SEASONAL NOTES.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVI, Issue 3, 20 March 1923, Page 184

SEASONAL NOTES.

THE FARM. FIELD CROPS AND PASTURES. * Autumn Sowings. April is a good time generally for the sowing of oats intended for threshing or cutting into chaff. If put in during this month they provide a lot of green feeding during the winter and spring, and ripen early. Algerians have many merits, and may be sown at the rate of 2J bushels per acre. Where required a suitable manure is a half-and-half mixture of superphosphate and Nauru rock phosphate,

i cwt. to 2 cwt. per acre. • May being recognized as the month for beginning autumn sowings of wheat, land intended for this crop should be cultivated all through April, as it is well to get the seed-bed prepared in advance. It should be borne in mind that manures do not take the place of cultivation, but are an adjunct to it. If the soil is not properly worked and consolidated no amount of fertilizer will ensure a good crop.

Where not already done the sowing-down of pastures should be pushed on as fast as possible, as late sowing generally means a big reduction in the clover content. From now on, particularly in the colder situations, it is often good practice to sow a bushel of Cape barley or one of the white pats with the grassseed, to provide shelter for the young clover.

The sowing of winter and early spring forage crops should as far as possible be completed in March. Though much of this work is done in April, the value of early sowing generally may be stressed. Suitable crop-mixtures and fertilizers were indicated in last month’s notes. The Potato Crop.. From now on main-crop potatoes will be ready for lifting. The tubers should be carefully sorted, and those intended for marketing' later pitted on a well-drained piece of land, the pit being well thatched to keep out frost and winter rains. Potatoes intended for seed should be stored in a cool, dry, wellaired shed. ' ' . ’ ■ ' Liming and Top-dressing. In many districts April is the best month for liming. When, lime is being applied to arable land it should be broadcast and worked into the soil in course of the final working. . If the lime is applied as a- top-dressing to pasture, the farmer should have fixed in his mind the necessity for following it up by an application of phosphates in the spring. Though more difficult to handle, crushed burnt lime is ■ generally more satisfactory and more economical than carbonate, as about half the amount is the equivalent and gives quicker results. Irrigation Farming. Where irrigation farming is practised, especially in Central Otago, every endeavour should be made during April to break up land intended to be sown out in the spring. This ploughing should not be delayed until later, as the ground would then in all probability be too hard. From now on preparation should be made to have contour ditches cut, leading water to those places in the various paddocks which during the past season have proved hard to irrigate. This particularly applies to undulating country. Low-lying parts of the paddocks which become flooded during the irrigation season should have open drains cut, so as to allow surplus water to be carried off to lower levels. Ditches can now be cleared while still soft, and all boxes which have become disrepaired during the season should have attention.

On low-lying more or less flat country which has not previously been brought under irrigation, ploughing and preliminary levelling should be carried out with a view to laying out the land in a series of checks for border irrigation. This method, which was described in the December, 1921, Journal, requires well-levelled land, and much can be done in respect to such levelling at the time of autumn ploughing. Feeding of * 'Forage Crops. ■

At this period green maize is often fed to dairy cows, being cut as required and carted out. Sorghum which has come into head can also be fed like maize. Though opinions differ as to whether or not immature sorghum is poisonous, it is not worth the risk of. feeding it before it flowers. Millet can be fed off green. It is advisable, if the area of millet is large, to feed off in breaks. Fifteen acres could be divided into three areas. Any excess from these crops should not be allowed to go to waste, but be conserved as silage. It is good practice to have such crops as maize and millet cleared up before sharp frosts set in. The time is approaching when stock will be put on to hard turnips', and swedes where such enter into the farm practice. Provision should have been made for the stock to have a run-off of pasture on which they can get the necessary roughage, which is essential to the health of ruminants feeding on root crops. ■ Reclamation of Tidal Swamp Lands. The first operation in the reclamation of tidal swamp lands or mud-flats is the construction of a stop-bank. The general dimensions of stop-banks under New Zealand tidal conditions are 15 ft. to 20 ft. -width at the base, 5 ft. to 7 ft. width at the top, and 6 ft. to 7 ft. in height. The bank-drain is'first dug. For small areas a ditch 12 ft. wide by 5 ft. 6 in. deep, sloping to a bottom 4 ft. wide, is sufficient, while for larger areas, involving, say, several hundred acres, the bank-ditch should be about 18 ft. to 20 ft. wide, sloping to a 7 ft. bottom. The material from the ditch is best shifted back 5 ft. to 10 ft. and built into the stop-bank. When the banks are formed they should be immediately grassed with buffalo and tall oat grass. The bottom of the outside of the wall often requires to be revetted with manuka fascines or stones. The outlet through the stop-bank should be concreted, and the flood-gate hinged and fitted close to the concrete. Usually a fluming is required at the ■outlet for about 7 yards to carry the water into the river channel, otherwise, a large hole forms in the river-bank and tends to undermine the wall. Wing walls for about 5 ft. on each side of the outlet are often required to prevent erosion by the river. ■ In most cases it takes about two years for an area to settle, in which time the surface may sink 2 ft. or more. Fleabane (Erigeron canadensis) is frequently the first plant to appear. This weed is well liked by stock, and encourages the animals on to the area. In from two to five years, depending on the saltiness of the land, the area is fit to sow in grass. Surface sowing usually gives the best results. The rushes are burnt off, the grass surface-sown, and the seed tramped in with sheep to encourage germination. A suitable mixture of grasses is as follows : Italian rye-grass, 6 lb. ; perennial rye-grass, 10 lb. ; cocksfoot, 5 lb. ; timothy, 3 lb. ; meadow - fescue, 2 lb. ; crested dogstail, | lb.; Poa trivialis, | lb. ; cow-grass, 2 lb. ; strawberry clover, | lb. ; alsike, 1 lb. ; white clover, 1 lb. : total, 3i|lb. per acre. As an alternative in the North, 51b. to ■9 lb. of paspalum-seed could be sown with a rye-grass and clover mixture. Open ditches are dug round the area at the foot of the hills, and several longitudinal drains are usually required. After the area has settled, the land is greatly improved by liming and underdraining. ,Agricultural Instruction Service.

THE ORCHARD.

THE LATER APPLES. Of the work immediately ahead, perhaps the harvesting of the . later varieties ■of apples stands first. This class of apple usually keeps well, and is placed aside in store for late winter and spring use. The keeping-qualities of these varieties were so highly rated that some liberties were taken as to the period and the manner <of picking and storing them. Heavy losses have made the growers alive to the

fact that nature will not be thus slighted. Of the many factors causing “fleshcollapse” or “ brown-heart,” one is the over-maturity or mixed maturity of the fruit at the time of picking, as scientific investigators have recently plainly proved. However convenient it may be to defer the harvest in order to make one picking suffice, it cannot be done satisfactorily. This class of 'apple hangs very firmly on the tree after maturity, and the outside may show little signs of mellowness, but the texture of the flesh is affected, and its life in store is seriously shortened. Pick as soon as properly matured and store without delay, and the reputation of these sterling sorts will be what it was. To do this satisfactorily at least two pickings must be made, care being- taken to instruct inexperienced pickers. FRUIT FOR STORAGE. It is often a matter for surprise to see the quantity of low-grade fruit put into store. : Even if the space costs nothing, the depreciation and extra handling on this class of goods in storage quickly balances any little profit that it promised. Nothing below “Fancy” and a good second grade are worth store-room and a double handling these days. If there is no other use for lower grades they should be fed to farm-stock. AUTUMN SPRAYING. The business of harvesting the crop often leads to the trees being neglected at this period. . A grower with an. eye to the future will carefully consider the trees of each variety as the crop is gathered, and should any disease be seriously troubling them immediate steps can be taken to cope with it. A bad attack of woolly aphis may be very successfully dealt with by spraying at, this season of its maximum activity. Red mite at this period is making arrangements to tide over the winter months. With the crop off and diminishing foliage, a serious attack can now be readily repelled - with a good spray. Where black-spot has been epidemic a spraying of bordeaux, 3—4-50, now will go a long, way towards cleaning up the trees and preventing a large measure of the infection arising from the' leaves about to fall and that are such a menace in the spring of the year. The same remark applies to the treatment of rust and brown-rot of the stone-fruit trees. COVER-CROPS. Many orchards require a cover-crop to add nitrogen, fibre, and humus to the soil, thereby enriching it and improving its mechanical condition for the purpose of the cropping trees as well as keeping the land clear of weeds. Such a crop may still be .sown ; oats and vetches are one of the best at this season. PREPARATIONS FOR PLANTING.

Those contemplating planting new areas during the coming season should now carefully select and order their trees or plants. These must not be merely well grown, but of the right varieties and the best stock. No amount of care will make up for deficiencies under these headings. If the land is in grass or other growth break it up now, so that grass and herbage is thoroughly decayed and the land cleaned before planting. Whether the crop is to be trees or straw-berry-plants the present excellent opportunity of cleaning the land will not recur for some time. pp. q Hyde, Orchard Instructor, Nelson.

CITRUS FRUITS. . In those groves where it is intended to put down cover-crops these should receive attention as soon as possible. The most economical method, and the one which will be found to be the most thorough, is to employ the farm drill for this purpose, sowing fertilizer at the same time where necessary. Owing to the rather erratic season and heavy rainfall which have been experienced practically throughout the Dominion the autumn blossoming may be expected to show up somewhat earlier this year, and it is therefore advisable to refrain from carrying out further cultivation at this juncture unless cover-crops are required. As there has been a shortage of New-Zealand-grown lemons for several weeks past several growers have been picking quite immature fruit from the trees, with the idea of 'curing for market. This class of fruit is of no value commercially. It is obvious that there can be no keeping-qualities in fruit that is not allowed to reach a fair degree of maturity, and for this reason no fruit should be harvested before it has reached a size of at least i J in. to iJ in. If curing is

to be carried out methodically the trees must be gone over once a month. While picking of immature fruits must be avoided, no lemons should be allowed to remain on the trees until they ripen off and become coarse and full of “rag.” Black aphis should be dealt with on appearance, using nicotine sulphate at 1-800. . \ ■ . '

FIREBLIGHT. At this period it may reasonably be anticipated that infection will not make further appearance in the present season. Growers of pip-fruit trees should, however, remove and destroy any parts of a tree or trees that show suspicious symptoms—not only in their own interests, but also in those of their neighbours. Apart from this no further steps can be. taken to deal effectively with this disease until the pruning season.

—J. W. Collard, Orchard Instructor, Auckland.

POULTRY-KEEPING.

CARE OF THE PULLETS. On all well-managed plants the general weeding-out of unprofitable stock will have been completed before now. This should enable the pullets to be provided with plenty of house-room and be made comfortable in every way. For many weeks to come it is the pullets that must be depended upon to fill the egg-basket. It should hardly require emphasizing that for them to do their best during the forthcoming season everything must be in their favour. The young birds should now be well settled down in their permanent quarters, as any change made in this direction just when they are on the point of laying or when they have commenced to lay is merely encouraging them to moult with the adult birds.

Any change of diet will also probably have this undesirable effect. Uniform feeding and management is not only one of the secrets of preventing a false moult, but it encourages a bird to attain its maximum of production. The best example of this is conveyed by the egg-laying competitions where the one diet is used practically from start to finish. While the food should be uniform in character it should also be fed with a liberal hand. Once the laying-period commences there need not be any danger of the birds being overfed. Remember that sufficient food is required not only to keep the birds in . good, physical condition but also for the production of eggs. 1 The morning mash may consist of one part by measure of good-grade wheatmeal to two of bran, or, whefe a good quality of pollard is available, two of this to one of bran. In each case it should be moistened with' milk, meat-soup, or boiling water, and mixed to a crumbly condition. Cold water will do for moistening purposes where milk or soup is not available, but by using boiling water the mash is made more appetizing, and consequently will be better relished by the birds.

Then, to secure a good winter-egg yield, animal food in some form is imperative. ' Where boiled meat is available, this should be introduced into the ration by degrees up to, say, i oz. a day for each bird, preferably fed separately. In the absence of meat a good grade of meat-meal should be used. This may be included in the mash by degrees up to 8 per cent, of the entire mixture, while, in addition, some may be placed in a separate hopper and left for the birds to pick at all times. If ovarian troubles occur, this indicates that the ration is of too forcing a nature and that the amount of animal food should be reduced. Equal parts of wheat, oats, and maize make a good evening meal. Where it is observed that the birds are leaving any one particular grain, this should be given in a reduced quantity. It is a good plan to give more at this meal than the . birds require. Then, with the grain being fed in deep litter, the birds will be induced to exercise in the early morning, and thus keep warm. Exercise is an essential for the maintenance of good health and a heavy -yield. Do not forget green stuff, such as chaffed lucerne, clover, watercress, &c. To sum up, draught-proof houses (but with an abundance of fresh air) kept in a thoroughly clean condition and providing ample accommodation, wellsheltered runs, green feed, clean water, grit, and a generous supply of food (with a proportion of animal matter) are indispensable if the pullets are to do their best. In view of the present rising egg-market it will pay to give the pullets the best possible care and attention.

• THE BREEDING-COCKERELS. It is now full time that the final selection of cockerels should be made for next season’s breeding-pens. In connection with this important work the necessity of choosing only birds of undoubted constitution cannot be overstressed. A specimen may exhibit good type, size, breed-points, &c., and have ever such a pedigree of performance behind it, but if there is the slightest evidence of a weak constitution it should be rejected. Constitution should certainly be given the first consideration, but laying-type, size, breed-points, and a knowledge of the birds’ ancestors must also be. taken in conjunction. Never be tempted to pick as a sire a very early maturing specimen, as such seldom or never grow to a desired size. To mate such stock invariably means a weedy progeny and unsatisfactory egg-production. It should be ever remembered that the male is more than half the flock, and that if profitable progeny ’are to be produced none but the best males should be bred from. When the final selection of the best specimens has been made, they should be provided with a free range under the most natural conditions possible. The latter point is one of the secrets in building up bodily vigour. As to the work of selecting breeding-stock, the novice would be well advised to secure a copy of the "New Zealand Utility - poultry Standards,” and to follow the plates and particulars contained therein. A thorough study of this work will serve as an excellent guide to the desired type of bird —both male and female retain for breeding purposes. In addition, it will enable the novice to select the most desirable specimens for the utility classes at poultry shows. Copies of the Standards are obtainable from the Publisher, Department of Agriculture, Wellington, at a cost of 3s. each, postage free. . GEESE AND GANDERS. •- A correspondent wishes to know how he can distinguish ganders from geese. Unless a person has had experience this often proves a difficult matter. The size of the neck gives some indication, being thicker in the male than the female, while the former is usually larger in body and presents a more masculine appearance. The sex may also be distinguished by shutting up the geese in a shed and bringing a dog in. The geese will usually lift their heads up and go to the back of the shed, while the ganders will lower and stretch out their necks, hissing all the time. In the case of Emden geese, the goslings when hatched are yellow. Some, however, are hatched with a grey tinge on their down. It is claimed that the grey ones are geese, and that the bright-yellow ones invariably prove to be ganders. This theory is, however, not accepted by all. • ■F. C. Brown, Chief Poultry Instructor. ■

THE APIARY.

PREPARATIONS FOR WINTER. As the honey-flow is now definitely over for the season, and the extracting finished, the next work is the preparation of the bees for the winter. It is assumed that in most cases sufficient stores have been left in the hives. From 30 lb. to 40 lb. will be required to tide the bees over the winter and early spring. If sealed combs of honey from clean colonies are not available colonies that are short of stores should be fed as soon as possible with syrup composed of equal parts of sugar and water. It is better to feed heavily now where necessary than to wait until the bees have used up their meagre stores. The bees cannot leave their cluster during the cold months of winter and early spring to take down any syrup that may be offered them, or generate sufficient heat to evaporate any surplus moisture it may contain. It is not recommended to feed sugar syrup, but it is necessary in the absence of sealed ,honey stores, as there is a risk of introducing disease with the feeding of honey unless it is definitely known that the - apiary from which it was obtained is quite free from foul-brood’ and has been so for some years. It is generally admitted that honey-fed bees have a better constitution than those fed with sugar, and will build up better in the spring. There is also reason to believe that some sorts of honey are better than others, but we have no definite proof. There is a marked difference in the specific gravity of our honeys. • .

The entrances of all colonies should now be reduced. The average colony will require an entrance 3 in. to 4 in. wide. If the entrance is more than in. high, this, too, should be reduced in order to prevent mice getting into the hive. When stacking away the supers of combs for the winter place a sheet of newspaper between each super, and a roof or its equivalent on top to keep out mice and wax-moths. Pack away any foundation that may be left over in a light and air-proof box. ■ It will become very brittle if left exposed to the atmosphere. Keep a sharp lookout for foul-brood, and, if discovered, deal with it at once by one of the methods recommended last month, or destroy the colony. It does not pay to risk its spreading by robbing during the winter. If robbing sets in, place a strip of wood in which an escape has been fitted across the entrance of the colony that is being robbed, and leave it until after sunset. Then reduce the entrance to not more than 1 in. in width. WEAK AND QUEENLESS COLONIES. Queenless colonies should be disposed of by uniting them with strong queen-right colonies. This is most, readily accomplished in the evening when all field-bees have returned. After taking the roof and mat from the queen-right colony, place a sheet of newspaper immediately over the top of the frames and carefully place the queenless colony on top. No smoke will be required if the hive is handled gently. Weak colonies should be similarly united if the queen is of little value. If the queen is young, brood-rearing will probably be kept up for some time, and such colonies, though weak, will probably be worth saving. This is best accomplished by shifting them into a small hive, called a nucleus box, large enough to take only four frames. „ TJ7 ... ■ T , 0 J —H. W. billing, Apiary Instructor.

THE GARDEN.

VEGETABLE - CULTURE. Current Work. Seeds of an early variety of cabbage and lettuce for earliest use should have been sown a month ago. A larger kind of cabbage to succeed the early variety, cauliflower, onions, and more lettuce can now be sown. The cabbage sown last month should have been a true early Flower of the Spring type. These varieties produce very small heads. The plants should be set out in rows about 18 in. apart and 12 in. apart in the rows. The stumps should be pulled out when the heads are cut. The larger kind to be sown at the present time will require more space. In home-garden practice the stumps of these kinds may be left to produce sprouts. The sprouts make a. better-flavoured vegetable than the first head. Sprouts are freely produced through summer and autumn, and will really carry on till the next spring crop is ready, giving a long succession of sprouts without labour. Of course, this plan is not suitable for market-gardening. : Two kinds of cauliflowers should be sown, Snowball, Early London, or Early Paris for firstuse, and an Autumn Giant type to succeed the early. Onions: Where it is desired to grow the Giant kinds seeds must be sown at once, these kinds being transplanted in spring. In districts where mildew is troublesome it is a good practice to sow keeping kinds also at this time. The advantage is that autumn-sown crops mature earlier than those sown in spring, ripening before mildew usually appears, or at least being so far advanced that mildew does little harm. The disadvantages are that the bulbs are likely to be rather large, and they do not keep so long as spring-sown bulbs. Some growers sow onions where they are to grow, others transplant. The latter plan is usually best, as fewer plants will bolt to seed. The former plan is practicable only on clean soil. If beds of any size became badly infested with weeds it would be impracticable to clean them, as it would have to be done by hand-weeding. Turnips : If the winter crop has not been provided for it should be attended to at once, on the lines indicated last month. Celery : Heads that have reached usable size should be moulded up. The heads will keep sound for a long time when thus treated, as they are protected from rain. Before moulding up remove any side sprouts there may be. Draw the stems together so as to keep soil from 'the hearts. Pack the soil firmly round the base of the heads to prevent sinkage, which might cause a bend in the stems and impair quality. Moulding-up should not extend beyond the solid

stems ; a good amount of leafage should project above the soil. If too much of the green tops are covered the ' leaves may rot, and this may extend down into the stems, and heads be lost. Green manuring : Vacant land should be put down to a cover-crop to supply humus. For. this purpose lupins, rye, partridge peas, Cape barley, or white mustard may be used—whichever has proved best for the locality. In the colder districts probably mustard will do best, as it takes but a short time to grow. Tomato Practice. , . • In an article on black-stripe disease, which appeared in last month’s Journal, it is advised that where stable manure is applied to the soil a crop such as cabbages should be taken from the ground before tomatoes are planted. There is evidence of the efficacy of this plan. Some growers, however, now state that it does not do to plant tomatoes after cabbages. This conflicting evidence is easily explained. It depends very much on the quantity of cabbage-leaves ploughed in. If the quantity is large, bad effects are likely to follow, and if the stumps are also ploughed in, as is often the case, trouble is the more likely to result. In garden practice the stumps'of cabbages and similar plants should be dried and burned, except that where the land is being trenched there is no harm done by burying them at the bottom. The danger from cabbages lies in the excess of green vegetable matter, but probably this is not harmful to crops other than tomatoes. The case of lettuces is quite different. This plant is likely to be affected by two diseases—rhizoctonia and sclerotinia. These also affect many other plants ; but the lettuce, being the most susceptible plant and also because its bottom leaves are close to the soil, affords the most favourable conditions for the propagation of diseases, especially sclerotinia. This may be the cause of infection in .other plants. Any plants that wilt or show signs of rot should be regarded with suspicion. They should be removed and buried deeply in the ground where they will not, be disturbed again. . . —W. H. Taylor, Horticulturist.

British Market for Peas and Beans. — The following information was cabled by the High Commissioner, London, on 3rd March : Peas — Consumption restricted. New Zealand blue, on spot, selling slowly at 755. to 795. per quarter; buyersnot bidding for shipments. Tasmanian offered, afloat, 87s. qd.; buyers 83s. 6d. to 85s. New Zealand maple, spot values 105 s. to nos. per quarter; sellers offer FebruaryMarch shipments 755., March-April shipments 725. 6d.; buyers 71s. Trade not active. Beans — Small trade. English supplies plentiful at 200 s. per ton. Little inquiry for imported. Chinese offered at 190 s. per ton. New Zealand prices nominal, 50s. to 525. per quarter.

Noxious Weeds. — The Taumarunui County and Heathcote County have declared the following plants to be noxious weeds in the respective districts under their jurisdiction : African boxthorn ; barberry ; Bathurst burr ; broom ; burdock ; Cape honeyflower ; Capeweed or Cape daisy ; cut-leaved psoralea ; dock ; elderberry ; fennel ; foxglove ; giant burdock ; goat’s rue ; gorse ; hakea ; hemlock ; Japanese wineberry ; kangaroo acacia ; lantana ; lupin ; ox-eye daisy ; pennycress ; pennyroyal periwinkle ; prickly pear ; spiderwort; St. John’s wort ; tauhinu ; thistles (any species of stemless thistle, common plume or Scotch thistle, woolly-headed thistle, star thistle, and milk-thistle)'; tutsan; viper’s bugloss wild borage; wild turnip ; winged thistle. Masterton County has similarly declared broom, and Opotiki County Japanese wineberry. -

Manurial Value of Whey. Several inquiries have been received recently on this subject. The ash of whey contains somewhat less than one-third of its weight of phosphoric acid and a similar amount of potash, but there is only six-tenths of a part of ash in every hundred parts of the whey. The manurial value due to the mineral ingredients is therefore extremely small. There may, however, be a considerable indirect manurial value in the following manner : The soil bacteria are stimulated by solutions of sugars, and whey contains about 4| per cent, of milk-sugar. It is quite possible that on some soils whey would have a beneficial effect, but whether it would be economical to use it in this manner can only be determined with a knowledge of all the circumstances of the case. Speaking generally, the most economical .utilization of'this by-product (in districts where sugar of milk is not manufactured) is as a pig or other stock food.