NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 8

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

The chairman of the Southland Frozen Meat and Produce Export A Blast Company (Ltd.), Mr John of Common M'Queen, not infrequently Sense. sends , a blast of common senso northwards, _ where settlers, possibly a 9 one result, of living in warmer climes, get tangled up in a maze of theoretical, doleful suppositions anent the outcome of the war.v Mr M'Queen recants, in a measure, in regard to the greatly increased storage at the various freezing works, and is much of our oftenexpressed opinion in regard to this matter, as ho now says: "Forced by the shipping shortage, the freezing companies had made large additions to their plant and storage room. When things got back to normal again, and the regular shipping services were resumed, what was to bo done with all that? It would not be required, and would seemingly have .to be scrapped or else held on to—at a continuous expense for upkeep and repair, and returning nothing—until again the need for it should arise. Now," said Mr M'Queen, "I have altered my opinion in regard to that, matter." Ho thought that they were probably not justified in entertaining any fears that the extra, accommodation would prove a white elephant after the war. They knew for a fact that the land being farmed in Southland was capablo of producing a great deal more than" it was doing. Of courso this would equally apply to the lands of Otago. "The amount of the productivity depended largely upon the man who was farming the land —some could take more from it than others. But they needed to raise the general average of the

efficiency of their farming. That meanfl that they must produce- more for In view of the enormous debt wiifc w&foh their country waa saddled, they vroijki r©» quire to do that. I hold that our saivuty>n lies in our land. A great wealth lay there, merely awaiting development. Some—towi folk—spoke of starting new industries in the town. Coming before the development of the country, that was wi*ong. It would divert to the towns tho people who should) really bo gathering the wealth from the soil. The reaping of that harvest would be for tho good of the towns equally with the country. Their interests were to a large extent identical. When the farmer got money for his produce, he didn't it in a stocking. He didn't even put it ln\ his pocket—at least it didn't very ofteri remain there long. Tho farmer spent the return for his produce. Thereby he benefited the town. In order 'to provide for the carrying on of the development of the country, to pay interest on their borrowed capital and to provide for sinking funds to pay off the debt, they needed to closely settle their land and to educate tho farmer to take the most from it, so that, in return for 'their exports, wealth might come to the country. Then the Minister of Finance of tho period would know whence to get his taxation."

Enlarging upon his ideal, the writer quoted in the foregoing note Commercial stresses the possibilities of Farms. the value of State, farms

run on commercial lines. Credit is given to the value of experimental work on private and State farms, but State farm concerns, run to make money, with their balance sheets published, showing just where they made or lost money, should be considered ae supplementary to 'the experimental farms. Situated here and there, it is contended that they would be splendid objectlessons to farmers. Perhaps so. It is a big order, however, and methinks the staffing of these farms would not be accomplished easily under present conditions. One can imagine . that a State commercial -■ diary farm could work wonders. _ It could be at once stocked from the State farms with cows, each yielding, say, round about 750 gallons of milk yearly, intermixed with ah odd ICOO-gallon cow, and might well assure farmers that ancestry in butter-fat vest and yield of milk is worth consideration. In next to no time there would be a quick sale for all the bulls bred on ; that farm at a price in accord with the butter-fat yield of the dam. No doubt great benefits could be achieved in this way. ~ Deeper cultivation is urged as opening /up _ great .possibilities of big returns, but this depends on the conditions. Yet we agree in the main with Mr M'Queen. " The man [if an agriculturist, the writer of this column would add] ! who bought out his neighbours in order to increase' hie holding was almost to be pitied. He should make more use of his own land—by cultivating it deeper."

Following hurriedly upon 'the previous note, the writer . would add . that Deeper the depth of ploughing dePloughing, pends upon the crop to be sown and the time of ploughing as well as what it is proposed to turn under. One cannot do better than quote Farm, Field, and Fireside in regard to some phases of cultivation which are true to-day. If land is ever deeply ploughed it should be before winter really sets in, in order to secure the full effects of frost upon the newly exposed soil stratum. To attempt the same operation in spring on some lands would be to court failure, for the frost is the best pulveriser, and without it raw subsoil would simply be a -bar 'to fine tilth. Still more is the place or situation, for deep ploughing cannot be practised 'unless the subsoil is suitable for the purpose. It is impossible to plough up rock, and it would be u mistake to bring up gravel,, barren clay, or white and grey sand. The desirability of deep ploughing must rest upon the character of the underlying soil. Some soils are virtually continuous for several feet, but most are naturally shallow, and their colour and texture alter perceptibly _ below the first 6in., The highest authorities on fertility claim the first 9in as the theatre of bacterial action, and but little nitrogen reaches the subsoil. Nine inches are, however well within the .limits of deep ploughing and where the soil is sufficiently deep the depth of the ploughing may be increased with advantage at the proper time and reason. Time and place are brought into harmony in the case of deep ploughing in April or May in anticipation of roots potatoes, or mangolds, and the degree 'to which it should be pushed must depend upon the natural depth of the staple. Tho best man is to do it gradually—that is, at the successive periods in which the land comes into rotation for roote. Deep ploughing for corn crops is not found to be desirable, but as the land has been previously subjected to deeper cultivation no one can say that these crops do not benefit from it. The idea of adopting direct deep ploughing as a "cureall." much as some people swear by "Cockle's pills," may be considered impr?ctieable; but deeper ploughing carried on for a series of years at the proper time and for tho right kinds of crops, and, it must be added, on the proper sort of soil, will result in a gradual deepening of the staple and the permanent improvement of tllC lami ' AGRICOLA.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. By Agricola. P. P. W., Gore, asks: "What are the best books to study in order to learn all about sheep-farming and cropping?" Space will not permit of mentioning books touching tinon biology, physics, agricultural chemistry, veterinarian science, surveying, etc., and it is probably not quite what you' desire. The use of an up-to-date agricultural naper which touches in season upon topical matters is one good method of being up with the times. The perusal of "New Zealand Sheep-farming/' by J._B» Macdonald, and "Agriculture in New Zealand." by Harold W. Hesse, 8.A., B.Sc, can do you no harm, and may be what you require-. j \y. H., Port Chalmers, sends sample of grass for identification, and queries aa to its feeding -value. Unable at tho moment to place this grass. It is probablv an Australian variety. Am making' inquiries in that connection, and will reply later in the Otago ■ Witness.

Tho Mataura Island branch of th« Farmers' Union is of opinion that the Gqj vornment purchase of meat should be placeql on tho same footing as that of dairy pro* duce,. and payment made after 28 daye in store.