FARMING NOTES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3572, 12 March 1886, Page 3

FARMING NOTES.

I TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMABU HERALD. Sir, — The post six months, if not the most ' desirable to all occupiers of land, has been a > season which should teach all a valuable I lesson. Those occupying tbe light lands , have had scarcely sufficient feed to keep stock alive, and crops under the aver&ge. i There are no farmers on downs or strong clay • plain land that have not suffered more or I less severely with regard to pasturage, while 1 the ocoupiers of reclaimed swamp and cool 3 alluvial Boils (which fortunately comprise a , considerable area of South Canterbury) may p be considered as the only yeomen and tenants s who can be congratulated on a season favorable for live stock and all kinds of crops, b together with an exceptionally indulgent harvest. It at once strikes any attentive observer, who knows the prevalence of dry springs, with i N.W. winds, m this district, that no time t should be lost m obtaining available meam s for irrigating all lands that are considerably I s deteriorated m value by the same. It is k equally conspicuous, yet unaccountable, to i. any man of experience from the Old Country y (who has heard New Zealand spoken of as t one of tho finest agricultural and pastoral i countries m the world, which undoubtedly o it is) to travel through miles of farms t on these plains and downs, and find £ny t provision of hay and roots for stock during i. the coming winter and spring, tho wide ex- •. ception instead of the rule. He naturally asks what the oattle, sheep and pigs are expected c to livo on, and generally receives the answer c that when they have eaten all that nature o provides they must be Bold at any saorifice, or a weekly be reduced m numbers, whilst a tl residue of the strongest may survive till spring and take half the summer to regain it fair store condition. A season like the past d furnishes a ready excuse for many for the absence of tbe haystacks or root crops, as the graei could not be spared for hay, and turnips

failed when sown. This is a poor excuse ii the eye of a man of experience who has hearc that the two previous years hare been ex ceptionally moist, and that more feed (ir many instances) was trodden under foot bj stock than was consumed by them. H< naturally expects to see the old hayßtacks ol a superabundant year to meet the necessitiei of a dry one, but the majority of our farmeri simply laugh at the idea of making provisior beforehand for too probable requirements He is equally astonished that stockownen gonerally trust to turnips sown broadcast m the most primitive manner, trußtin| entirely to the seaßon for results oi turnips or weeds, the latter of which are seldom scarce. Ab this rude procesf puts a Btop to horso hoeing, or thinning, acres are often occupied by weeds only, while on some Bpots the turnips are so thick that none can grow to a profitable size. This necessitates the sowing of at least foui times the area (to feed a certain number oi stock) that would be required if land was properly prepared at suitable seasons, and drilled, horse hoed and singled, which at most would not cost over £2 per aero m exeeas of the aboriginal farming above decribed, while it would yield m many cases ten times the crop ; give employment to many willing hands, and clean the land for following crops. What is the result of this? Cattle oi sheep, as the case may bo, are generally turned on to eat the crop on the ground, when all the noxious weed seeds are trodden mor carried elsewhere m tho Bheep's wool In wet seasons land often gets trodden by cattle into such a slough that it takes years before the same can be restored to a satisfactory Btate of tillage. It is on light lands only where sheep can be fed to advantage on standing root crops, and there must then be facility for removing then if a continuance of rain sets m. Another most important consideration is confining them to limited areas, by means of nets. By this means they are prevented from rambling over tbe whole land cropped and partially eating the roots, which will become next to useless after a few severe frosts. In other countries heavy cattle would not bo allowed m winter on tillage land under any consideration, but here they may be seen on the softest lands wading up to their hocks to obtain their food, which daily requires more travelling for as tho crop getsjeonsumed or trodden into the ground. If this is thought to be economising food to tho best advantage, the sooner such illusions aro dispelled tho better for the future prosperity of New Zealand. This year few will be favored with any turnips to consume, tho exceptions being the occupiers of naturally moist land. The drought during tbe past summer destroyed tbe prospect of a turnip crop to the holders of dry land, but turnips aro not the only root, and by no means the best, to secure food for live stock. The mangold wurzel is tho root that demands tho first attention of all farmers and stock owners. It requires to bo drilled, at not less than two feet between tbe drills, as early as possible m October. The soed, which bos been previously steeped, and ready for germination, is speedily developed m the ttrong healthy plant, prior to the drought getting the ascendancy. Once started the mangold is the safest of root crops m a dry season, although a fair amount of moisture produces better results. Early attention must bo paid to horse-hoeing, hand-hoeing, and singling plants to about 10 inches apart. This will insure from 30 to 50 tons per acre on good land, although many more hove been grown m the neighborhood. Where needed by over-cropped land, surely a fair allowance of superphosphate of lime, or other artificial manure (if the farmyard manure is not forthcoming), should not be begrudged. By the end of April, or as soon after as possible, mangolds should be carted off land into stacks four or five feet high, and covered with sufficient straw to keep them dry, but no mould. This is easily accomplished where the carts can be tipped up to the north of a well cropped, and tolerably high gorso hedge, or m the neighborhood of straw stacks, where a stock-yard, with shelter, can bo easily contrived to consume straw and roots, and convert same into winter butter, beef, and iaanuro for returning to the land. I speak of the latter resource as a contrivance to meet tho present marked absence of sheds to shelter cattle, or yards to make manure, m this country generally. In conclusion I would say that the mangold is most valuable for feeding purposes after turnips aro about all consumed, viz., when just beginning to sprout; as the saccharine matter m them is then fully developed. If kept dry they supply good food to the end of tho year. For dairy cows they aro specially to be prized, being available from tho time of pulling, as long as required. From a moderate allowance, with some bay, a plentiful supply of milk of the richest quality and lacking the offensive flavor imparted by turnips, may be insured throughout the winter ana early spring when feed is generally scarcest. At time of pulling care should be taken that the roots do not get cut, and no knife should be used m removing the tops as they aro easily removed by a twist. Tho topß make good feed for cows, whiie the crop is growing, if required, as tho removal of the undor leaves from time to time m any of tho beet tribe accelerates tho growth of the root. A dairyman with a few acres must have found them very welcome during the past summer. It is gratifying to know that the few who have paid proper attention to this valuable crop this season have i been amply rewarded. I am, &<;., Observes. I