Rural Talks.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 11997, 4 September 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

Rural Talks.

(By Ivoiadi.) SEPTEMBER WORK. According to the, calendar August is Uic first month of spring, but-faniie'rs do- not expect, much in the my of a rejuvenation- of, iiuUiro, till the ■■beginning of'.September. Some years arc exceptions and'this'is one of them. The gentle, mild but penetrating ram -which fell (hiring the last days of August was just what was; wanted: to give the soil a chance' to /respond -y to v ihe. genial warmth of .the has opened with crops "ami grass looking about as well as they can. There is now. a tremendous/ amount of work to he done oh every fa nil, and hot a moment must' lie; lost iii pusliitig on the sowing of all kinds of seeds.' Even where the sowing "of the grain: crops is almost completed there, are other kinds of crops that iniist J be ' put' iii', aiid which must ; be leftiioll : properly sets in, such crops, for" instance, as barley, mangels, carrots, .potatoes. , Wheat sowing Should - be,; brought .to a conclusion as soouas possible this mouth : It may be put ..in - till the end of the month, but it. should never be left as late as that unless bad wrather stops operations. Oats may .be sown any time this/month. The later the better, of course. "A slightly thicker seeding may be sown as the season advnhcesT became the-'plants do not stool to. the same extent as those do. that Lare sown in the autumn. lHiicstomns (should not be omitted; or they should j be dressed with formalin. ;©;■»- Barlcv may;be, sown Hliisf. ! month 'but it 'may, I*\ left M%V?#/i month, or iveli -the month after next month is quite: late:cnougb and if possible it shpuW b6 pttt ■<• m& ing September/ especiallyin the higher altitudes whtrc autumn quickly gives place to early winter,. amPfoggy feather prevail*. UaHey requires good tillage,'and doe* well after Grass seed; and especially clover, takes verv well with.the barley, crop. . A commencement may be wade with the mangel - £ >en the first plot may be put m. Although mangers- have not. with some South Caiiterbmy farmers, recommended themselves as a sheep feed, they are invaluablo for cattle, and there should be a''certain quantity grown on .every holding. In th# South they are ted to sheep, rather, exclusively, and also in parts of the S'oitb Island, These are a help when : turnips fail as .they have 'done of late years in South •Can- '• tcrbiirv-.' They are not so -..liable- to attacks from blight and insects as turnips and swedes. The ground should have been-ploughed before and then stirred up and before sowing, '/The- last ploughing should be' a deep one, so that .thei rocits will have plenty of room to develop to their fullest extent. They .should, be well manured,, as much farmyard manure as possible bpinggiveil,them, together with artificial fertilisers^. They should bo sown on and .thinned out to; about 'a foot apart in the drills. : The, seeds the more readily if tlieylare.;soakj?d' iii cold water* for lßKhuuhi 3faforif!smfcingg • 'Carro'ts"'.Juay.ol^..lw'. time as- mangels. They are useful for ■all -kinds of stoclv; especially; Ifijrscs. Cows cat them readily a on them. - ; They t;ike ! :a. lot; of but they are »vortli'jt,.yi7-'.'aTi]iytiiiiiy ; -like-' a : crop is produced... They, should., .be•sown' oil .deep, ; loamy f 50i1,,.; (tin .-. raised:, drills and thinned oiit : :to sis';or .eight; inches apart... ,■.-.- ••..>•;' "'■ '"■ Yield peas and' beans ; shoulii besowji as early : as possible.- ; ,Peas may be; put' in later than beans,. v The- land.ishould be well worked, and in-.good-heart.; ... ."'. Farm stock requires a good. deal of attention this month. The important .time, of lambing will, of >course., be'on; among the e»vcs ( and i they must be carefully- watched for ji; few weeks. ;Apaddock of good feed should ho available as .soonj.as the ewes hive lambed. Dairy cows will ,iio!w be .coming :Oii quicklv. and they should iVcceiyo some hav until the "grass grows to' a }:&W. length: Dairy cows are now worth a good. deal,!- and it" rpn j* tip ; look after thein'wertVn-Asvmany ;ci«|ve5 i as possible W 'ami " they shoirid.be welUilbne- by. A";stunted animal yf auv-sort- is as pip liable do not require' a lot of physic, as suinft suppose at this liimrpf 'tlililyear. thevroallv heed is plenty oi good oats and' sweetcjiaHv and a oick*ot; g>assy thev require.l sonic frcsh : grass' at this season; iuioV wilt neglect.the l r.|i;trd teed, to "et it 7 Thev slioiildnbt) have their rations *ut bwausc rthere^s- a little grass appearing .in their patWocK. When Tgrass is' plentiful meal may be cut dowu;a; lift b«rthat is not advisable; itist yet,, f ,|t a lot of' baid work; is- in front .of-them. It is n'otdesirablo to let them t run loose at their, feeders at night, Because. thc;y, will leave their ■feed in search of grass, Thev should~;bo>'lied -ui>; aiid to luijsli iip their hard feed. Thei;- shqiilder.-* inust bvv# s< ?!}'. i w '' 3,< * M ed aiid scalds and galls!Jiiust not ibe allowed to extend into scores, VXVillaVs.Vntjst lib, kept dr Vj a lid .iIKT l?Bils't fit projierly. ; i Tree planting must,,'lfe Tyiishtd up n.s. soon as.piissible. , it is s iiow ;i tiine that 'ill, trees were in.' ,'; The seasoi)i ; lias been an adyiirable ono for plaiitiiig; aivj more forest trees^hiivci; bceiijpUt in tliiui usual. , , : . -iv...';, .j ,: t ■.■...';'"■ \^ ; .' Sowings of qarfy ■.iwtatoes.-,B|iould.i : ,lie.:iiiadr,. and .the. maiii" croivnniy'jbe'jPut in towards,the',<ind of the lnojith^^The is no" ,s<> P«t in ;potat«eS.. // !ji, good , deal, earb'er; ca ii so' I a ttv ikj ta toes ■ a I«' a >;s.'.'.t'a kjcj d incase the,, worst. , If ,thcy ; arc;<putXiii tlioie. is lni'fe etiance of,'<%iii beforo the ,b!it:ht 'reaches, its liirstjicijte i jtagp,, usually durijig_ the niv'ntliO.^,(if : - Februaiy : _, • ..■,- ■ '. . : '- :^,'': '^V ! All labour nnssible ;-ln>tild now be put inU> the kitchen garden. Tho'_ first sowings of b,eans, radishes and Ictlin.c sluMild i?«>w he well. up. ami successive sowings should. , bo made. Parsnip* .and i-arrots'should be sown, and cabbages transplanted. AH this takes work,, but .it.'is. a.-kind cf work that pays. j FORMALIN DRESSING. \ "ood deal of aIU-ntipn hay, of late, towards 'formalin dressing for wheat and oats «!.s n -preventative' it sniiit. It is now a good, many years' fin.e this dressing was first advocatcil, and all sorts of stre.ijgth.s have beiiv iy.•ou.mendeii: S-me expermmnts ■ have been . tried in which it has_ been found- that a. pound; of, formalin; to 14 gallons'of water gives. g«c<l.results,, but up to:dont)le .that quantity of water to a pound of formalin h:;s, also proved effective. About two gallons of the mixture i>er.bushel has been, stated as the prpper amount to apply, ihis i quantitv. two gallons of the mixture to I a bushel, seems altogether too much to applv cVch in cats; At the strength

given above it would also be' very expensive. Formalin • costs something like 3s a lb; and if it i.s made the strength of one pound of I'oiinaliii to fourteen''gallons, of wat'.iv and applied at the rate of two gallons of tile mixlure to a ''bushel: of grain thii ,ci>st per bushel "will' bo .'approx'jiij:itcly -3d. In -actual" phtcU'ce it will be found', that two gallons of tho -mixture, will dress four or. five bushels, and-the. price can bo reduced to about Id a bushel. Bluestone is considerably cheaper,titan that. ■An ounce of bl.uestbiic 'insufficient to a hushe,l of grain, and Jive, gu,lJons of Milestone solution, will thoroughly dampen three sa'e'ks of wlieat. One, recipe is to mix half a pint bl/foiiualiri iu 25 : gallons' of .water..a rid to itnnierse the seed iii the solution for.twenty 'minutes 'allowing' it to dry' afterwards. ~ The seed is put into lialf bags,, not too tightly tied, and then/ immersed, in the, solution for twenty''minutes.. Another .recipe is: Mix four ounces of for.malinin 12 gallons of waters Then sprinkle the •solution over the,seed with a watering can, turning the seed directly afterWards till every' picltlo has received a wetting. Formalin' is not so disagreeable tii use as bluestorie, and is not so injurious to the. gtiuiiiuating powers of the seeds.

PEAS A-ND, BEANS. Apart from their value commercially and as a food to be consumed on the 'farm, the leguminous crops, peas and ...beaiis, pay handsomely for . growing. They leave.the land richer in nitrogen, , and" cereal -crops coming after- derive the ' baiieut. '.■; It lias been estimated that a crop of either peas or bean's will j I'ea'vc a quantity of, nitrogen in the ground that would cost £2 to put there by the medium of artificial, manures; This is a handsome gift in addition to the crop which has been takeiioft. Peas frequently yield as well as wheat, and the price often iuus at about 3s Gd a bushel. Peas may hi! fed on tin ground bv turning pigs into the pad* dock. Pea straw, especially if cut a little on the green -side, hiakes; good fqpdi In addition to pias to turnip." lambs to<piit,on condition, and ?tliis may be xloue by chaffing the peas -friihoiit threshing. ; : Feeding peas in iway; also enriches the ground, -becaiiHO the droppings from thei sheep fed are especially rich. : ; '; , . -'''.'The" land ■:■ should :be ■; treated iii; much the same way as ; in Vlieat;' growing. The land may bo ploughed up before ■whiter, •or the peas may follow- a turnip crop, the land jH .plpuglied in "the spring. Tt is a inistake~t<» put peas : in too late, for like everything else they do luil stand as good- a, chance as when sown fairly early in the sprang. Late frosts will dp little damage to the plants. The piineiptil thing to tear is frost whet;! 1 the, plaiits.are iii bleomThe lVrid ,iitust;be left in a rihiiioth. condition in order that the reaper may irork easiiv, and the stuff after, being stacked must off with straw ju tho same; way, that clover is' topped "off!'- It iiiay ! also be well hearted up •aiid" tlien that'ched. : V Superphosphate, from: a hundredweight to a hundredweight and a half; per. acre, should he. %owii' with the >-ed. '".'This-'.should,, .he sown jit the rate of ;two ; an ,;atre,; aiid may be 'drilled cither 7 or 14: inches apart. : .; . ; j "'•'.''Beans'!require better land tliaii peas. They 1 are''not as remuiieiativc a crop as peas. ; They require inpre luanure. I'lie cultivation 'is! much the saino as for peas, but they should . be; sown .sPinc«hat •; Earlier!' Tlie same seeding is required, and the superphosphate should have a little kainit or;w<ipd ashes «»dd*s&■'?< They are; drilled from) 14 f to 21 . inches rapart, and a hou ulay be S*prf theiii it necessarv. Beans -& re Reaped "Vvitli a grain harvester, and sooner than j>eas. I he. straw- liiakes gcicd; fodder, '.a lid. crushed Ixnins. are .exceileiit!for lioirseH.Jand tor dairy-cattle. These crops shpuld be more largely grown than they are considering the fact that; they put laud into splendid Jieiirt for wheat.. Appjirentlv wheat is going, to be; a payable >crop" for a time', at any rate. Any crop increase the fertility of the ■■ land "for wheat, ' and; that ; is f in ifk'lf payable', should he tried.

J PARALYSIS. V Tliis; trouble .is as being : in evidence aiiioiig breeding;ewes iu differtmt parts '<if 'Canterbury. A ■good 'maily losses',-; iii the Ashburton district for iiistaucc, have occurred tbrPtigh : the- ePpiplant. *'.- The.. ewes are fiilgepd condition, but' the affected aiiiiiials inoiKi abtiut,the paddocks and, syeutifally die 3lr Gilriitli', who; was keen ou : such inatters, .took a

great deal of to. thoroughly investigate this aiid several other.'illnesses that occur among aiiimals about tho time tiiev give birth to their youiig. Mr. Gilrutli put it down to. keeping breeding ewes too well; on, dry feed;. The ..be.st-eoiiditi'oued aninials are the ones ■ty g<», also' t'Jio.se cohtaining twin lambs. They ■'should ■be ' given, plenty, of exerdse; aiid m'iist iiot.be kept iii turnios too closely. If gi;een. oa ; ts are available they may.' be. turned jn for a few hours at', a time, and the driving to and fro 'will. do thp sheep good, provided they. ar<f not ..crushed through gateways, and chased too much with rash dags. _ .- . , A veterinary surgepn'gives the,,, following regrtrding ante-partu.m paralysis:—"lt is really a resujt of, the ewes being too fat, and 'getting, top.; little exercise. If you examine, the., livers and kidneys of the dead ewes, you will find /them paler in colour. : and ; softer, to the feiel than is.the case with healthy organs,. As. a .matter, of: fact,! tlipy, are overloaded with, fat,' the' ili-i ver -estieeially so. . ;Tlie result' is' : .tliafc; neither the liver nor kidneys,.are able' to perform their -fuirctidns';properly, and this is the cause; of the' whole; trouble. ■•.. Yon should. shift ; the eVes; on to the poorest paddock you have,; and take steps tp. keep them' stirred; up and moved about • two or .'three' times daily; 'Less' ' .feed, and 'jiiore! exercise will".soon stop the" mortality. ■A useful aid is to give each; ewe V .<lose of Eosom saltsv three or' foiir: -ounce«, and repeat thisin about foiif days";-,-- ...■;- .■ : :

AN: OPTIMISTIC NOTE. I make no apoIo"V for culling tlie' folloiving 'not» on Ncw--- ; }{c-vlaiid from tl>e last number- of the .Pastoi'aTists' J?.erjcWj- a monthly ; that ■•; eaiihot -be saidv to lie <>ver .optimistic;.; as a- riile;:' .'and which seldom- gives praise S'wfiire praise-is riot due. : : '''-> r -' r t:.'-'^'}'"' : ' ' " A year. of ■■ plenty hfis^nvertfdr froni the little southern Dominion the'Wr-' [ls. of * ;nrolonged financial depression.' It is little more, than a year li sinJ t e t flic influences of tlie"finaneialy troubles in Anieriea,' followed'' by 'the! acutej ivnd'' widespread iiulustrial in tjvpV ITuited -.' Kiiigdpiii; ; begaii 'to-be felt; in New r/jptilirid. ; : Optimists prpclainiod ; tlie belief' that 3 the: Dpmlhipvi, woiiUr eseape■ jmkl ivheii ':'-. ': nioiiey I '/:• beenjne tighter and tighter tliey propliesied' r that, the eiid <)f last year would, see ; tlie^-lend ' of" tlie : . trpuble; They; based' .their 'predictipns "on the producing ppwprs of their ■cpiiiitry; and they wPre : right,'' very ; did npt coin's as' ! soon' as; : they'; ■hoped; and;!indeed; ; isi'still bntl; psir-!; tial, tho'ugh the patient'is-;progfe.s«iiV«; favoiirablyi; : The.: exports of ' ;pr>'diice for the- fast nine ■' months .jexceed \; iu vplume ahd -value those hipnths preceding, andf thoiigh i ; the filial quarter of the year if will-npt!-contribute-:' largely;;- it;? is;; certain ■< that tlie -year .ending) Will be one of: thc-mPst abtindaht: iir; regard, fp production.?;.Jt Vfacty/ abuiitiauce rather,;,thau,e;high ; pi-ices; of. prpdm.e that has: restprcd the;; e«iuil:-; • brfiiu'i of. :sijpala.ud!: fiiiaiieeyTr./Phe' season's wool dip; was ilargCj,; but; Must: of it was. shipped fbefpreitlie;fiiiljrccPVery. in prices was. established;..;;}Fri)4 zeii ;meat sliipmciits have,.surpassed ; all preyipus 1 'years;'; in !yolume^;; iiheat :througliput; the fnuiii season^ v |pvr ratesy; steadily'"tending, 'downwards,, haveVprtw vailed. 'Dairy product any year ; in:! bulk, .aud ; thie : producers^:'were'Vfortunate cnpiigll ■; tp; sell most ; their cheese; ;at;'prices; iii ; whidi 'KaVe:«siiiee : ;,been':currerij|;.'JTlie!, : grain: yield is ;, the niiiiiy; yeiirs,: ; aiid :'pricesj l 6t liigh, althbugh pats , '"ore.'i'i.o%''i^t.urßiii|s!'a;:' : large.margin of profit'to Hlie 'grp«Vrs. r ffeinij Hilohe is. at a^^lowf v leyel"'pf 'bptlri'jpijtid uction and j tpric6/oWi ! ; Above ' 'all, : ;:tlie pi-pspects ai-p:'■! for^ ; beiteir ■ r«isVilis ; ! in : the/censiiing-: ; sea§Pn.s:'/': .!Tbe' a iivoolv |:clip Svpuldslbe cli|? ; increased fiii l value after! '}: 'jbiHiig entered -\ for .export;*" last; !f aeasptfs'fe-v! . ceipts,; at feast, f - niay '; be '■ r oahju'la'ted,'/ , uppri, even should some, reverse. .peV-iir , in the iiieantimc. ; Kex't "-'year's-i'lro-'.-'i zen; nieat';exports '-will ; probabjy ;;be! siualler, but the prcSent!{ow pr^es;!*vill!j have the"'invariable/.'effect..-of;. : 'eip;jn'di,n*.'-. ednsumptipn;:'and' .doubtless 'recover.! and; a greater cash- return uiay; bit plkainedl f roiii the smaller -exphrt. "A; subHa tiaj-.'inerease Odairv! produce can rbe r calculated ii|jbi< and: tlipjigh t|ie /present scasPp's rates 'for! outputs are iipt likely to'be i-civEiatVyi;! titers is inj; d'lribt that iniororey trjufe at Jipme; wilii;insiire fpr , buttersiand'cllccse, Wild the; reve-' the at' least Vas jrreat as !ii the season, just closed, f The production of wheatOwill ,hir» largeiv aiid 1 of oats; large: as in the nast'hnrvesf: find.fliero is every Mndieati6>r'oifvjgiHKi prices.' Even : regarding 'henip:ifip, .situation, is 'without ; ■ h<>;je. 'im- ; proved iharliiiiery'having so cheapeiierl Ihe cost of preparation as to e'labte miilcrs tp, resume Tjiider such circumstances it would 'fie Jsir-- , prisi iitr - i f con fideiice we re ! litit re* tpred ,. and-, t!i<v greatest diiriger"to ; l»e ; apprehpnded is tliat the; realisation of these anticipations ; ; niay'eaiise' :a ! ''re-, newa| of the uiiwisc sjieculafion f w|iicli' o>>eii'<d the do.vr i-r the entr(iiice .or' the liiKinpial crisis."' ' ; ' "'! '"'"

IJIPItOVEMENT OF PASTUItES Every farmer, slioiiid read the' pa-' per given before;.t < lie:!Agi-icuituraf Coii- 0 tereuce by Mr ;B:,;0.! Aston^,chief clicnust of the: A^ricultufal; DepartniehV; 011 the improvfeiiieut of- pastures. ■ iVp' have liot yet reaejwd tho ; - length top dressing over ' pastures,! but iu some .instances ; it, ; ypultl! no doubt' pay to do so, especially iii dairyMig localities, and on hay paddocks. 'The! chief .ingredient, it ,wpu|d seein, to be siip|ilied by farmers in .this. ;pai:t' !cf the country is;;phpsi^ipi l ic; acid, . !and this niay be . doue ; by giving .., a -top dressing of superphosphate for basic slag. . Mr.,;-. Astpn.siiys that; of! the:, -two'•■ .basic,-,slag,,gives, the- most,;definite results,; pwing:, to thp .favourite •i- : -dir..' liihtic conditiohs, acidity of -, the: soil arid/'d.eiieieuyy pi' lime.; in the-ipil. 'eOiil-J nut,./however,: always bn> relied upon to".profitablyi imprpve the :pasK tiirpSi «hcre (lie;rainfall .was'-sinall and; fell'on iMiniparativfly few; days ' iti> tlje year. When' soil contains aii cschss 'of carbpiuite i't' lime .superphpsphatn is more beiietk-ial'''.as a- top-dressing than basic slag. Mr Asloii states; ''"<' From a ! wnsidcratioii of ' the factors which llcterniiuc. the s.uc'bH.ss.'oi' basic-slagloii pasture -is. seeii that the soils. of New: Zealand should usually be■'. particularly; susceptible ', to its. influence ..The •»=ite is giMieraily-.'hipist, tho spil; is'•' hjil, «I imp and «Ilhci ut \u cnboinU ol lime an«l pho'-phijiit jckl but «ill u)>pliMl «ith 111t10j.n1 ami potash, ■ ml I.istl\ ib «.bn«>i plant, ' m ii-ii.)ll\ present in fan moportion " in South .mil it be -v,c II t'j ;:»c the tlneo points that aMi \>-lim si's mil-it guide puiLhastl* of slag 'I 'I in* totd percentage of phosphoric dud (phosphoric anhjd)i!e> •> The piopoitmn of this wln«li soluble jn a 2 pti lent solution of • itnt atid when, ticatcd in a <pt\:ificd manuei 3 The fineness A good article should tontuu from 16 to 24 per cent total pho&nhone anhv- ] dnde. of which at least SO per ceut should be *>'lub'.c l:i 2 p«.i tchti ettne

acid.*. : From..7<5> :.per cent, to 90 Jjer cent.! .should pass.,through a, slandaiU sievq.". ~ . ;... -,,.,,,, ;.:,- . ~,: ■- , The sieve generally adoptt d mNjpccifications. to Ux the. juic&ti slag "" is one containing 10,000 meshes to lite square .inch. ~...,.>/ •It is'rather late in the, season now 16 /put on basic;:Slag;;-as?*•/- top Mttsaing'. Superphosphate will be found .to give the best results: Jipm uoiu^n. JOTTINGS. Since commenting these the neither has t.iken lather a tough,'jdohi tinn, and where lambing is in ''full' swing it will not be welcomed However, up to the time of writing, the amount of rainfall has, not been gftat, and it is veiy hea\j, and (ontinhoutT rain thai is most to be dieaJed Where gorse fences and plantations atiotind,' gusty stormy weather ran be safel?' negotiated b\* strong, healthy ewes.. At tlie Agricultural Conference it was, moved. "That the Government be asked to enforce the Dipping Act more (stringently, with a view to .era-' dicatmg the sheep tick." Most of os find that even when wc dip with the greatest rare, our flocks ii' \ ertheless become mteeted to a gi cater or a lessor, degree with sheep ticks. It has lieen suggested that spontaneous generation is> the cause, but that lias been emphatically denied bv Mr Reakes, tin. Government Vetcrinaiian. 'He sii.*,* that two dipping's are neeessaiv—one tor the ticks and one for the piogeny tllat hatched later troin the eggs. We farmers generally .suppose that when we dip our sheep we not only kill t!u» tuks, hut we also destroy the eggs but apparciitlv that is "not so I have tried spiing dipping with ho«getf>, and ha\e found it most beneficial in. everv way. For oiie thin*; the sheep arc far easier kept on their Jegs.