THE FARM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4594, 29 August 1923, Page 4

THE FARM.

• SEASONAL NOTES. Summer Is always a busy month in all classes of farming, and owing to the exceptionally wet, broken weather experienced during the past winter this year there will be an even greater rush of work than usual. EARLY SPRING SOWINGS. The sowing of cereal crops—wheat, oats, and barley—should be pushed along, except where the land is very wot. In such situations it is better to wait until it; is reasonably dry before sowing, for where grain is sown on very wet land a great deal of it rots, and what does germinate makes poor growth. For many districts Algerian oats give the best results, Gartons and similar varieties being very liable to rust. They should be sown at t,he rate of 3 bushels per acre, and on small areas where birds are likely to be troublesome it will pay to put in an extra half bushel. Care should also be taken to see that the oats are well covered, in order to prevent birds getting them before they germinatp ; if the land has been firmed by rolling after sowing the birds will not pull out anything like so many seedlings after they come through the ground, strongly recommended Barley may be sown towards the end of September,, or even in Octpber, as it matures quicker than other cereals. Grain crops sown at this time of the year will generally benefit from 1 cwt. to 2 cwt. of superphosphate per acre, according to the quality of the land. This fertilizer, although not of the best, has much to recommend it from an economy point of view, but the oat-sowing should, be ‘ light, 1 bushel per acre being sufficient to give cover to the young grass. Heavy sowings of oats have a very depressing effect .on pasture-establishment-The seeding with grass can often be delayed until the cereal is advanced well enough to stand harrowing. A mixture of 20 lb. of Western W>!ths rye-grass, 1 bushel of oats, and 4 lb. to 5 lb. of red clover per acre makes a good spring-so.wn hay crop, and may be put in early in Septem ber. Other special crops for hay and ensilage were dealt with last month. FEEDING DOWN CEREAL CROPS. The final feeding of autumn-sown crops should take place towards the end of September, the exception being rich areas where there is danger of the crop lodging, In such localities feeding may be continued in October. After the last feeding give the land a good harrowing with the tine harrows to open up the soil. If this harrowing leaves the land unduly rough, follow in a week with the roller, wing to the subsoil being well soaked a very rapid growth can be expected in spring-sown cereals, and it may be necessary to feed off with sheep to prevent lodging and encourage tillering. PREPARATIONS FOR LATER CROPS Lea land intended for late springsown forage crops should now be ploughed. It is most essential to allow plenty of time for the turf to rot before sowing the crop. Springsown forage crops require a large amount of water; in the soil, and the only way to secure an adequate supply of moisture is by means of early ploughing. Land intended for rape, turnips, peas, late sowings of vetches, and linseed should be cultivated as time permits. Owing to the delayed sowings of cereals there will be a tendency for late spring and summer crops to be neglected in this way. Land for mangolds and swedes should be deep-ploughed as soon as possible. Old grassland intended for summer fallow should be crossploughed and thrown into rough lumps to allow the roots to be weathered and killed, especially if the land is infested with twitch pf any description. The skimming shoud be deep enough to just get below the twitch and no more, probably Sin. in old pasture.