SEASONAL NOTES.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVII, Issue 1, 20 July 1923, Page 53

SEASONAL NOTES.

THE FARM.

CULTIVATION.

With the arrival of August the preparation of land for spring crops must: be pushed along as conditions of soil and weather will allow. For root crops such as carrots and mangolds the ploughing should be as deep as the nature of the land permits, provided always that the sod can be properly turned under. Virgin land, such . as newly stumped areas, intended for swedes or turnips should also be ploughed as early as possible. Early ploughing allows the turned-under material time to rot and form a union with the subsoil, which ensures a good supply of moisture during the hot' summer months by capillary attraction. For wheat the seed-bed should be worked deeply. The cultivator does better than the, disk, as it works the fine soil - down and brings the clods to the surface. These afford shelter for the young ‘ plants, and are later broken down by the roller.

CEREAL CROPS

Generally speaking, the end of August is quite early enough for sowing spring wheat. In order to make up for the lesser amount of tillering, a heavier seeding than with autumn-sown is required, about 2 J bushels per acre being the correct thing. Superphosphate, from ' 1 cwt. to 2 cwt. per acre, is a suitable manure. Springsown cereals in general are more susceptible to disease -than those sown in autumn, and all seed-wheat should be dressed for smut before sowing. The best dressing is the ordinary 40-per-cent. formalin as supplied by chemists, at the rate 1 of 1 pint to 40 gallons of water. Spread the wheat out on a floor and sprinkle with spray-pump or watering-can until all the grain is wet, ■ using a shovel to do the necessary turning. The grain should be left on the floor all night and bagged in the morning. Any wheat which may happen to be left over when sowing is completed can be used for fowl-feed, there being no danger from poisoning.

The standard wheats for South Island grain-growing districts need hardly be mentioned here. Among the best varieties for North Island conditions are Major, Marquis, and John Brown. During the last two seasons in several districts Major has beaten all other varieties for yield, and has the great advantage that the straw is very strong and will stand up on most lands. Besides this, it is a quick-maturing wheat, and may be sown as late as the first week in October. . Oats and early barley also may be sown in August. Cape or (if. obtainable) Black Skinless barley can be put in . for spring feed. - J ' ' Where it is intended to carry on an autumn-sown cereal crop for grain, chaff, or hay the final feeding should in most cases be done by the end of August, • the. exceptions being very strong land where there is a . danger of the crop growing too much straw and lodging. In such situations feeding-off may often be profitably carried on until the end of September. After the final feeding the field should be given one or two strokes of the tine harrows. ...This will open the land and greatly hasten subsequent growth. If the crop has not been previously manured and appears somewhat thin or weak 1 cwt. of superphosphate per ; acre, .applied, before or during the harrowing, will greatly. benefit it, and often means the difference between a profitable crop and a failure. . ... '

SPECIAL CROPS FOR HAY OR ENSILAGE.

In dry situations these may be sown towards the end of August, but generally September is early enough. Mixtures of oats and tares, oats and -peas, and wheat and tares or peas are the most suitable; but where- wheat is used instead of oats the tares seem to do better. As a general rule the sowing is at the rate of 2 bushels of the cereal to one of tares or peas. Golden tares are the best for spring sowing, but the ordinary grey does quite well. " Grey Partridge or Early Minto are good varieties of peas. Suitable manures are basic super, super, or mixtures of half super and half Nauru phosphate or basic slag, 1 cwt. to 3 cwt.

per acre according to the quality of the land. Except in the case of very light land, manures containing nitrogen are not recommended.

TOP-DRESSING OF PASTURES.

This should have been already completed, but if there has been delay the work may still be carried out. When quick results are desired the top-dressing should consist of superphosphate, basic super, or lime and super. Where there is plenty of moisture basic slag may still be applied with fairly satisfactory results, but if the conditions are dry, dependence should be placed on one of the first two manures mentioned. On most dairy farms hay and roots will still be fed out and stock-droppings accumulating; it will therefore be necessary to keep the tripod or chain harrow going to keep these distributed.

FEEDING OF ROOTS AND GREEN CROPS.

Swede crops will now be getting past their best, and where mangolds have been provided a start will be made to feed them. For ewes, either before or after lambing, they are excellent. The ewes may be turned on to breaks where the roots have been previously pulled or harrowed out, but it is better for the ewes, and the mangolds will go a great deal further, if they are carted out on to a nice clean grass-paddock. Under these conditions there is little danger of the ewe eating too much: There are not many forages that ewes will milk better on than properly ripened mangolds. - With dairy cows the feeding of mangolds should be fairly light for the first few days. For cows in profit one can start with 20 lb. per cow per day, increasing the allowance to 50 lb. or 60 lb. at the end of a week. Cows that have not yet come into profit should not receive more than 40 lb. per day. Always provide a liberal supply of hay, and feed this before the roots. In many cases cows as they come into profit will be given from about half an hour daily on green oats or other cereal crops. Care should be taken to see that they are not on too long for the first few days, particularly if "the weather is wet and cold; if allowed to eat too much under these conditions there is considerable danger of redwater. With judicious feeding and plenty of good hay the danger is reduced to a minimum.

—Fields Division.

SOME LAMBING HINTS.

It is good practice to have two paddocks shut up for a while prior to lambingtime. Into one of . these can be turned the ewes with one lamb, and into the other the ewes with twins. The latter should have the paddock with the better growth of feed, if there is . any difference. In many cases, more especially with flocks of up to, say, 2,000 ewes, it is very convenient to have a small yard with a few lambing-or mothering pens. The yards should be fenced off in the corner of the lambing-paddock, with strong stakes driven well into the ground and just the length of a hurdle apart. Wire the hurdles to the stakes, leaving a gateway close to the main fence. Then make up bundles of straw. or brush and stand them on end on the other side of the fences, particularly on the side that the prevailing wind comes from during the lambingperiod. Tie the bundles there with light wire, flax, or binder-twine, also round the part where the hurdles are fixed. Now fix up the pens, which will require to be large enough to allow the ewe to move about comfortably. Fasten one end of the hurdle to the fence where the straw is placed, and drive in a stake to fasten the other end to. Having fixed up the number required, put another hurdle across the front, making one end secure and leaving the other loose until the pen is 'required for use. Put a few rails or battens along the tops of the pens and place straw on these. This forms a roof and helps to keep -the ewe quiet when put in, besides giving her and the lamb protection from rough weather. This sort of lambing-yard will be found especially useful for merino ewes that have been mated with longwool rams.

When a ewe requires assistance drive her up to the yard quietly, give the necessary attention, and put her and the lamb into one of the pens, closing and fastening the gate. Sometimes a ewe can be assisted out in the field and will remain with the lamb, but in some cases the lamb is deserted and has to be penned with its mother if practicable. When a lamb dies after being dropped it should be skinned, the carcase buried', and a lamb should be taken away from a ewe which has more than one. ...Then pull the dead lamb’s skin over the live one, and put the lamb in one of the pens with the ewe which has lost her own until she mothers it'

With most of the longwoolled breeds the following plan can be adopted with safety. When going among the ewes that are lambing carry a supply of binder-twine and a few dog-collars. Catch any ewe that has left her lamb and will not take to it, put a collar round her neck, and fasten her with a short length of twine to a stake or a post in the fence, leaving her there until she has taken to the lamb properly. This allows the lamb to draw the milk without being knocked about. The same can also be done with a ewe which has lost her lamb, and with which it is intended to put a foster-lamb. When the ewe has taken to the lamb they can be let go.

— J. G. Cook,

Live-stock Division.