NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3775, 20 July 1926, Page 12

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

The giving of salt to sheep is regarded by some people as a teachSalt ing of modern science, lor Sheep. but the custom is as old as the knowledge of sheep themselves (says a Home writer). The fij-st thing which the shepherd in Spain used to do when his flocks were brought in from their summer pastures was to give them as much salt as they could consume. Every owner allowed 25001 b of salt to each 1000 sheep, and the amount would he consumed in about five minutes. The sheep were not allowed any salt when travelling or during the winter, as it was thought that it was conducive to abortion if given to ewes in lamb. The shepherd of that early period was in the habit of placing 50 or 60 flat stones at a distance of about five paces apart, strewing salt on each, and, by leading the sheep slowly among them, permitting each animal a chance to eat at pleasure. It was noticed that when the sheep were feeding on limestone lands they ate no salt, and that if they met with soil of mixed formation they would partake of salt “oniy in proportion an the soil was mixed with clay.

According to breeders of the champion ' fine-woolled sheep pf the Crossbred world, the term “crossSheep. bred” sheep often le&ds to confusion, and in Australia refers to any breed of sheep other than the merinos. To correct this the following terms are suggested for consideration by the graziers’ associations throughout Australia. If approved, it is hoped that their adoption will become widespread. The progeny of a longwooi ram and a merino ewe or vice versa —halfbred; of a half bred ewe and a merino ram—quarterbred or comeback; bf a longwooi ram and halfbred ewe—threequarterbred. These may be more fully described as a halfbred Lincoln or a halfbred Border Leicester, etc. Thus a comeback of a quarterbred should be 75 per cent, merino and 25 per cent, longwooi, a halfbred 50 per cent, of each, and a three-quarterbred 75 per cent, longwooi and 25 per cent, merino. The percentage of different bloods in a line of crossbreds would clearly describe them. Ir these terms were adopted by vendors it would protect buyers from being imposed upon, as at present they are not infrequently put to much expense and loss of time inspecting sheep that are incorrectly described. Buyers are sometimes misled when inspecting recently-shorn sheep supposed to be, say, halfbreds, but which later on prove to be nondescripts; therefore it would be necessary to fully describe them in the sale contracts. The term “crossbred” would be applied only to lines of sheep whose breeding the vendor could not or would not be able to describe.

In reply to “J. 5.,” Tapanui, asking for a note on lucerne growing. A Not# on I say that much could be Lucern#. written with reference to this grand fodder crop. Lucerne may be grown on almost any type of soil, provided that it is well drained, sweet, free from weeds, and well supplied with organic matter and mineral plant food. Good drainage is essential, and the soil must be of a limey nature. Inoculation of the soil will probably be necessary unless the country is known to mow lucerne o perfection. Soils with a hard pan should be avoided, unless the pan is first broken; and soils liable to flooding are best left alone. The lucerne plant is a legume, and if the plant is well established and equipped with its nitrogengathering bacteria it will greedily take its nitrogen from the air, and the other necessary fertilising constituents (potash, phosphoric acid, etc.) from the soil. The inoculation of the ground is a simple enough matter. All that is necessary is to secure some earth from a good, healthy lucerne paddock, where the bacteria is known to exist. At least 2001 b of soil per acre should be used. Care must be taken not to expose this soil to sunlight for any length of time before sowing and harrowing it in, dtherwise the bacteria will be killed. This soil should be broad casted and harrowed in before sowing the

seed. Although the lucerne plant is a good “doer,” it must be provided with a kindly environment in its early stages. On a poor soil you will get but medium growth; but treat it well in its early stages and the lucerne area will prove as good as a money-box.. The seed in this part of the world will do best if planted in the spring, once the land is warm and A he soil in good condition and clean. I should sa> that Octoberfor planting, if one requires the plant to make good headway before the winter. The season’s potato area offers frequently ] a good chance to try lucerne out, in that that piece of ground can be easily cleaned, limed, and fertilised. As promised, and in amplification of a note in reply to “Reader,” Potato Glenledi, in last week’s Growing. Witness regarding potato growing, I would/ emphasise the fact that this tuber is a potashdemanding crop, but it likes other fertilising ingredients as well. An article by Mr George Lee, of Templeton, recently appeared in the Press, and is much to the point. “Recently I read an article reporting a lecture by Professor Rosa, of the University of California, on potato tests. Professor Rosa stated that after numerous tests, covering several years, he had proved that if the cut sets of potatoes were soaked in a solution of nitrate of soda, in a strength of 6oz of nitrate of soda to one gallon of water, 30 minutes, the potato foliage would show through the ground two weeks earlier than potatoes not steeped, that they would mature earlier, and give a larger crop. Well, the writer tested this out, with the following result. On the sth of November last I soaked 20 small Dalmeny Acme potatoes in the above solution (but as the potatoes were too small to cut, I think it would bo bettor to give uncut potatoes

40 minutes’ soaking). I . planted the soaked potatoes, also 13 unsoaked, making three short rows. I decided to carry out 'another test at the same time, and gave one of the short rows of 13 potatoes a complete fertiliser and the second short row just the same weight of the best fertiliser from one of the companies dealing in manures. The third row in which the potatoes were not soaked I gave another class of fertiliser. At the end of 13 days the foliage of some of the steeped potatoes were showing up, and in a few days more the whole 26 were showing, and they were 6in to Bin high before the tfnsoaked ones were in sight. It must be noted that none of the potatoes when planted had shoots on them. At the end of 88 days they could have been dug for early potatoes, and on the 3rd of ’April (two days under five months) the writer dug the two rows that had been soaked. I invited my neighbour, Mr Warwick, to come and see the potatoes when dug in the rows, gather them uo, and weigh them. No. 1, own mixed complete manure, 47£lb; No. 2, company's manure, 411 b. The difference is £lb of potatoes per root. No. 1 equals 17% tons per acre, and No. 2 just over 15 tons pe.* acre. In each row there was no more than 3 per cent, small potatoes and 10 per cent, seed size, 87 per cent, being table size. The reason for the difference of £lb per root was caused through the low potash content in the company’s fertiliser. All sandy loam soils are deficient in potash. I have read that in scores of articles (not New Zealand ones) and proved it time and again myself. None of the companies puts sufficient potash in its fertiliser. I have tested them many times with my own mixture, and, of course, the farmers here do not use half enough. The writer uses up to scwt per acre. The rows mentioned above had that last year. I grew a plot of jcwt of Snowdrop potatoes, come straight from the seedsman, and I used a mixture of 3cwt superphosphate, icwt blood and bone, Jcwt sulphate of ammonia, lcwt sulphate of potash. The results are that the crop equalled 23 tons per acre. Four full sacks of tables, which the carrier took to the market, realised £2. Then there was nearly a sack of seed, and the rest ''mail. The writer, when planting potatoes, ploughs the furrows over, sows the manure in the furrow that the potatoes are to be planted in, but before planting, the horse and “Planet” grubber go round the furrow and grub the bottom of the furrow about 3in deep. This mixes the manure in the soil, and allows the roots of the potatoes to go down, saves moisture, and nearly doubles the crop. AGRICOLA.