THE RURAL WORLD.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 645, 21 February 1914, Page 2

THE RURAL WORLD.

KAINIT AS A WEED DESTROYER. A German paper contains an account of an experiment carried out with the object of testing the efficiency of kainit as a weed destroyer. The experiment was carried out in a field of oats overrun by weeds to such as extent that the crop looked as if it would be ruined. Some large plots were marked off and dre&Bed with different quantities of finely-ground kainit. The best result was obtained with.about 9wt to lOcwt of kainit per acre. At first, after the application the oats had a set back, but quickly recovered, whereas the weeds were permanently checked to such a degree that the oat crop Droduced a normal yield. The leaves of thistles turned brown very quickly after the application, the effect on chalock was slower but sufficient to cause the weed to perish. In the use of kainit for this purpose it must be gound fine and applied as a top dressing. CLOVER ROTATION. The principal of clover rotation in keeping up the fertility of the farm finds a strong confirmation in one of the experiments of the Minnesota station. A ten-year average Bhowed that if one-fifth of the farm is devoted to clover in a suitable rotation and the manure ia applied to the land, the remaining four fifths will produce more grain than would the entire farm without the clover rotation.

In a sort of vague theoretical manner, farmers have believed this doc trine for many years. But with a large proportion of farmers it is still something to be taken up or thrown down just as it happens. But few farmers adhere rigidly to a thcee or four-year rotation with clover. And in all. the older farming sections where the soil has grown acid, con ditions have been worse than ever, for so few farmers will spend any money in the purchase of lime to sweeten the soil so that they may grow :lover. They are very hard to convince of the real money value to them of such outlay. And so we see right here in the old dairy sections of Wisconsin hundreds of farms that cannot produce corn, grain, or hay as they once did. CULTIVATION OF LUCERNE. AUSTRALIAN EXPERT'S OPINION. The following hints on the cultivation of lucerne have been culled <from an artick written by Mr M. A. O'Callßghan, in "Dairying in Australasia." Provided it is fairly level, or has even slopes, the lowest available part of the farm should be selected, as such sites usually possess a greater depth of soil, owing to additions being made to them by transference of loose soil from adjacent hill tops and dopes by the agency of wind and water. A well-drained soil is necessary, as water should not lie long on the surface.

Where possible, the banks of a creek should be chosen, as in some cases a fair supply of moisture is accessible to the crop at a moderate depth and as the soil in such situations is more friable than that on higher lands, it is more favourable for the extensive ramifications of the root system, which is characteristic of the crop under favourable conditions. The land should be thoroughly broken to as great a depth as is possible without bringing sour soil to the surface. Should the subsoil be very compact it will Be found advisable to break it by means of a subsoiling plough, so as to give the crop every possible advantage in its efforts to extend its root system in its early growth. After ploughing it should be thoroughly pulverised by harrowing and rolling, a final rolling just prior to sowing being desirable for the due compaction of the Beed bed, bo as to ensure the deposit of the seed at an even depth. Should the seed be sown broadcast, it should be covered by very lightly harrowing, followed by rolling. The latter operation may be omitted if the soil has a tendency to crust on the surface as a result. Seed may be sown in two seasons, viz., autumn and spring, the former being preferable under conditions where the risk of competition with weeds is not great. Lucerne should not be grazed by stock until it has been cut at least once as the crop would suffer damage. The first crop, therefore, should be cut by the mower at the flowering stage, even though it would be unprofitable to harvest it. In the latter case stock might be turned on to the cut crop, allowing only sufficient time for them to pick it up without interfering with the plants. Should the later growth be insufficient to justify harvesting, it would be desirable to treat it in a Bimilar way until the root syßtem becomes well established, when the feeding off of the crop at the proper stages may be properly carried out. When a full growth is obtainable it will be more profitable to harvest the crop for hay or silage.

The best period of growth at which to commence cutting the crop is when about ten to fifteen per cent, of it is in flower, and by the time the work is in full swing the greater part of it will be well on in the flowering stage. When crops are intended for fodder, seed should not be allowed to form if it can be avoided.

In dry hot weather when there is no probability of dew or rain, cutting for hay can be most economically carried out by the reaper and binder ag by this means very little handling of the crop is necessary, and very little of the foliage is lost in hay-making. The sheaves should be lightly stooked in rows not more than two deep so as to admit of drying in the shortest time, aa thus the heat quality

of hay is secured and the land is cleared to allow of the progress of the new crop.

When the cutting for ensilage, the reaper and binder may also be used, but the bands on the sheaves should be cut and removed when stacking or filling the pit, which should promptly follow cutting so as to prevent loss of moisture.

Under other conditions the mowing machine must be used on the large areas. When using this machine it will save a good deal of labour in 'aking, if the "sbeafer" i? used at the time of cutting.

As little time as possible should elapse between the time of cutting the crop and putting it into cocks, so as to prevent loss of foliage in banding, which is inevitable if it is allowed to lie long in the wsah. Under dry conditions, carting to stack may be done in ahout 24 hours after cutting the hay, which should be in a crisp condition, but not dry enough to entail loss of leaves in carting and subsequent handling. Storage space may be economised by baling as soon as the hay is dry enough for the purpose. Feeding off lucerne should be commenced when the first flowers appear, and it should be completed as promptly as possible so as to ensure the minimum of injury to the crop, and the earilerst possible start of the new growth. Sub-division into small areas and beavystocking of these is therefore recommended, the various paddocks being pastured in turn. Empty stock should not be allowed a-cess to the lucerne crop, nor to any succulent crop, owing to their liability to hoven.

A stock should therefore be party fillllled beforehand, and until they become accustomed to the conditions they should not be allowed to remain in the crop more than 30 or 40 minutes. After a few days they may be allowed to remain longer but the condition of all should be carefully noted on being removed.