THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, March 10, 1853.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 110, 10 March 1853, Page 2

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, March 10, 1853.

FORE we proceed to jot down a few obvations relative to the culture of oats I barley, we deem it incumbent to draw i attention of our readers to a few facts connection with the subject. From the returns, (coastwise and by iocs,)-we-have already shown the relative 'portions of grain brought in to the ckland Murket. Last year, whilst there ■e 45,680 bushels of wheat, there were 150 bushels of barley, and iOo bushels aals delivered. Siuco we previously exited these facts, an extremely satisfactory i highly report of the land Millurc, within n circuit of fourteen miles ml Auckland, has been made by the ident Magistrate. This report exhibits extraordinary degree of industry and spenty on the part of the inhabitants; we learn that the extent, of the land or crop'is nearly double what it was the r before; whilst the prospects and proes for the present year afford the highest cs for a groat and continued extension of inc. llorscs, cattle, sheep, and pigsare largely on the increase ; and all the intions of a steady and rapidly progressive ipcrity are fairly set forth. I is not. however, mi much to the general

increase of productive industry, as to its partial and limited exhibition in the growth of oats and barley that we invite attention : —For example,—although aires are slated to have been sown with wheat, there are only 800 acres reported to have been sown with oats, and bul 557 acres sown with barley. Now these lauds arc; cliielly those of the European fanner, and although, even among the Europeans, the number of acres in oals and barley are small compared with those in wheat, yet if we consider how [ greatly tliev exceed in quantity the number l of native acres sown with oats and barley, it must, wc think be obvious that the Europeans have some very excellent reasons fur engaging in a description of culture of which the natives are so comparatively regardless. I.el ns now endeavour to demonstrate the advantages to bo derived trom a more extended culture of oals and barley. V, e shall commence with the growth of outs. The oat, although belter suited to a climate of a colder temperature than this of New Zealand, is still far from being unproductive in itself; bul, as forming one of the varieties of grain deemed essential in the rotation of crops observed by all good fanners, it c-un-mends itself to the best attention of every practical husbandman- "In Scotland," says Mr. James Jackson, '' when taken in connection with llio cultivated grasses, and the consequent improvement of this live slock, the benefits which ibis valuable plant has conferred are very great." There are a great many varieties of the oat, unnecessary here to name, because, in all probability, dillicult if not impossible to be procured:—For practical purposes, however, they may be classed into two general divisions, early and late; and of these there is, no doubt, sudicient seed to be hail. "When land (writes .Mr. Jackson) is broken up, either from a state of nature or from pasture, oals form the lirst crop, as they may be repeated for a series of years without injuring the soil. Tliev are also Ihi! best crop to follow clover, anil are .sometimes sown with clover and grass seeds. They often follow potatoes and green crops, and in either of these cases, the laud should be well ridged up in the winter. When the seed is sown, the land should bo completely harrowed, and ihcn rolled across lite ridges. A mixture of oats is generally sown along with tares, to prevent tlieni from falling ami rotting on the ground. In this state tliey are cut green, and form an excellent food for cattle and horses. On poor soils, from the plants not spreading, oats should be sown thick. The quantity of seed necessary, varies from four to seven bushels au acre, and broadcast sowing is generally practised. Early sowing, that is to say, in April and May, is the general practise in Tasmania; but in New Zealand, and in the vicinity of Auckland, wo have seen excellent returns from oals sown throughout the month of September. In Scotland 'wecpiote from Mr. Jackson] the largest quantity of oals produced, the soil and climate being favourable, has been estimated at seventy bushels, the smallest ai twenty, and the average at thirty-two bushtls per acre. Oat Straw is preferred to every other as fodder for cattle, as it is considered more nutritive. "The oat is a hardy grain, and seldom gets much damaged, unless the season be extremely wet or windy. The early varieties arc liable to shed when handled, and therefore require to be cut somewhat unripe; this, however, should be done with great caution, as cutting when too green j injures both the quality and quantity of the J grain."

' Let lis turn now to the observations of an J-'ifr'lßli writer, on itie culture of this valuable grain. "The great use of oats and I lie ease with which ilicy are raised 011 almost every kind or soil, from the heaviest loam to the lightest sand, have made them occupy a place in almost every rotation of crops. Of all the plains commonly enllivaled in the field, oals seem lo have the grealif.l power of drawing nourishment from Ihe soil, and hence are justly considered as greatly exhausting the land. Nevertheless, with proper management, a crop of oals may give as great, (or greater,) profit 011 the liest land Tas any other crop, when il is considered that il requires less manure and produces an abundance of straw, which is very lit for tin* "ler food of horses and cattle, especially aided by loots or other succulent food. "To make a crop of oats profitable, some attention must be paid to the preparation of the soil, and lo free il from weqds; for lo sow oats on a foul wheal or barley stubble slightly turned in by the plough', as is sometimes done, is the reverse of good husbandly. Wherever the land is not of a good quality, and wheal is apt to fail, oats are a iiiuetij,;)f<'i\erop. " WhclVoals ;\r"o sown after turnips, cabbages, or' h|iy 'bi'her green crop, the laud should be well ploughed, if the green crop

was not consumed oil thespol; ;uu! a moderate sii|»|>ly of manure will bo well repaid by the increased produce. A heavy loam is best suited for oals : tliey require ;t certain decree of moisture, an I a deep soil is very favourable to their growlji. AYhen oals are sown after 'artificial grasses, the laud is seldom ploughed more than once, and the seed is sown on the fresh mould which has beeit. turned up; but uides/the land be very free ■ from weeds, it would bo better to plough the sward willi a Shallow furrow early in Heforc winter the scarifier would tireak the rotten sward which mmbt then be buried deep, by another The lalid would he ready in Spring, which is a great as to the quality oat crop and the earlier harvest.'v (.<•» ' , "When sown on light laud after turnips, which have been eaten by sheep folded on them, it may be ploughed with as shallow a furrow as will turn in the surface: the preparation for turnips will have sufficiently moVcd the soil; and ttte manure of the sheep should not beburictlloodeep. Oil poor- moist lauds oals are iiiqi'c profitable than barley. Clover and seeds may be sown among them with equal advantage, as tUcy will seldom grow so high as to be laid and smother the yoking clover; and barley is very apt to fail oil land subject to retain the water. j : " 111 sowing oals more seed is often used .Ihpn of any other gruiu. Sis bushels of oals ore often sown oif an acre; —foiir bushels, however, arc generally sufficient: Oats* when fully ripe, arc very apt to shcd Jv aiul ..many are lost for want of attention. 'As soon qs the/straw turns yellow under the pajiiclc, the oats should be reaped, however green the Jower part of the straw may be: the straw will be fodder for cuttle, id all the corn will be saved. A good crop should be reaped, like wheat, close to (he ground, nr.d tied in shelves- 'he producc of an acre varies fron' 32 lo'G l and even eighty bushels." As the season for sowing is at hand, we would urgently recommend seme of our native yeomanry to try a crop of oats on some of their long used poiatoc fields. The Letter they manure such exhausted lands (he larger, of course, will be the profits.