FARM AND STATION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 10 December 1927, Page 12

FARM AND STATION

Farm Forestry

Farm Buildings or a “Homestead”

Some Rules For Planting

By

“Sundowner"

(Written for the Tribune. All Rights Reserved.)

A HOUSE, a cluster of outbuildings. a woolshed or maybe a cowshed does not, ,or should not, be allowed to constitute a homestead. They are farm buildings, certainly, but a “homestead?”—No! The very word “homestead'’ seems to conjure up a vision of a sheltered sanctuary, safe from the biting blast, where man and beast can find rest and peace. Yet how few of our smaller farms of the Dominion have this “homestead” atmosphere, even though it costs so little in money or time to create the necessary sur roundings. Because this is a voung country, and there is so much to be done tn building fences, sowing pastures and crops and, day in, day out. milking cows feeding calves and pigs and so forth, too often with only one pair of hands for all the work, the harassed single farmer has made Ins shack or cottage do. leavdig it a bleak and unsightly excresence on the landscape. It would be difficult to find a more inartistic form of house than the square box with doors and windows at regular intervals that is now. fortunately. a fashion, but even such as these can be converted into homesteads if the owner has tile foresight and imagination necessary to induce him to plant the surround'iigs in a suitable manner. The first value of homestead nlanitions is the enormously valuable shelter t.iev afford to man and beast. In a variable climate such as we have in New Zealand this shelter may mean all the dilffference between success and failure in farming. 1 have known a thousand and more ewes with lambs saved at shearing time by having a close-grown homestead plantation behind which to shelter them form a bitter unseasonable storm, while their unfortunate kind on neighbouring farms, which had no shelter, died like flies That plantation may have cost £5O to fence off and plant, and on that one wc.ision saved its owner as much as £l5OO.

The dairyman who works long hours lor a profit from his cows cannot afford to be without such shelter, lor the modern dairy cow is a thinskinned, delicate animal, which has little reserve of bodily warmth to use lor battling against the continually recurring cold blasts. Ail the fodo it eats, ait its vitality, is needed to produce milk and butterfat in abundance

Then there is the comfort and relaxation man himself gets on coming Itonie after a blustering day spent on the farm to the quiet and peace which surrounds a well-shelter-ed homestead. We have all experienced it, so there is no necessity to further dilate on that aspect. Apart altogether from these is the mental effect which trees and beautiful surroundings have on even th® least susceptible of us. We may not notice this effect until we are forced to leave some well-sheltered situation and live in some treeless waste, then the full realisation of what trees mean is borne in to us, and we miss them passionately. On the commercial value, as timber or firewood, of a well-grown plantation, it is almost unnecessary to touch, for this is a point that has been stressed of recent years in be Dominion, where afforestation companies with the sole avowed object of making much profit, have been successfully floated. Reafforestation of ,our waste areas is an admirable scheme, but is it not wise to carry the scheme further and closer home to our farms, where stock and' our crops and ourselves can secure the very material and valuable added shelter.

In the hope that some of our readers may decide to prepare to convert their farm buildings this coining winter into a homestead, we give the following information regarding planting, which may help to make the undertaking a success.

Where it is not intended to go in for planting on a large scale, it will probably be found best to establish seed plots and raise the trees required on the spot. Where only limited numbers are required, or where it is desired to make a start without delay, the necessary trees may be obtained from private or from the State nurseries.

In planting out the young trees several precautions should be observed :—

1. Trees obtained from a nursery should be fetched piomptly from the station, and planted as soon as possible. 2. Choose dull, showery w’eathei lor planting operations, and avoid working on dry, wind? days. 3. Place the roots of the ’OBr.r trees in a natural position; do not twist them or bunch thvin u.•.in...

4, Put the young trees in the ground at the some depth as, or only very sightly deeper tliau tin.<• .... in the nursery lines. The colouring of the earth'on the steals indicates the correct depth 5. Hee that the voung tree is firm in the ground, and that the earth is in close contact with its roots. Stones or sods of grass should not be placed next to the roots, as they are liable to cause air spaces, wfficL injuriously alfect the growth. When 'vjndv weather ensues alter planting and while the ground is still soft, the frees are apt t.o work a “collar” around the stems; this must be tilled up before the. weather becomes warm or it Will admit hoi .. , .

roots .and result in the death of the plant. 6. On no account expose the roots to sun or wind more than necessary while planting. Conifers. especiaMy. are sensitive in this respect, and a few minutes’ exposure may suffice to kill the plant, which will look green and healthy when put in, so that its subsequent death is somewhat of a mystery. Stock or rabbits .including hares, are most injurious to young trees, and must be kept out by suitable fencing wherever necessary.

Perhaps it may be well to add one last word of advice. It is a common practice, once the idea of planting is conceived, to rush into the operation without much further thought or consideration. In planting, however, as in other branches cf activity, success comes to the man who works on a definie, well thought out plan. If, therefore, you are favourably impressed with the idea of planting trees about your farm and homestead, now is the time to think the matter out, to obtain competent advice, and to make your preparations so that when the planting season comes round you will have everything in readiness.