FARMING NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11509, 6 November 1912, Page 5

FARMING NOTES.

(By "Agricola.") \- ' Study the Scientific Side. The fact that a good streak of grain waß always seen in' a field from -wjbiich an old gorsc hedge had been dug up waa explained by Dr Hilgendorf, at tho , Kaiapoi Farmers' "Union, to be caused by the nitrogen brought to the soil by tho gorsc. The fence had made tho soil rich in nitrogen, and it would bo noticeable for some time in the growing crops. It w.ib one of the instances which airp-" ealcd to farmers to study the scientific side of farming and the chemistry of tho soils. * * * * Shortage of Cattle. . An Australian, who has just returned from Berlin, says that the shortage of cattle in Germany is appalling. k.o scarce is beef that many farmers have been slaughtering their .dairy cattle in order to benefit by the high prices given for tho beasts, and the retail price of meat is becoming almost prohibitive. In this state of affairs it seems impossible that the agrarian party cannot maintain much longer their policy of keeping all foreign meat out of the country. The shortage of cattle can be counteracted only by the importation of frozen meat, and now, he says, is the time for the Australian Governments to renew their efforts to secure the introduction of their meat into Germany. • * » * * The Farmer's Wife. Few realise the important part that the farmer's wife haß taken in the country's development. \Her work, her patience, her encouragement, her children, have made possible the splendid development of to-day. .When the farm was started, and likely with but little to start with, she helped her husband, she managed the home—cooked, sewed, mended for the family and at times for the hired men. In busy times she helped with the milking, cared for tho milk, made butter, raised chickens, managed the garden, often supplying tha necessary groceries and clothes with the eggs and butter money. When hired men wero scarce, she even would take a hand in the field work. No work too hard, no trials too severe. When her husband was discouraged, she furnished the hope, tho cheer, the inspiration to go on. * # * # The Wool Clip. Shearing is now fairly general throughout the Wairarapa. The clip so far has not been very good, owing to the very rough weather which has been experienced. A larger proportion of cotted wool than usual is noticeable. * # * » Practical Hints. It has been stated that at • present thero is no practical preventive for rust, says Dr Cockayne in an article dealing with rust in oats, but if farmers will pay attention to the following means for reducing its prevalence tho result would be a decided diminution of this disease amongst our cereal crops.

1. Bo careful to avoid manuring tho land that is to be cropped with excessive quantities of nitrogenous manures, such as nitrate of 6oda. Experience has shown that the use of these manures leads to the production of broad and soft foliage, and thus renders tho crop much more liable to the attacks of rust. The judicious application of phosphates on soils which have been over-manured with nitrates will havo a very beneficial result. Nitrate of soda has. tho additional disadvantage of retarding ripening, and this also greatly favours the spread of.rust. 2. Dampness of the soil and humidity in the atmosphere are very favourable to the development of rust. Hence it can be seen that careful drainage is a matter of great importance.

3. All grasses which act as hostplants for the various cereal rusts should, wherever possible, be removed from the close proximity of cornfields. This especially refers to Yorkshire fog (Holchus lanatus) and cocksfoot (Dadtylis glomerata)

4. Cereals sown early in the spring havo been found to suffer very much less than those sown later in the year. Early sowing is therefore very desirable.

5.1 would strongly advise the careful burning of all badly infected straw, as this, especially in this Dominion, forms a serious source of infection. _ 0. Cultivate those varieties which by experience have been shown to possess rust-resisting properties. » * * * Canadian Thistle. From Canada conies the following usful information in regard to the destruction of the Canadian thistle: — Whero thistles exist in patches, they can be exterminated or they can be scattered, whichever the farmer chooses. If the farmer allows a patch of thistles to appear in his cornfield and does not notice them and cultivates the field as usual, especially with a shovel cultivator, he may confidently expect them to be planted all over his field. Tho Canadian thistle grows mainly from its rhizomes or underground stems, which have buds on them just like the potato, and wherever a bud is planted it will grow. If you plough the field as you are accustomed to, using a shovel cultivator or plough, you will plant the whole field. This is one way of handling them. Tho other way is to keep your plough out of the patch. Plough around it keeping two or three yards away from the thistle. Then strangle it. How? By hoeing it off once a week, so that the leaves cannot obtain any carbon from the air. Ono year's hoeing once a week in an ordinary season Bhould settle the thistle question in that patch. The strangulation method is the only way to deal witany kind of weed that grows from the root. Another method of Btrangulation, where the whole field is covered to any considerable portion of it, particularly if in different patches, is to let the thistles grow until they bloom, cut them off before they mature seed and burn them. * * * * Foot and Mouth Disease. The possibility of getting foot-and-mouth disease in this Dominion would not appear to be so remote as many people imagine. The Sydney Town and Country Journal points out that cattle have arrived at different times in Australia suffering from this disease The danger from direct infection is probably not great, as it may be taken for granted that the officials of the Department of Agriculture will take every precaution in the case of animals imported. Tho danger is from straw in packing cases, etc. The first case introduced into New South Wales was in 1871. Three pure Herefords were placed on board the ship Winfred in Eng* land, but only.one arrived alive—a cow. This animal was about to be landed, when the circumstances wero brought under the notice of an inspector, aud the cow was quarantined. Later in the same year 12 cattle arrived which developed foot-and-mouth-disease on being quarantined. Infection by means of fodder was more than suspected. There was an outbreak in Victoria in 1872, and the animals had to be destroyed, while tho districts through which they had travelled had to bo placed under observation for some time. * * * c (Continued Overleaf).

Continued from page &F'V: '..^ A Good Outlook. It : is declared that values for Now Zealand butter on tho London market this--season will largely dopond on the volume" OfV'th'o Australian output. II this bb so, then'tho outlook of our pcoplo is distinctly good, as-tho Australian output shows a heavy decline compared to their past season's production, up to the end of the first week of this month (from July Ist) the total Commonwealth export was 1206 tons, as | against 2846J tons for tho corresponding period of the preceding season, 4201J tons in the 1910-11 similar period. The decrease in tho main exporting State, Victoria, is remarkable. In the period referred to Victoria shipped only 525 tons, against 2350 tons in tho corresponding'period of last year. This means that Victoria is almost entirely responsible for the falling off. Tho figures for tho other states are as follows: Now South Wales, 1912-13 season, 368 tons; 1911-12, 244 i tons; Queensland, 1912-13, 301 tons; 1911-12, 1011 tons; South Australia, 1912-1::, 12 tons; 1911----1.2, 141 tons. * # » » Co-operative Experiments. Up to tho present no fewer than 3300 co-operative experimental plots, to bo conducted on 200 farms, havo boon arranged for this season in the South ■Island. This does not include tho experiments to bo conducted in co-oper-ation with the Agricultural Department at tho various high schools. Tho number of experiments which are being carried out in the Masterton district this season show a very substantial increase ou those of last year. The farmers of tho district are indeed indebted to Mr A. B. Wood, of Masterton, for the keen interest he is taking in the experiments, and his willingness to supply farmers conducting tho same with all possible information —and Mr Wood possesses a i-torc of particularly valuable information. * * * * Economic Importance of Rust. The annual losses sustained through cereal rusts continue to bo very groat, aud some idea of their magnitude may bo gathered from the following extract taken from Tubeuf's well-known "I'Jlan/enkrankheiten": — "In the 'Zeitschrift dnr Pilanzcnkrankhcitoii,' "1893, tho International i'hytopathologieal Commission gave, from estimates furnished by the Prussian Statistics Bureau, a review of tho losses in Prussia from grain rust. Amongst other estimates wo find that in 1891 the wheat harvest of Prussia reached a total of 10,f)74,16S doppclcentncr, which at 22 marks per doppclcentncr equal £1 1,459,----690 .sterling. Of this, 3,310,059 doppcl'(U'ntner, or £3,593,758, was depreciated by just. Oats reached 32,165,473 doppelceatucr, at 16 marks, of which 10,----325,124 doppclcentncr, of £8,138,023 fulls to bo deducted on acco nt of rust. Thus on the crops of wheat, rye and oats the loss-reached tho sum of £20,----628,147 sterling, or almost a third of the total value of tho crops. Tho year 1891 was a very unfavourable one, but ■oven taking the estimate at tho half of tho above sum we havo a yearly loss in Prussia alono of over £10,000,000 sterling.' 'In Australia the losses in tho wheat harvest of IS9O-9.1 on account of rust have boon estimated at £2,500,----000 sterling. When wo boar iv mind that rust is widespread throughout all countries where cereals are cultivated, it will at once bo socu what an enormous monetary loss tho farmer has to .sustain by the rusting of his crops; and it must also be remembered that the use of diseased fodder, such as hay, grass, or grain contaminated with rust will often lead to serious results on tho animals feeding thereon. During the .past year a wave of rust infection, especially with regard to our oat crops, lias swept over tho greater part of New Zealand. In many parts the oat crops have been, a complete failure, and tho losses havo been exceptionally heavy. The past season has been an ideal one for the spread of rust; tho long periods of dam]), mild weather experienced enabled the summer spores to gcrminato with groat rapidity over an affected area. Tho most noteworthy fact to bo observed in tho oat-infected crops was that certain varieties did not seem to contract the disease to any marked degree, while crops of other varieties grown close by wore completely decimated. The variety which showed most immunity against attack was that which is known as tho "Algerian" cat. Crops of this variety grown in tho rust-infected areas wero almost completely rust-proof, and offered a marked contrast to other kinds, such as tho "Sparrowbill, " which suffered heavily.