AGRICULTURAL PASTORAL

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 174, 8 June 1871, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL PASTORAL

What to do with Sheepskins : Take long-wooled skins ; make strong suds, using hot water ; when it is cold, wash the skins in it, carefully squeezing them between the hands to get, the dirt out of the wool ; then wash the soap ouc with clean watei ; now dissolve alum and salt, each half a pound, with a little hot water, which put in a tub of cold water suflicent to cover two skins, and let them soak in it over-night, or twelve hours ; then hang over a pail to drain. When they are well drained, spread or strecch carefully on a board to dry. When a little damp, have one ounce each of saltpeter and alum, pulverised, and sprinkle the flesh of each skin, rubbing in well : then lay the flesh sides together, and hang in the shade for two or three days,turning the under skin uppermost every day until perfectly dry. Then scrape the flesh side with a blunt kuife, to remove any re maining scraps of flesh trim off projecting points, and rub the flesh side with pumice or rotten-stone, and with the hands; they will be very white. They also make good mittens, and beautiful jackets for ladies in cold weather, or rugs for sofas and carnages. — "Prairie Farmer."

The following is a report of the dou-ble-furrow ploughing in Scotland : " While the steam plough, from its eleborate accessories in the shape of macchine, engine, gearing, dec., makes the first cost an important consideration with the farmers of our country, this double-furrow is within the reach of every farmer. First cost with the clearest makers is 15 guineas, and I observed one of the prize implements in a competition field yesterday, on the lands of Nether South Bar, near Bishopton, priced at £9 10s. It will be observed that each of these ploughs turns two furrows at a time ; they are drawn by three horses, and can be guided in all cases by one man. The agriculturist therefore saves the labour of one man and a horse, while on light soil two good Clydesdale horses are sufficient to drag the implement. The economy is obvious to every observer ; or, taking a moderate estimate of labour, first cost is recouped in from three to six weeks' work of the implement."

In addition to forming an excellent rotation, peas are most valuable for young growing stock and for pig feed ing. For these reasons a portion of land shouLl be devoted to pulse crops on every well managed farm. Sown late, these crops, like most others, are apt to cause loss and dissapointment ; whereas, if sown in due season, that is, early, the reverse will be the result.

Seed Sowing. — Having properly prepared the land and obtained the best of seed, the next thing is sowing. The time selected for this operation should be when the land is in a mellow condition and does not stick, and clog the tines of the harrows. The best mode of sowing without doubt is the drill ; but drill sowing without subsequently horse hoeing is not to be commended. On clean land, in good heart, sowing the seed on the harrowed surface, and covering with the grubber, is the next best plan to putting it in with a drill, and under present circumstances is of more general applicability. To compensate for the horse-hoeing that should always follow drill sowing, when the broad cast sown crop is about six inches high, and the soil dry on the surface, it should receive a single " cast " with a set of medium harrows, drawn by a pair of smart horses. Many we fear will be horrified at the idea of running a set of harrows over a grown crop. To such we can only say — try it, under the conditions mentioned, on an acre or so in the centre of a paddock, and note the effect when the harvest is ready, and if possible when the thrashing machine comes to do its work, and we have no fear whatever as to the result. What change of pasture is to live-stock, stirring up the soil is to the plant ; it promotes healthy development. — Exchange

Irrigation may be spoken of as the art of carrying water on to land in order to increase its fertility. This art has been practised from the earliest historical times in all civilised countries. "Water meadows have been established in this country for hundreds of years. But of late public attention has been aroused to the importance of still farther extending the area of land thus treated. Although drainage and irrigation appear at first sight to aim at two opposite objects — the first to take water from the land, and the second to cause water to flow into it — yet they must not be looked upon as antagonistic. It may indeed be readily shown that., while draining frees land from superfluous moisture, it is the means of causing a larger body of water than formerly to pass through any given section of the soil. The same rainfall descends upon the drained as upon the undrained field, but, owing to the arrangement of underground channels, there is in the former case no puddling of the surface, no trickling over the land into contiguous ditches: evaporation is checked and the land is dry, because the water has quickly passed through it. Drainage, therefore, is a means for altering the condition of water in the Boil, rather than of depriving the soil of so valuable an element of fertility. By it a stagnant condition is changed into a state of movement, and the full advantages of the rain are i*ealiaed.

Without it the linrl is water-logged* and showers which ought to fiud their way down to the roots of plants soak the surface and feed t.ie neighbouring gutters. The benefit ofirri nation may likewise be traced to the constant change of the water as it passes over the surface of the meadow, giving up its riches to the herbage near which it flows. Thus drainage and irrigation may be shown to have much in common, and the idea of their being opposed" to each other may be dispelled. Nay, further, as a preparatory step in the formation of water meadows, it is often considered advisable advisable to under-drain the field, thus showing that the two operations, so far from neutralising, may assist each other in improving the same land. — " CasselPs Technical Educator."

The early Bowing of grasses is just as important as it is for cereals, for they are only different members of the same natural family, and require the same conditions and treatment to ensure their successful growth. Early sown grasses have a wonderful advantage over those late sown ; and the formation of a gcod sward, as well as the yield of hay from the first cuttings depends greatly on the seed being early sown, on, of course, properly prepared soil, duly consolidated by rolling, to meet their natural requirements. It should always be borne in mind that all grasses require a firm soil to grow in, and therefore free use should be made of the roller to produce a solid bed for the seed. The carting of manure on to pasture land should also be brought to a close as soon as possible before rain comes, by which time the manure should be spread on the ground so that the first rain may wash down the fertilising substances into the soil, and promote a good growth of grass before the winter sets in.