FARMERS’ COLUMN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 900, 18 July 1879, Page 3

FARMERS’ COLUMN.

At the special request of a number of farmers, wo purpose from this time devoting a column to rural topics The article this week is from the Australasian, on THE TRE ATMENT OF STUBBLE L AND SELECTION OF SEED, SOWING WHEAT, &C (Concluded from ouv last.) Another important matter is that hv having, the laud in such, a state of roughness, not to speak of the breakage of machinery .harvesting, ic does, not derive the benefit: it- ought .to do from slight showers of rain; but if the surface is smooth, ami the great lumps are all broken up, it retains th 1 moisture much longer, esn 'cially during the autumn months. After scarifying the seed in, I go over the land once with a set of medium harrows ; too rank harrows I do not recommend, as they would tear up some of the seeds. I believe in doing all the principal working of the soil before sowing, and after sowing and scarifying the seed in, one turn of the harrows will bo found ample. In general I do not recommend rolling until spring, for there is no doubt the little lumps left after the harrows protect the young and tender plant in its early stages from frosts and cold bleak winds, and, moreover, the breaking of these lumps around the root of the plant acts as a stimulus to its growth ; it also consolidates the soil, and destroys thousands of destructive insects. Some of you I have no doubt may think my system requires too much horse labour, which at present may be beyond the roach of many a hard-working industrious man ; hut to those I would say it is much more profitable to have 50 acres well put in, then it is to have 100 acres indifferently. There is no doubt, except in occasional instances, but the yield will he double, and surely it is much more economical to plough, harrow, sow, and reap 50 acres for 1,500 bushels of wheat than to perform the same operation on 100 acres for a like qumtity. It is certainly a pro vailing mistake among amateur farmers to try how many acres they can get under crop, irrespective of how the work is done. It would bo much better to commence early with your limited horse Dower, and what you do Accomplish do it tliomu-..Vy and well, ami when it becomes too late for sowing just stop, and let the land rein tin in fallow. For it is much better to have one good crop than two bad ones, and the hind left in fallow will repay you well next season. This is the best system of putting in a wheat crop that I have tried in Victoria, but the day is certainly not far distant when all the s»ed w’ll he drilled in, the same as in the old country. Once the advantages of drilling a'-e known they will bo appreciated by the Victorian farmer more so than they are at present. I may briefly mention a few of the benefits to be derived from drilling:—!. There is a saving of seed. 2. The seed is deposited an equal depth, and all covered. 3 The horse hoe can be applied in keeping the land clean during the growth of the crop, and the stirring of the soil is equal to five bushels extra yield. 4. I am confident it would ho a preventive of rust. The air would have betteraccess between flic rows, and straw grown from drilled seed is much harder in stem and has more of the hard flinty covering on it which is pronounced by leading agriculturists to resist the attacts of rust. With regard to the cause of this scourge 1 can say nothing ; it has baffl 'd all scientific men, and their investigations have left ns where we were before. We must look upon it as a mysterious phenomenon that we all trust, will not bo seen in the colony auain for many years. Hut I think the society would do well to procure information from all those whose crops were affected, ascertaining under what circumstances seonrage was most destuctivc, 1 come now to the selection of seed. I am sorry to differ from onr friend Mr. Roberts in this respect. My plan hitherto has been—an! I may say with success —to select the very best and plumpest g r nin procurable, provided it is not damaged by steamtliroshors. I always sow,it obtainable, band threshed wheat-three-quarters of a bushel of it is equal and safer than a bushel and a half of machinethreshed. With regard to shrivelled wheat being equal or superior to plump, good grain I am open to conviction, and long with many other experiments, I am giving it a fair trial this season, and will he happy to let you know the results. It would indeed be a great saving to the farmer if stuff that will not command more than 2s. Gd. per bushel is superior seed to that which can he sold readily at 4s. Gd, or ss. But my opinion is that it is against the laws of nature ill will beget good. It was by persevering and sowing some heads of wheat found much superior to the rest of the crop length of head, plumpness, &c., many years ago, that the present perfection of this cereal was attained. In choosing roots for growing seed the largest and most uniform are selected ; this is necessary to keep up the excellence, and to surpass, if possible, the parent plant The same rule applies to the breeding of stock. The vciy best are only kept for breeding purposes ; it is by judicious culling that the perfection and improvement can ho kept up. 1 come now to the quantity of seed required, and I may state tha - this ib pen - * n nek on Ih. | duinp'-ess of 4 bn grain, the condition of the soil, also the

manner it is put in, fee.., lint for the land of an ordinary average character 1 would not recommend in any case more then one bushel and a quarter per acre, and, indeed, I seldom sow more than one bushel per acre if I am satisfied the seed is not damaged in any way. Pickling is another important operation, and, although hluoatone no doubt deteriorates the growth of the plant in its early stages, yet in my opinion it is the cheapest, safest, and most easily applied speeitio yet introduced for the prevention of of the disease known as smut. The most effectual means of application, and that which I have practised for some time, is well described by Mr. Lincolno in his useful book entitled Farm and Selection. He allows lib. of bluestone to five gallons of water. A large butt is procured, holding from 20 to 40 gallons ; nearly fill this with the solution ; then with a two-handed basket nearly a bushel can be operated unon at onetime. Hold the basket in the liquid, and let another hand pour the wheat iu slowly. The light seeds and everything foreign, such ns weed seeds, &c, will float on (op, and of course must ho skimmed off. It is astonishing, even from first-clast samples of grain, what a quantity of rubbish will come to the surface, and a few minutes spent at each basketful will amply repay the farmer. These, gentlemen, are my opinions with regard to the treatment of the soil and putting in a wheat crop, hut, as T see before me many experienced practical farmers, wbo have seen many more summers then I have, [ shall he only too glad it my few remarks will elicit a discussion from them, I thank you, gentlemen, for your kind attention, and allow me to here remark how gratifying it is to see the harmony that exists in tins neighourhood between the squat 1 er and the farmer, quite an example, in my opinion, to other parts of the colony.