THE CROPS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 612, 15 September 1909, Page 10

THE CROPS.

v* This welcome"BunsWne.tlint'hns-fßToarcd^TiSj v: in '.the pusfc*:f e^. d 6een ■ oats, barley, : and< '". wheat.above ground on many.-farmsi':and,'par-i :'ticularly.witlilwKeaCitliis;is a inattor' for-cbii-; arei not -yet> s'ownii'and/ownors'-, desire crops of either, I '.they \nay££till bo, earn for..another weekor two. Protiab'JyViwheTe.the wot''weather :. has been : most; felt still be , ■ {'one.' 'Always ■ regrets to : have the ploughing, in' '.-. preferring that 'the delay ; shall cpßie,".' : is ■\ turned,' so-jthat the'.'sun.and' wind may_ ploy ■.!■ upon '.'it, still, dry'; ■ is' Certainly. • better'ihai&arly ploughing of sloppy soil.; Generally speaking, floods are;not apticipated from : now' onwards in tho North-Island, and. tillage .is not : '-likely-',to bq spoilt froiir)surface wash-, : ingon that, uccount. •'...;: .;*'. H'' ■ ■ • ■/.- ,•. >-It is a good rule. to increase the quantity of . , seed., per aord as. the '■ season advances,. and it .■is; prudent to .steep HhemT'firsP.Jih'; Wuestone '-,:water,tqitill the' gorms of each,diseases;^as^ .'■;;.:'.!.5 ■.''■■'•';,•'; ■'.''■■•■'■'■' ■•':'-':■' '''?v-' '\-/''^''^^- ■■'.'■:• ; Much reliance is.placed by spmo.experienced^. i'■ farmers upon ■ the. ,viftue's of- a ■ chango ■; of i seed. ■ ■l;,lt deterioration of the .' variety. '■■ '.follows the;repeated.uso of home : saved seed fin •tho-farm''year,'after, year, and the weight of -, .'experimentsi ;is:all in favour-of that view. But : this,theoi*is.not:conflned:.tb'cereals.,, phange ;iof seedMsfa^ftfnaaßiefitaKttbfor^inipotato "■ '■• ture; ,of ■_strain;'is; much J valued; :_in. ,4'' strawberry culturo; and in orchard practice './young-treegj ; from'.'distant'-.;parts;.'fire' preferred- ■'.' '.to-locally'-gr|>ten'>trees^/Someioveri'-apply-'r^tho , ;. -^prinoiple^''Ux^{ocl!^Rd;jMd A iUii"?jl;.iQb(ittg«j., ■ of. enyironinent. has powr to counteract the \' weakeninjf'.'tetidencies of in-breeding. In -poul- :■' try ■is - claimed. that,,6tock ;from -the ;eame iridely '■"■ remote., liic'ilities,; ou different], spils,' and : in ■'differentJ.clilgatcs, Diayr---)^Jr;gijij;ed-..together :.- without -leasi'vof 'the Change' v of seed,'itifiriver, is:best' known 'to '} the. New ••■'iZealarid-.'jormer. iu ; relation to'potatoes.. : .; . is well fonrard.in'many parts' •'■with'.tho-^early , . varietjos. 'The;'-*main crop ;■ planting »is'' still procoldiiig,Vand ( r::whil'e-''it:' u is '/, always gpodito be itJIHtU 'aKead;- of,, timo" jiv'j .--'■ farming.wpijK, no harm' -result , if.thejiota-" '' to,es are.Kol'in.by.the'ond-ofUhis.nibnth/iThero',, . -are'evidence's;-of large areas of potatoes;-boing dow'nVffiis 'season,::and with- good, yields; ■'. - and—thafeiftiportant ■ consideration—no. blight,! "■ ■ potatoesiinould 'be fairly' plentiful; and-: per: ■;' haps," ,uiif9i;f;iriately,-:Jchcap.-next i-seasb'n'fi >flte. " ; no doubt ■•■' ■•' larger pfd'htings here, but too much 'relia'nce : . must'not"be ; aplaced on Tasmania's, inability -to" !7recover.:vMr';-|T. W.'Kirk,:.E.L._S.,..has, reported '■■ .that-.the'Srish blight--thore. is'iinld, and;,con-■;-fined'to bnlyjcertain districts, andlthis,'. report, ', 'coming 'itisf: ; before the - planting s&'soni niay; '' give 'the,'^asmanians.courage to turn , again ■■'■• their att'eiitiOn-.to this;crop.V.-Wherei'straight-. : ..,-!ness. hot. imperative,.,.potatoes are-.. .-•■' .most .expeditfously planted .with: the-aid of a', '■"plough, thq*Sets being dropped into about every, .i-'fourth frirfow and covered by the. next turnof •:'.the plough".'vTheLSoil- nmst!,b,e.jii Pr?P.er,hne: tilthibe'foMhand, -kotfeyer;-'for -this, as for any ; - ;f othor : mp'd'e ; 'tfof'"planting,,'and,every -' : should'be,'ihade of to secure that condition. ■Usually itfothtoes'"' are." covered -with -five ' ; 'or -.six 'c -inches of.mould. In order to do this'.and still :t ' : have" th'ein ; /» good 14;paniideep'jpftparatbry': ploughing or"subsbiling .■■ is ; indispensable; , . ■k'.-- ; 'iy^:- : '}'-l-:- : -,' '-. J,-',; .',> AVhereVgiround is available rape sowing should. ;"""'bo carrMoiitKthis. month..: -Apart from-the. ~.':+well-knowrif'-iJses'of .the.rapecrop on the. sheep '■ -.farms, rap'ss:useful,-iri smalLinrantlties^.n;lat* '.. erass soMtig to , shelter the '.tender :grass- from -•■■■;--:vwinds'nrti»ad;muct'eM-latcteon,\:-Dnimh?fld '■■■■*. cabbagettorudairy ■ cows .should 'also' be ■ sown >,' : 'now."-Itiis@aimed-. that.this crop greatly.-in '. ! >-': : creases : ths flow-i'Ofc'milk without .tainting it.as •■"■ ■■■'as it is sotoitiines' ■-"■■ Eolds, -^rout. : •-, yielded: per-acre-is not-the-least of ..this, ,'' : good: points: : :Carro.ts 'also will -be seeded this .:':,month, partWarte^nVrich.aight, .deep soil. .■■■' > farm:'v, : .''vS'>-'.'-' , '" > :''.^ , ' , -'-''' 1 - :..'^■■ ; : ;^.:'. :-•;■.'' ; r '.' '■■-■:: and , ; neldvpeas, ; Jucerte, ) jnaize/ ..and '■:* that : .-• r wiU be included : in. iflieVspedin"; operations of, . : ' ; :this bhs^'ni6n'th. , '.'Hedge:trimmmgi:and:hedg6 '-"'planting are just-abont at their'last days, .ana >J?W ptoting''-of • fruit: treesiwilljbeitoo vlate •-'/■■ l.'a' few "days hence.. • ! - : .■.;'.' "?.O" ■■"■' ;■•;■' : ;: " ■■■■'■.. "-''".■ Hay- paddocks.should now. bo closed,.and «!•■ , : .,::thoughit.is:probably too late fov.aßy.totilisers, h -Scerf:the;;solublo.:;ones. like ; ;superphpspliate, :V-'- 6 ulptate;ttf"amiffimai ; ind:nitrate:pf;soda'lq|do ■r L; -aiv "good^this: season,; there' are ; some farmers. > : : W ho take.:the : opportunity, even now, o^owing - Weal,'or slag,.6r:guaTi,o.:,iO£teli-.bush.bar-. 3; to 31b. ; :?-.^;-''"a ; ::-^.:''- ;: "."';;:•.'..' k;^ :;: