _ that he weighed the roots from the drills sown with the steeped seed, and found the yield considerably heavier than from the unsteeped seed. The question was raised as to the length of time turnip seed could bo left in the paraffin or turneptine without injury to its vitality. To remove any doubts, turnip seed was germinated that had been in paraffin or turpentine for varying periods. It. was found that a few hours or°a day made no difference; finally, after

submerging the seed in both liquids for three weeks, no change was noticed in tho vitality of rapidity of germination as compared with unslecpcd seed. On one farm seed w/(s steeped for periods varying from 30 minutes to three hours, and the longer periods produced the earliest and most vigorous growth. Steeping in water for the same length of time did not produce the same effect. On one or two farms spreading eand or sawdust steeped in paraffin in the drills gave remarkable results. The young turnips, were bright green, strong, and numerous, while th© untreated drills alongside showed a few weak plants, paler in colour, and dotted with light brown spots. These spots were caused by a little beetle (centorhynchua) which attacks the cotyledons before they aro above the ground, and just as they emerge from the seed coats. They aro not clue to fly or frost, Tis is sometimes stated. Of course the method of spreading steeped, sand or sawdust is expensive and impracticable; it was tried just to ascertain the. effect of a strong-smelling material. Spraying the surface of the drill seemed to produce no effect. In one trial only the farmer reported that a steeping appeared to have spoiled the braird.

The spray method of treatment hids fair

Arsenic-Spraying for Blackberry.

to counter the blackberry 3 menace, furnishing an effective and comparatively inexpensive weapon of deStruo-

tion—of especial value where other methods, such as ploughing and cultivation, are impracticable or inexpedient. Remarkable success with arsenic solution as the spraying material has been attained in several localities. Mr Allen M. Williams, of iQ Ante Station, Pukehou, Hawke’s Bay, has kindly furnished the editor of the Journal of Agriculture with the following account of his method and experience:—“ln reference to our treatment of blackberries, we first cleared the stock out of the paddock, and then sprayed the blackberries with 2oz arsenic to the gallon of water. When the bushes had quite dried off—say, in a month —we burnt them. The man in charge of the work would then go to each bush twice a week to spray the young shoots as they appeared. In our soil (limestone subsoil), after the first week or two it would only require looking at once a week, and gradually ease off until no more shoots appeared. The point is not to let the young shoots get into leaf. The_ best time to spray is men the blackberries are in flower and the sap well up. If one is careful not to let the young shoots get into leaf the stock can be put back into the paddock after the blackberries have been burnt, including any grass which may have been affected by the poison. We have always done this and never lost a hoof. All our blackberries were absolutely destroyed in a very short time, but in lighter soils I can quite understand that it might take much longer. Do not cut the blackberry bushes down, but spray them as they stand.

Being quite satisfied that the more

Lucerne in Southland.

known of the many good uses of lucerne, sown under right conditions, the greater will bo its popularity with

wm all stock-owners, invites the writer to here record Mr J. W. Hopkin’s (of Holrnwood, Wyndhaml experiences as related to Mr M'C'ulloch, Fields Supervisor to the Department in the Journal of Agriculture. 1 sowed an acre of lucerne according to the Department’s scheme on Ist Novemner, 1912, and herein give my experience of lucerne-growing in Southland, together with the benefits, in my opinion, of this fodder crop to the dairy-farmer, ihc plot was divided into four sub-plots: (1) Controlplot—no lime and no inoculated soil; [6] lime only at the rate of 15001 b per acre; (3) lime 15001 b and inoculated soil 3001 b per acre; (4) inoculated soil only at the rate of 3001 b per acre. The results have been such as indicate that inoculation is necessary on my land, for plots 1 and 2. which were not so treated, failed entirely, and were eventually ploughed up. At first plot 5 appeared slightly bettor than_ plot 4, showing a difference apparently in favour of the addition of lime, but later on and at present no difference can be detected. Mv conclusion is that inoculation is essential, but that lime has little, if any, effect here. The first cut of the remaining halfacre was made on Ist February, 1913, just three months from sowing, and this was left to act as a mulch. This first cutting tends to make the plant throw out a greater number of fresh shoots from _ the crown. The second cut was made in May of the same season after which date the crop attained a further 12in in height, but this was loft as a protection during winter. Each season since, four of five cuts iiavo been taken off the half-acre —six spring-dray loads at each cutting. In 1913-14 one cutline - was made into hay, the other cuttings bom" carted out to the cows and fed to them at night So far I have not willingly attempted to graze the stand, but during last winter I had stock in the same field, and as the lucerne was not fenced they grazed the patch rather bare, with the result that I consider I have lost a cut this season. From my short experience I am confident that lucerfic can be successfully grown in Southland if properly treated, one of the chief points being to select land clean and free from weeds and give occasional intercultivation. To enable the latter operations to bo carried out the seed should be sown in rows on the flat. I have at time of writing completed sowing a further five acres, all in rows, at the rate of 15lb per aero. For some years I have been growing oats, peas, vetches, and grass for green-soiling purposes, but I believe that lucerne will prove the _ best crop for my purpose. The cows eat it greedily and milk well on it. I may mention that the subsoil • of my land is of a free, open nature.” AGRICOLA.

Reports from the Tokomairiro district state that the dry weather is likely to have a very serious effect on the cereal and turnip crops. In some instances water is so scarce that it has to bo carted to the sheep. It is problematical whether, if rain should fall now, it would have any effect in improving the oat and wheat crop.-;, which are light and poorly filled. The whole of the hillsides round the plain bears a parched and burnt-up appearance. The "glass" fell on Tuesday, and farmers looked forward hopefully to a downpour, but it did not materialise. Reports from further south also go to show that rain is badly wanted. Tokomairiro farmers have, however, not gone in so much this year for cropping, in view of the probable shortage of labour. In common with the experience of most industries, th« farmers now have to pay more for labour.