ON THE FARM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19546, 7 April 1926, Page 9

ON THE FARM

FIELD NOTES FOR APRIL (By J. W. Deem. Instructor in Agriculture, Wanganui.) The late ripening of cereal crops has put autumn cultivation back in many instances, and where this has happened, the ploughing of the stubble land should be pushed along, especially if it is intended to sow it either m pasture or a cereal crop. If it is to be fallow there is not so much hurry. The question of fallowing requires careful consideration on this coast. Some of the heavy soils, especially in the Fordell and Marton districts, benefit greatly from a winter 1 allow, especially if wheat is to be grown; on the other hand the lighter lands leach badly and arc better sown in a green crop of some sort. April and the early part of May arc good months to sow Algerian oats, as they get well established during the winter and arc in a condition to make very rapid growth in the early spring. Oats sown during April and May should provide one or two good feedings in the spring and be ready to harvest irom the middle to the end of December. Sow at the rate of 2| bushels per acre. Suitable manures are super or special grain mixtures at from to 2 cwt. per acre. In preparing the seed bod for autumn sown cereals, the land should be worked fine underneath, but the surface should be left rough. The clods provide shelter for the young plants during the winter and pr< vent the land from running together too closely. Pastures both temporary and pern\rnent may still be sown. Where the sowing has to be delayed until the of April or early in May. it is gc » practice to sow a bushel of white oais or barley to protect the young pasture plants, particularly the clovers. The white oats or barley are better at this time of the year as they come away quicker and stand up better than the Algerians and do not stool out so much in the spring. This is a good time to supply lime, particularly if carbonate of lime is being used, and on the whole it is the most satisfactory for this coast. Dressings of from G to 10 cwt. per acre are quite satisfactory, and if this amount is applied every two or three years it will give better results than heavier dressings at less frequent intervals. r The top-dressing of hill country with slag, basic super, or super may bp pushed along while the weather is good. The manures should be applied at from two to four ewt. per acre. Lucerne. —Old stands that have not. been cultivated during the autumn may still have attention. It is a mistake to give too much autumn cultivation, one good cleaning up is sufficient; and, as advised last month, it is g'.od practice to drill in one bushel of oats, western wolths or Italian rye. after this cultivation, using two cwt. super. bas’C super, or basic slag. This treatment will provide gjod early feeding which may be grazed in August or left Inter for soiling or making into ensilage. First vear crops should hav ‘ a stroke of the’tine harrows and the oats drilled in. All drains should get attention so as to carry away the winter rains quickly.