FIELD NOTES FOR JANUARY.

Shannon News, 28 December 1923, Page 3

FIELD NOTES FOR JANUARY.

(BY THE FIELDS DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.) 'SUPPLEMENTARY FODDERS. Ip is impossible lo aJlpw the season to pass along without some -reference to the necessity for provision of an adequate, supply, of gireen fodder lor stock, especially in those districts likely to suffer from, the effects of the dry leather usually experienced lor the next eight or ten weeks. The opportunity presents itself.once again to bring under notice tllio great value of supplementary fodder, crops, if we wish to take real advantage of ' tho maximum spring wild early summer production oi the pasture, and where conditions are isuitahie, nothing can take the place of lucerne as a s(|op(-giap during (January, February, or March, The first cut in most yWs owing, to weather conditions is usually made into ensilage, and the re-, iwaining cuts into hay, or if necessary can be led green. However, ,aif are not fortunate enough in "having lucerne conditions, hence soft turnips, Oats and tares or peajj, maize, etc. must be provided. i!ho tw,o former should have been sown early enough to feed anytime from now onwarus, and the slightest unnatural drop in the flow of milk will • indicate when to. start. It is unwise to wait too long before- commencing to feed, as'it is seldom possible to recovier the normal yield of milk at .this season once it has been allowed to drop, to feeding soft turnips, the greatest care should be taken to see that turnips are only allowed immediately after milking, otherwise taint will occur. It is to be regretted that more care is not exercised, in this uespect and that .a valuable food like soft turnips shoufd at any time be questioned when it is possible to avoid such trouble, x

Maize and soft turnips may still be sown where conditions promise a reason able germination. Of tlie latter, "Hardy" or "Imperial Green Globe'' are .probably the best to sow nowseeding -not less than 1 lb, except in wet districts where germination is not likely to sutler from lack of moisture. Mangels, .swedes, and turnips should be thinned as tliey aeach the right stage, and carefully horse hoed from time to time to conserve moisture and kilf weeds until th© lops meet in the rows.

The • rape crop should 'be making good progress and ithe first sown j block should be carefully watched, | and lambs turned on as soon as the leaves assume a bluish tint, .but do j not hesitate on -any account' until J they 'become >a reddish purple, as the j leeding quality of r;ipe at this stage j is very inferior. - . ■ I HAY MAKING. I In later districts hay' harvest will j he completed this month, and as a food for live stock at that season 01' the year when 'pasture is <at its lowest condition of nutrition, jand especially where roots are depended upon, good well-saved hay is an absolute necessity. Like, good ensilage, good hay .can .only result from good- material wiell cured., hence the value of cutting .at the right time from ,an approved pasture, or specially gro\Vn. crop, such as oats and tares or peas, etc. One. of the best is wheat aiui tares ,cut fairly green. In .most cases it is 'preferable to mow any bay crop on the green side rather than allow it to become woody or fibrous, ,as it is then in a more palatable'and nutritious condition. The. main object is to £jet /the maximum 'bulk still in the most palatable and nutritious condition. To all appearances, there will not ;be much anxiety about saving hay in the 'best of Condition this season. Weather permitting, the bay should be raked auid put into cocks as soon as ready and allowed to. stand thus lor a few dlays beiore stacking. The finest quality is always allowed to cure in the cocks, arid this method has the -advantage of minimising oveinheating later in. the stack. Lay j out the. stack bottom with any old

trees, branches,' etc. to avoid waste I later, and rattier underestimate Hie crop so that the stack wiJi be carried higJht, thus, assuring-. a good pressure and consequently 'better quality hay. Better have- .a load ( or two too much than a roof badly finished. Lot the !butt swell in building so that the eaves :inay .have a good over-Jiang. In many cases greater care should be . exercised in .stack Ibuilding in order to minimise waste. A great many men can -build .a well-balanced and handsome stack, but lew can Ibuild a stack that will keep the wet out. The great secret is to pay proper .attention to * keeping the heart high and tightly built. Too much thought is so .often given to building the,outside 'and only scattering the (material round -title centre, in a loos© fashion instead-of properly • (building each of the inner courses, consequently as the mass settles the heart .sinks faster than the outside, and the whole presents a saucer shape, encouraging every s'h.ower of rain to penetrate to the centre rather -than ; be thrown off .at the outside as it should be. In many instances this condition is very notice-' aiblo in the different layers when the stack is cut open, for feeding out later. All stacks should be lightly raked as soon ias completed; and thatcheu as soon ias they have properly settled after two or three weeks. It .is well to remember that thatch, of itself will not keep a (badly -built stack dry. Use ten lbs coarse salt to every tori' of material in building, or more il the quadity is-not pood. This greatly assists the palataibility of, the fodder. CEREAL HARVEST. As the reason has been favourable to the early ripening of -grain crops, this month will rio doubt pee most of tlie crop down. Wheat may be cut rather .on the green side, as it fills and matures quite well in the stook, and by some the. quality is believed to he better when allowed to comfplete ripening in this way, but Oflts for threshing should not be cut until fairly ripe unless for chaffing, when they should be cut fairly green in or-