THE MAN ON THE LAND.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 744, 4 July 1922, Page 2

THE MAN ON THE LAND.

JOTTINGS. Nitrate of soda was at one time thought to be an exhausting manure, and frequently its use was prohibited 'n the lease of land. It is not, however, an exhausting manure. It (forces deep-rooting, extensive rooting, and a heavy yield. Because 6f this, if nitrate of soda be used alone it becomes a means of drawing out of the land a great dead of /the available phosphates and potash that were there. Consequently by stimulating the crop to the great degree thafc is done by the use of nitrate the kind is toft comparatively poor, but if at the same time that nitrate and soda is used a corresponding amount of potash and phosphates be applied the land will not be exhausted. ‘Ni - trate of soda is therefore not an ex- ■ ’ haustive manure, and only becomes so when used alone wit hope the necessary admixture cf fertPJzzers.' CROP ROTATION* Crop rotation is not wholly a matter centreing in soil fetriiity as many seem to think. There are other reasons for varying frol year to year the use ho which rand Is put, that simply /to maintain or increase production. The question of soil sanitation bulks large as a motive for shifting cropk Continuous growing of the same plant on (the same piece of ground brings a host of plant pests and. plant diseases in i/cs train. Most crops have their own particular enemies along this line. By growing the same crop a few years in succession, these pests' and diseases become strongly entrenched in the soil. If a different crop is

rubstituted these plagues receive a set-back! and may often be held in check' by no other means. Where corn is grown without oats or cl'over being 'intervened 'the corn louse, the corn root worm, and other pests or diseases appear in number amid the corn.

Corn rotation, however, serves an dther important end that has nothing . to do with fertility or with insects and disease. It enables one to better distribute the labour load from season to season. This is an individual, problem, of course, on evary farm, but it is one that can be arranged by looking far enough ahead so that “peak loads” can be lessened and the .labour of (the fiel'd work distributed more evenly through the different seasons. On many farms this foresight is lacking. The results is that there are three or four times between eayly spring and late fall when everyone is overtaxed and the work animals put To the liip.it of 'their endurance. Be-tween-these peak loads jtliere will be periods of comparatively littte to do. By arranging the crop rotation so that field work will be more evenly distributed from season tej season much of this can be avoided. HOME BACON CURING. A “twenty years' reader” of the “Farm and Home” writes : < I am asking you the bes.t; way of curingbacon for my own use and family. The pig), I am going to kill; is just twelve months old and well fatted, and will weigh 30 stone, Sjbs to the stone degd weight. Perhaps you will advise me how and what way to cuie it How Ifcmg must be be in salt ?

The following was the answer given: ‘Tt is assumed that you know all aboult the killing, scaling, and cutting up. For bacon curing the best temperature is a moid,t one of about 40 to 42 degrees. Fahr. Lay the flitches rind downwards in a trough, the bottom of which has been liberally sprinkled wf'th salt. The meaty side Is then rubbed with salt, and fine saltpetre (loz saltpetre to 4.bs salt), using from 2ozs to 4oz of the mixture for' each side, according to s iza A thick layer off salt is next put on top of the flitch, Tiea.t the next Pitch the same way, after it has been placed on the top of 4he first one. The hams, rubbed with the mixture and covered as for the flitch are placed on (top of the flitches. See that the bones are well rubbed with fine saltpetre. Turn the flitches every third day,, and if the salt has gone to igquid, put more in. Keep ‘.'n salt for fram 21 ito 30 days. “Another method is the Wiltshire way:—Coarse sugar U-dhs; bayleaf saltpetre 6ozs ; salt lib. Sprinkle each flitch with salt and let the blood drain for 24 hours. Then pound the above ingredients together and rub ht well into the meaty side, which should be turned everyday for a month. Hang up to dry and afterwards smoke for ten days.