Farm and Garden.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 388, 15 October 1903, Page 7

Farm and Garden.

OEI3INAL ARTICLES.

SOIL FEEriLiTY

fcjJSEHE maintenarcs of soil fertility jyWg dopeu&s more or less on the kac wCak* ledge that the farmer bas of the scientific principles cone rning his profession. It "is absolutely necessary that he mate himself familiar with the elements required for plant growth, and also that he have aa much information as he can obtain in regard to the chemical composition of the soil he cultivates. As the average farmer, however, is not a chemist, and consequently is not in a position to determine these matters through expe iuenta conducted by himaelf, he must rely for information on conclusions of men who have made investigations of this character the special woik of their lives, and which may be gathered from various papers devoted to these subject?. He will learn from some standard work on the grinciples of apiculture that al! plants are composed cf a certain number of elamentary substances; that by far the greatest part by weight is derived from the atmosphere, but that the mineral ingredients required must be ever present in the soil in a form in which they can be readily assimilated; aho that nitrogen—although extremely abundant, being nearly four-fifths of the total volume o' the air—is d ffijult to secure in quantities sufficient for the best development of the farm crops. Toe most reliable investigations show that only a comparatively small number of plants is pessesaed of the power of ast i mlating the nitrogen of the air. Even to this small number, to wbicb belong the different varieties of clover, peae, vetches, &c, nitrogen is only available through the medium of certain microscopic organisms called bacteria, which live and dwell in little nodules, or tubercles, upon the roots of these plants. This latter discovery is reckoned among the greatest of modern times, for by its practical application many thousand acres of abandoned land may be reclaimed to profitable agriculture. Clover sickness is a thing of the past fcr the intelligent farmer of the present day, for when it fails to grow upon one of his lands he furnishes the conditions under which its full development is possible, and among these conditions one of the first is that be properly prepate Hi land and see to it, that the bacteria, essential to the required nitrogen, are present in the soil.

An examination of the clover rots will decide. If tubercles are f <3md, the plants will take care of themselves, provided, of cjutse, other conditioaa are suitable. If, on the contrary, they are absent, the field must either be supplied with a light dressing of soil from a field in which they are known to exist abundantly, or tie young plants will perish. With clover started on a farm and a three or four year rotation adopted, with a change from exclusive grain raising to a system which will include the raising and feeding of live stock and the consequent accumulation of manure, with a large area sown to grasses and c'overs and manure conscientiously saved and hauled to tie fields, with proper attention to drainage, and, last but not least, by resorting to the most approved methods of cultivating the various crops, increased profits and gradually increasing soil fertility will quioxly be manifest. Exclusive grain raising and the maintainance of soil fertility is possible only when the soil is annually supplied with commercial fertilisers. That tnis is impractical has been demonstrated beyond the possibility of doubt, over and over again. The history of agriculture shows conclusively that there is no land anywhere capable of producing annually crops of gtain without losing its fertility. Many places in these colonies have lost much of their fertility by being devoted to exclutiva grain raising. The phenomenal cropß of wheat and corn that were reported from time to time in the early days of settlement recur with less frequency j at the same time it is gratifying to know that there are many enterprising farmers who endeavour to strp this soil robbery by gradually embarking in live stock husbandry. There is an old Dutch saying—'more grass, more cattle, more manure, better crops'—and that is applicable to these colonies as elsewhere.

EXPERIENCE WIiH BUTTER MILK Sometimes complaints are made about ows giving bitter milk, which may be caused in different ways—either by cows drinking bad water, bacteria, or a cartain stage of lactation, or by cows eating weeds. If the milk when first drawn is sweat and wholesome, the bitterness is doubtless c wised by bacteria, and in that case can be remedied by scalding while the milk is fresh. The utmost c ire should also be taken by the milker as to the care of the cow, and also to his own clothing, as the skia of the cow is an active excreting agent, and a large amount of foul matter is removed from the blood and excreted through the pores of the skin; therefore it is apparent that the excreted matter must be removed 6j§ else it will dry and clog the pore* of the"; Bkitt; otherwise" it will get into the milk and cause a mest unpleasant odour vary quickly. The cow should be well groomed each day by first U3ing a card made of fine wires, then followed by a stiff brush.; these two implements should be used every morning on each cow, and the udder wiped Tiith a wet cloth before attempting to milk. Only a few minutes will be required for the w,irk each day, en! the extra work will be doubly repaid in the increased good health of the animal and improved appearance. The water to which the cows have access shou'd be pure, They should not be allowed to drink from stagnant pools; if these matters are attended to there should be ■no bitter milk. Sometimes the cow is too far advanced in lactation and that may be the cause of the bitterness. If all means fail after trial to remedy the trouble, then the cow should be dried up, fattened for market or others i*e disposed of.