Farmers' Column.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 12, 15 April 1871, Page 9

Farmers' Column.

ENGLISH AGRICULTURAL INTEL-

LIG-ENCE.

From our files of English agricultural journals we learn that the winter during the early part of the month of Deoember was for the most part dry and extremely favorable for out door work. The young wheat, on the whole, looked well, and *owing to the mildness of the winter there was still a small bite of grass for stock. This prevented recourse being had to the unusually small supplies of winter forage and root crops on hand, consequent on the extreme drought of the preceding season. Christmas it was hoped, would be reached without much undue severity; at least this was the hope of owners of stock, who were passing through a trying and unprofitable season. About the middle of the month, however, the dry weather culminated in a sharp frost, which was succeeded by a very decided thaw and an almost continuous fall of rain, which completely flooded the country in many parts; the clouds seeming inclined to pay in full, with interest added, the balance due on the score oflast year's drought; thus causing as much embarrassment in getting rid of -the surplus supply, as had been previously experienced for the want of a sufficient supply. Towards the end of the month of December it was itself again—biting cold winds,.while the earth was covered with a mantle of snow. This' it was however, expected might soon be displaced by another freak of the weather. Cattle not well provided for it was feared would suffer severely, as want of sufficient provender is the rule. A month's frost, which, according to a telegram on the 30th, had set in, was a desideratum looked forward to for the improvement of wheat, the condition of which, in consequence of continued damp weather, is described as deplorable, Indeed it is to this cause that the decline in price of from Is to 2s per quarter experienced on the 19th December at the Mark Lane Market was attributed. At this market the sales of wheat for that week were 84,195 qrs at 52s sd, against 49,888 qrs at 43s lOd for the corresponding week in 1869. The mildness of the season had also affected even dry foreign wheat, all qualities of which suffered a fall of fully Is per quarter. But although prices had thus given way, in the meantime the Franco-German war continued its ravages, and Mons. Drouyn de Lhuys, a French official of distinction in former times, had brought before the notice of the English public the calamities under which his country will suffer, in the hope of procuring seed corn for sowing the land. Two hundred square miles in one district alone have been laid waste by the trampling of the armies, and the rural population has been almost ruined. Peace, however, is the only security for cultivation, and without that the most enlarged benevolence must fail in producing a#y beneficial result, and few symptoms of this great desideratum were visible on the political horizon. Ere the danger in the east had passed away another cloud had appeared in the west. These signs of the times where regarded as indicating, notwithstanding temporary flnctations, that wheat would maintain its then value up to next harvest, under any circumstances; and should a general conflagration burst out it was through the war prices of 1854, or at least the average of 1867, 68s Id per quarter, might be again realised. Yet in the face of these statements the effect of the news by the mail was to cause a sudden decline in the value of breadstuffs in our market. Why we are at a loss to understand. The colony will have no surplus grain to. dispose of this season. The annual agricultural carnival—the Smith'field Club show of fat stock—was the great event of the month, and, as usual, drew large crowds of spectator* together to witness the best collection of agricultural results anywhere to be seen. The show took place at the Agricultural Hall, Islington. The entries in the cattle classes numbered 20 over last year, and were in all 237, of which 33 were Devon, 44 Hereford, and 45 Shorthorns, the remainder being Sussex, Scotch, cross breds, and others. The show of Devon cattle it is said was of very great excellence, and Mr W. Taylor, of Glynley, Sussex, carried first prize in his class, and also for the best ox in all the cattle classes with his four and a half year old ox, 16 cwt 2 qr 12 lb ; her Majesty the Queen coming 3rd in the all aged class with an animal weighing 13 cwt 1 qr 9 lb. A Devon heifer also carried off the cup in the female classes. Indeed, altogether the Devons took up a very high position, and had it not been that three out of the six judges were specially appointed for short horns, in the opinion of some excellent judges, Mr Taylor's animal would have occupied the pride of place at the show as the best animal on the ground. As it was, Mr Pulver's short horn ox, the champion animal at the Bingley Hall Show, Birmingham, carried off the £IOO champion plate at Islington. The short norns oa the whole were only a moderate

lot, the Hertfords being the leading feature of the show. Fourteen of these beasts averaged more than 19 cwt apiece live weight, five of them exceeding a ton in weight, six out of the fourteen being still under three years old. The first prize went to Mr Agate, of Horsham, for an animal three years and five months old, measuring Bft. 9in. round, Bft. 6in. long, weighing 19 cwt 2qr 16 lb. The long horn cattle were poorly represented, but there had rarely been a better show of West Highlanders. In the Polled breeds, Mr M'Combie was beaten by Mr Harris, of Forres, with a beast weighing 4 cwt less than the one from Tillyfour. In this instance;(the judges had not decided according to Mr M'Combie own standard of merit—weight. K is but fair, however, to add that in another class where he obtained a second prize also, Mr M'Combie's heifer was placed first by the judges at Birmingham, and the reversal of that decision at Islington caused a good deal of surprise seeing that it was a plainer and coarser, as well as lighter, beast which was placed before her. A large number of "high commendations" in the short horns, and nine first prizes, went across the Tweed to Scotch breeders. The following account of ..award in g the champion prizes is taken from the " Times :" " When all the Ist prize steers and oxen in the classes were marshalled in the central area in competition for the cup, the Sussex ox was the first ordered out then the two cross bred steers, then the Short horn steers, and so on in rather quick succession, until four picked animals remained—viz., the Devon ox, the two year old Hereford steer, the two year old Short horn steer, and the Scotch polled steer. Finally, the contest lay between the Devon and the Scot: and the little red beat the substantial black. The Devon heifer won her silver cup against the Short horn heifer and Short horn cow as final competitors. Lastly, came the trial for the Champion Plate of £IOO to the best beast in the show ; and here the two Ist prize animals, male and female, in the two classes of extra stock, were brought in to measure their merits against those of the two conquering Devons. This last struggle lay between the Devon heifer and the Short horn steer, which had been the crack beast of the Birmingham show, and this fine steer was decreed the victor. This is Mr Pulver's great winner of the year, which, having carried off £l2l worth of honors at Birmingham, £124 worth of prizes before that, now takes £llO more ; making in all, £355 of winnings, and is finally sold for £IOO to a Gloucester butcher." In the sheep classes South Downs were the centre of attraction Lord Walshingham being first with two pens, such as words could not be found to describe their excellence. Pigs were a less interesting show than usual. Amongst the black pigs the Dorsets had it all to themselves, and there were some good Berkshires shown by the Bev.-G. Bailey, who was first at Birmingham. Of Dorsets, Mr Coate, of Bland ford, and Mr Benjafield, from the same place, carried off Ist prizes. Amongst the large display of implements and machinery, double-furrow ploughs occupied a prominent position, and attracted a large share of attention. Indeed, so much are these implements now run on that the old single furrow ploughs are comparatively neglected. Great ingenuity has been displayed by manufacturers in providing a simple and effective method of steering and raising the plough out of the ground when turning, and altagether it is fast being rendered one of the most economical and efficient of agricultural implements. Our manufacturers must look to it; these double furrow ploughs are bound to be largely used, and we ought to be able to produce them in the colony as light of draught, as strong, and in every way as efficient as they can do in Britain. There is, however, something to be done yet; our lightest draught is 6 cwt, in England it is only 4 cwt, and this is an important difference.

Co-operative agriculture, and the American system of associated daries, are subjects attracting much attention among agriculturists in different parts of the United Kingdom and on the Continent. "The iniquity of the game laws—down with the hares and rabbits," and " tenant right" are the battle cries of the British. farmer in the peaceful war that he is waging forthe improvement of agriculture. Last, but by no means least, we have to record the fact, and we do so with feelings of pride and pleasure, of British farmers, acting on the generous suggestion of Mr James Howard, combining to supply their suffering fellow cultivators in Prance with seed corn to sow the lands which have been devastated, and the owners all but rained by the fearful war which was still raging, but which, it is to be hoped, to the interests of humanity, is now at the end. In this, act of extending the right hand of fellowship—'■with something needful in it —to his fellow farmers" across the channel in their time of sore trouble, the British farmer forms a picture alike worthy of his nation and of his class—a picture of which every true born Briton may justly feel proud.—" Leader,"

PREPARING- LAND FOR WHEAT. The following suggestions are taken from the " Albany Cultivator," United States :■—'•. 1. To give the field as much summer fallow as possible. 2. To give it time to settle between the seed furrow and the sowing of the seed. Besides, it is important to know that wheat and rye require different modes of treatment. For rye, it is best to plough two or three times ; for wheat one ploughing is much preferable to two. Young farmers, sometimes wanting to excel, will plough twice for wheat, but this is bad practice; it loosens the land two much, and the wheat afterwards falls a prey to worms. Of course there are exceptions to this rule; as there are cases where two ploughings become necessary even for wheat. It is also of great importance to have a proper rotation of crops. Wheat, as well as rye, will do best where they are preceded by rape seed or flax, next best after clover or beans, tolerably well after ruta, bagas or potatoes, more doubtful after turnip and beets. On most soils a good crop of wheat may be safely followed by rye ; in fewer cases wheat twice ; in even a smaller class of soils wheat after rye may do; only in exceptional ones wheat or rye may iollow oats. Oats are mostly the laat link in our rotations ; they care nothing for fresh manure ; but the field needs a strong dressing of manure after it has borne oats, so we let it mostly be followed by beets, potatoes, or other root crops, or beans, or rape seed, seldom by clover. Now to my above rule :—- 1. We have one mode of ploughing, for which in America you have not even a name —I shall call it " skimming." This operation cannot be carried out with an American plough. I have on my farm here seven different ploughs in use, all made in American shops ; but with none of them, excellent as they are for deep ploughing, can I " skim" the field, Still this is a highly beneficial operation. It consists in just skimming off the top or sod, aiming to leave between every two furrows a narrow strip (| to 1 inch wide) untouched. The ploughshare, therefore, is set slanting, going about 1 to H inches deep, at the land side, and slanting out to the surface. We accomplish this operation of skimming generally by the common plough, on wheels, and one horse, but of late have introduced ploughs with two or three, or five shares. I prefer the plough with three or oven five shares. I prefer the plough with three shares, as this can be worked with two horses, will finish five acres per day, and work well .under all circumstances.». Now you may ask what this skimming is good for ? It gives the land a summer faliow, which is equal in effect to half manuring. It not only exposes the turned up furrow to the full action of sun and air, but this very furrow serves as a mulching for the layer below, completely changing its appearance and texture. This is of the greatest importance. Under such a mulching, the land will be enriched by the treasures of the atmosphere. Only compare a field so skimmed three weeks ago with one that has been unskimmed, and you will need no more argument.

But your readers will say, why not plough deep at once ? For two reasons : I want the summer fallow to commence as early as possible. When cutting wheat, for instance, I have all the cocks put up in straight rows running the way I want to plough, and the very next day after the reaping machine follows the skimming plough. We cannot wait till the wheat may be drawn off, for we would loose one week, and the land would bake. Just imagine the soil on the day of mowing, and then again two weeke latter,. where the sun has burned on the naked ground, and you will bo satisfied ; experience will confirm your observation. This may suffice for the present. It would be impossible to give the field a deep furrow, and keep up with the mowers ; by merely skimming this can be done; the deep ploughing comes thereafter; the land never becomes too hard for it where it has been skimmed. The surface soil having had the benefit of a fallow is then turned below, and another lawyer exposed to fallowing. This skimming is much preferable to the work done by cultivators, for in skimming I turn under all weeds and grasses converting them into manure, while the cultivators make them into hay. The skimming also does not make the land too loose for wheat. I will merely add that on clover land we generally omit the skimming, giving a deep furrow following the scythe. We want the ground to settle before sowing. Never sow wheat or rye on new ploughed land if you can help it, but give it the last furrow from six or eight weeks before sowing time. This is of the highest importance. The soil then becomes regularly pulverised by the alternate action of rain and sun. It rots; aye, it will rise (puff) like a well made dough. I can describe it in no other way. The land must look as if yeast had been put into it, and had done its work well. Then is the time to sow. A farmer must be able .to discover when this moment has arrived, when

he walks across the fields, by the feeling of his steps or by rubbing some dirt between his fingers ; if he cannot, he is like v a physician that cannot feel his patient's pulse. Let me close by saying that it will not do simply to cover the seed by the harrow, but that the harrow and roller united must completely pack the ground, and destroy every small interval created by the plough. Your feet dare not sink in ; the harder the better. Pack it at the bottom ; leave it open on the surface. Small clods on the surface are an advantage ; dust on top is not desirable. I mistrust all smooth, rollers, but with best success have covered the seed (wheat or rye) by Crosskill's clod breaker alone, and finished the whole job without any harrow Of course there are soils so infested by certain weeds, and there are climates so dry and burning, that in such localities it will not do to plough the ground eight weeks before sowing for the last time.

PLOUGHING. Never plough wet soil. We have often urged the attention of farmers to this .subject, as one of great importance. Any traveller among our farming districts can see large tracts of land that have been ploughed when wet and unfit to be worked, by observing large heavy clods of earth, which in the hot season become, like heated brick, burning all the roots of grain or other produce near to it. Besides this evil, no grain can vegetate and giow upon soil thus'cultivated, nor can that soil give back as much nutrition as if ploughed when in right condition, and upon a warm and sunny day /when light and warmth can penetrate into the soil and thus greatly benefit it. We are confident that farmers lose from ten to forty per cent of their crop by inattention to this matter ; by a little care at the proper time to plough, by examining the soil, and selecting good sunny days the soil will send up its voice in a halo of dew drop clouds that will wreathe the ploughman with its approval of its good sense. As with farms, so with orchards, vineyards, and gardens. No soil should be worked when wet and sqggy. If the soil continues wet long, drain it well and it soon wiil be in working order, but never attempt to plough ', spade, or work it unless ingood condition. Those who think our cultivated lands must grow poor as they grow old, will find reflection in the fact that not many years back the average yield of wheat per acre in Eugland was about ten bushels —it is now over thirty bushels. —Brains accomplished it. Plettko in Kangakoo.—We ("Dubbo Dispatch") learn that the pleuro is playing sad havoc with the kangaroos and othor bush animals on the Bogan and on the Mara. It is a pity this disease could not do its work of death among the native dogs. Impoetant to Farmers. —The " Colonist" happily remarks,: —" Mr William Rout deserves the thanks of the farming community, and, as the farming interest is, or—in a healthy State, especially a new State—ought to be, the foundation interest of the whole soiLimonwealth,he merits the thanks of all other classes. Comparing small things with great (and this is not meant to refer to anything else than the mere, available capital in the two cases), Mr Rout, in his quiet way, is likely to prove the Mechi of kelson Province, from whom people in other Provinces may well take a lesson. The model farm of this Province is, unquestionably, Mr Rout's fiftyacre farm at Stoke. There what may justly be called " high"-farming is carried on, and the beauty of the thing hit pays. Yet, Mr Rout knew nothing of practical farming when he entered on his present farm three or four years ago. Nevertheless, last year he produced 75| bushels of oats to the acre ; this year he has bagged 58£ bushels of wheat to the acre ; Rnd he°calculates that, but for a fault injthe reaping machine, which cut many ears oif and lose them, he would have had from 60 to 61 bushels to the acre. It is the old story, { With brains, Sir !' It means study, the application of the latest and best Home experience to our own case here. He studies rotation of crops, the character of the soils, till and manures, selects good seeds {vide his sensible paper read to the Stoke farmers), and sows thin. He ploughed this six-acre paddock four times before stwing; sowed one bushel to the acre; and,'after paying for working, harvesting and threshing his grain, will probably make a profit of 200 per cent, on his outlay, besides his strajp. Surely this is better than indifferently working twenty acres at a greater cost, and getting 15 bushels to the acre. Valuable Timber.—The."Kaufman Star" a Texan journal, gives an account of a remarkable tree, the Bois d'Arc, named after a river in Texas, where the tree grows. It is stated that no living man ever saw-'lu symptoms of decay in this remarkable tianer. The running gear of a waggon made of it, which had been in use for twenty years, seemed to all appearance as sound as when turned out of the shop. He tells us further that there is an oil in the' wood which fills up the pores, and prevents either air or water from affecting it. No one can tell how long it will last even when exposed to the weather. A reward might be offered in vain for a decayed particle of this timber. It is not affected by the rays of the sun, and hence it never shrinks. A carriage wheel made of Bois d'Arc will run until the wood is worn out without having to re-set it.