NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3672, 29 July 1924, Page 12

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Farmers will view with grim satisfaction the threat of the Minister Cost ot < f Agriculture (Hon. W. Phosphatic Nosworthy) to recommend Manures. the Government to establish manure manufacturing works if prices of fertilisers (phosphatic) are not kept down to what he considers a reasonable price per ton. The Dominion is, as all know, monetarily interested in its share of the Nauru and Ocean Island phosphate deposits. The raw phosphate rock comes our way, and farmers are well aware that their lands are calling out for phosphorus in some form in order to keep up the output per grass acre of dairy products, meat, wool, etc. The writer not infrequently is asked why a fat priee is demanded for Nauru phosphate, far above its landed cost, and endeavours to explain that, the rock phosphate has to be crushed, treated (where superphosphate i 3 made) with sulphuric acid, bagged, etc., etc., but does not anticipate that his reply seems adequate in the circumstances. No ono begrudges the manufacturer fair profit; but this fertilising of grass areas is a matter of paramount importance to the welfare of country settlers, and hence of vital interest to city residents. The question, as the Minister points out, is one apart from party politics, as New Zealand is dependent upon its volume of primary exports, which in a great, measure depend to-day upon tho free and generous use of fertilisers and of those particularly of a phosphatic nature. I wrote the words “grim satisfaction.” No farmer welcomes Governmental interference in the ordinary course of trade, but he might welcome a link which would ensure a cheap soluble phosphate even at the risk of another State-managed affair, rather than pay more than the Commonwealth farmer does for his units of phosphoric acid. It is of interest, in view of what has transpired in the North' Island, to learn that Mr Nosworthy is taking steps to have the whole question of costs of phosphatic manures as affecting the North and South Islands thoroughly inquired into. The following method of getting rid of big stumps may prove useful Burning to some o c our readers. Stumps. It is supplied hv U. S. Adams, of Washington, and is taken from a recent issue of Hoard’s Dairyman. He writes: “With a small powder spoon, make a hole under the stump at an angle of about 60deg. Do ff'i.on the opposite sole so that the two meet at about the centre of the stump. Keep as close to the wood ns possible, and start a fire at one side. When the fire is well started, start one on the other side. T’-’is -'- ; H make the fire b’n'n longer without attention, and keep it from burning up the side of the stump. W! len the stnmn is fairly well dried out and the fire eats well into the stump, till no the hole on b ith sides with wood and bark. After it gets quite hot, place two slabs about 20in long and 10'n wide endwise against the hole, in the form of an inverted V. Cover this with mud on both sides, leaving an air space at the top for the steam and gas to escape. In a few hours this hole will bin larger. Then begin to bank up with dirt, and when about 18in high nlace two slabs on the banking, and again cover -h mud If the hole is too large fill -••ill- ■roil or 1 m-’- i-rj hold ffie mud back until it has hardened. If the dirt is ton loamy to stand un well, out on a shovelful of mud occasion!) 11 v. Work a hole into the ground at one side of the stump and miv Dio mud like concrete. An old saying is “A slow fire makes red coals.” This is the principle of burning stumps bv the char pit system. Give the fire just enough n'r to make red coals, and when dorp jmd ips'd” : t is burning about right. When it is bright red it is petting too much air, and when it goes black it is no) petting enough Tbe most air w'll come from the lower hole, but both biles can be stopped at night to keen the fire from b’-oakino- o”t. It is m-nbable that all holes will need to be closed before tho . i. v i '.'o a« e-.nuff’’ n>r will get through the dirt, especially if the wind is blowing. Keen the hanking up as long as possible until Ihe stnmn is neai'lv burned off. Then punch a hole in the banking with a shovel Irnoek down the red coals. There will likely be a bushel cr more of red coals, if tlicse nre eo-i ered v'th mud or dirt they will keen hot for several days, and make a good fob o f the roots after the ton is gone. Each stump should be visited about twice a dav anti the holes covered with mud. hut never bury the fire too deep. On January 25 I set 14 stumps afire, some of them 4ft across. On February 3 they were all gone, hut the roots were still burning in the ground. During that time we had the heaviest rainfall of the season. The roots are still burning when this is written on February 10, but would have burned better in dry weather. It took about a tenth of a cord of wood to start the 14 stumps, and I judge that I have put in about 30 hours’ work on them so far. Tt took four hours to make holes under 10 stumps. When a fire breaks out and has gone too long, fill in with wood or bark, and when hot bank up again. If the fire breaks out in the centre and at the top, throw in wood and fill up with dirt.” Sheep-owners generally will be pleased that the merino breeders of Exoort ot Australia have not decided Merinos. to close down on the export of merinos to South Africa and other countries. It will be an age before South Africa can seriously threaten the Commonweal! h pastoral ists, but evidently there seemed cause for an uneasy feeling about the matter. Years ago, it will be remembered, when ostrich plumes were so fashionable, and Australians sought to take up the business of growing them, they found that South Africa had a law forbidding the export of birds from that country. The breeding of Angora goats was also made a “close preserve” in South Africa. It is, anyway, too late now, even if morinos were not obtainable outside of Australia. The Africans could go to America for their merinos, if necessary, and build up their flocks as Australian breeders have done. It would tako a longer time, of course, but there is no doubt it could bo accomplished outside of

tile Commonwealth. Then, too, it is questionable whether outside buyers could buy Australia’s best sheep. Local stud breeders are keen buyers of the pick of merinos offering at bio- money. Far better to encourage all-comers, just as Great Britain does in respeset to her long and short-woolled sheep, and still remain the greatest stud stock farm in the world for sheep, cattle, horses, pigs, etc. No stud breeder sells his best stock, and carries on” for long against his competitors. There is small chance of wool, such as Australia grows, becoming a superfluity, seeing that the coloured races are every day becoming keener on woollen garments. It has been decided in Australia to let all come in as buyers for merino stud stock. It is money that counts and—breeding in the final count.

A great deal depends upon the condition of the artificial fertiliser Condition ol used being in proper Fertiliser. mechanical condition. Otherwise, even with a highgrade fertiliser, it might just as well have been kept in the store. Mechanical condition means drilling quality, handling quality, keeping quality' in storage, efficiency of the mixing, and effect on sacks in storage. This is how one man puts it: ‘■The drilling quality of a fertiliser is of the greatest importance, as in every acre there are 43,560 surface feet. If an application of 2001 b of fertiliser to the acre is made, each acre will receive o2Cooz, and every square foot less' than one-tentb of one ounce. Estimates show that an acre of soil with a ploughed depth of 6in weighs about 2,€-00,(X)01b. Thus, where 2001 b cf fertiliser is used each pound must supply 10,0001 b of soil with plant, food. . It is evident from this that equal distribution is not easy, even under the most favourable conditions, and should the. fertiliser be in such poor mechanical condition as to make handling and drilling difficult, uniform distribution would be quite out of the question. Following that a little further, we find that if one out of ©very 10 square feet is deprived of its share of fertiliser, only nine square feet would be fertilised out of ten put into seed. But if the fertiliser is in proper mechanical condition so that it will flow through the drill and into the soil evenly, every square inch will receive its share and every' plant will have its proper proportion of plant food. When a supply cf fertiliser is received, if it is gummy and sticky or hard as a rock it is difficult to use, to say nothing of the loss that will be encountered. With sticky fertilisers the drill is continually breaking, distribution is uneven, and much time s lost in planting the crop. When fertiliser sets so that it has to be empti«i from the sacks, broken up and screened, there is usually a loss from each sack, as well as loss of time and the labour involved in breaking iw, crushing it. and preparing it for the drill. Fertiliser should be. and can be, manufactured that it will arrive and remain in a drv, granular condition. Manufacturers are spending much money and effoi-t in their endeavour to eliminate all possibilities of chemical reactions which give the unsatisfactory conditions described above. This is a matter extremely important when it is found desirable to have a stock of fertilisers at hand for use m favourable weather. Artificial manures if kept for a time before using, should be stored in a dry building, with the floor well off the ground, and no moisture-ladened air allowed to play round the stack of manure—that is to say, all doors and windows should be closed. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. By Agbicola. “Subscriber,” Rangibata, wishes to. know the most, suitable crop to sow after linseed. “Would it be advisable to sow peas? Is manure necessary for peas? If 30, wlmt kind and how much should be used?” Linseed is an exhausting crop generally—be., if there has been a good yield. You Bnggest sowing pea 3, with the idea, I suppose, of maintaining the soil’s fertility prior to sowing down the paddock in grass and clovers. This is a matter which a knowledge of the treatment previously meted

out to the paddock in question can best determine. The suggestion is sound, however, and will permit of subsequent tillage operations devised to clean perhaps a more or less weedy' paddock. Peas respond to phosphates and potash, and it is suggested that you use, say, 2cwt of basic superphosphate per acre. On the other hand, should soil conditions be such as to warrant sowing down the area in grass, etc., this season, and you are anxious to complete the job, linseed is a good crop to precede “seeds,” which, however, should be treated generously in the amount of artificial fertilisers used when sowing out the paddock.