THE FARM.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13412, 9 May 1912, Page 8

THE FARM.

FERTILISERS

Crops vary in their fertiliser requirements. For grasses and most cereals nitrogen is considered the ruling or dominant element. It is much less important for leguminous plants, which aro able to get a portion of their nitrogen from the air. Potash and lime are especially beneficial to such crops. Turnips, beets, potatoes, and similar crops require an abundance of all three fertilising constituents in readily available form. Nitrogen is especially valuable for boots, soluble phosphate for turnips, potash for potatoes and other starch and sugar-producing plaints. Slow- ! growing plants like fruit trees do not, i as p. rule require quick acting, soluble I fertiliserb. If, however, it is desired to stimulate growth and fruittulness, \ Liuch fertilisers may be used to advantage. Small fruits, making more rapid j growth than orchard fruits, require more soluble fertilisers, but otherwise the fertiliser requirements are-.the same aj for orchard fruits. Fruits aro generally banefited by potash. While scientific men as a rule still .Jiold that one of tho primary, and probably most important functions of fertilisers is to supply plant food and to repair the waste of soil, more recent investigations, replacing so.no of tit.' old empirical rules with more exact know;edgo of plant arid f,oil_. i\iv.- <-!;u:i:<.-.is- !- ed the fact that fertilisers perform other very important functions in tie soil. We aro just beginnnig to loam how, as xell as to what a great extent, they in-'tuen-CB the physical condit;ons of the soil, aaid control tho move-re out of water I in Boil and plant, correct acidity and! i.oxic conditions, and determine the bacterial activities of the soil.—"New Zealand Herald." ABOUT WHEAT. : , It is a recognised fact that autumn sown wheat stands the best chance, and therCj, should therefore be every offort made to complete as much of the sowing us possible before really bad wtjather sets in (says the "Timaru Herald"). Right to the end of June wheat may bo put in if the ground is fit: in North Canterbury drilling may sometimes be continued almost right through the winter. Some of the very best wheat grown has been put in during August 'and tho beginning of September, but taking one season with another the autumn and winter sown wheat is the most dependable. From time to time one hears of now varieties of wheat for which wonderful things are claimed in the way of growth and yi«ld. But, speaking generally, the old varieties have not been supplanted to any great extent. Velvet Pearl, the Tuscans, Red Chaff, are still the principal wheats sown, and appear to be the most-trust-worthy. A great deal was expected of Rordiev. bnt it is not likely to extend its production, in South Canterbury to. any great extent. It does not appear to. yield as well as some of the older and hotter known varieties, and it is very easily blown out. Other kinds like Golden . Gem, Tom Thumb, Carter's Cross. Marshall's White, Russian Red, Webb's Challenge, and others still find fi few growers in South Canterbury, hut they are not gone in for to anything like the extent that Tuscan, Velvet, Rod Chaff, and Pearl aro produced. districts favour a kind of wheat that suits the soil and the climate, and thoy are quite right in keeping to what ih.^y n" !: :l j s tho best. Other wheats aro grown on rich heavy land, because they seem to stand well, and do not aot laid very readily. Tom Thumb and Carter's Cross are often grown bocar.se thoy are supposed to stand up we]]/ Rod .Chaff is best on cold land, away inland. But the best all round wheat is undoubtedly Solid Straw Tuscan, and it is again proving itself n arood yielder. After all the rally of tiV <">a.gs at threshing is the best n«. to whether a'tyheat is a payaole , .:>*pper or not, and Solid Straw Tit-van is again turnnig out well, now tiiit tie threshing mills aro revealing the yields, tt may be sown at any season, although the autumn wheat has generally a nr.icJi better sample than the spring rown stuff. . ; .

As for the seeding, that depca-is mainly upon tho condition of tho wound, tho state of the seed, and the Avoathor, and the location of the lend: Speaking,'however, in general terms, it will be found that a bushel and a quarter per acre is amp]© for autumn sowing increasing the quantity as time

v goes-c ii. Do not fail to dross tho seed for sm.nt, land put .in nothing but plump, h©alfc\v Round seed. Tho land need not oe too finely worked down. The winter is coming, and a few small clods left in 'he paiklock will not do any harm. They

will help to shelter the youiy plants ami they will become broken tTp by tho f.. n0 4. e __,i „.„ r , ~ V *, flosts ' ™d:™* *"™ easily .when harrowing tiio wJieut'm tho spring..