FIELD MOTES FOR FEBRUARY.

Shannon News, 3 February 1925, Page 4

FIELD MOTES FOR FEBRUARY.

fßy W. J. McCullough, Instructor in u Agriculture.) Supplementary Feeding. During the month of February the returns from grass pasture are usU- < ally low, and to the dairymea eßpeci- , ally supplementary feed is essential to keep up the milk yield. Keliancc is placed very largely on soft turnips and maize, and to a lesser oxtent on crops as lucerne and temporary pasture. Lucerne, where it can be grown without undue difficulty and too great expenditure of time and money is uni failing as supplementary feed, as it is also a crop for hay or silage, in some districts the practice has been adopted of sowing maize with a legume, as tares or peas; and this undoubtedly increases its value as supplementary feed. Maize alone is not | a good milk producer, and in an afl- J verse season the yield is frequently smalt. In a good season very frequently it is not required and is left standing till .spoiled by frost. Such an excess of feed should be turned into ensilage. Turnips are excellent for keeping up the milk, but diseases and milk taint are difficulties. With careful feeding the latter may be largely eliminated as the trouble is largely due to carelessness. Turnips I should be pulled the day before re- ' quired and fed immediately after milking in limited quantities. ■ Autumn Sown Pastures. 1 Harvest work should be practically 1 over. Grain stacks which, are not be- [ ing threshed immediately after sweat--1 ing will require thatching. Where j callage of grain is difficult in wet | J weather threshing should be finished 1 as expeditiously as possible. During " the month attention will be given to 3 preparatory work to sowing down i? grass. On " ploughable country this should be carried out as soon as pos- ' siblc to have "the ground ready in time e for the autumn rains. The grass crop 1 more so than any other crop requires v a good tilth, and no pains should be 7 spared to secure the right conditions £ of a good seed bed. In the bush country suitable weather conditions should ,", be chosen for a good burn, and all h : grass seed mixtures prepared so as to ' be ready for sowing. Cheap seed mixtures are to be avoided as these are p invariably the dearest in the long run. s Good seed is always the cheapest, and the folly of sowing down any- " thing but the best seed cannot be overstressed. Great care must be exlt ercised in selecting seed of grasses s and clovers which will be suitable to t th e country being sown down. ,j Catch Crops.

The preparation of stubble land cannot be taken in hand too soon to make preparations for supplementary fodder crops for winter and spring, ploughing- is inadvisable and unnecessary, the discs and harrows being best for working up the seed bed. Catch crops,, as soft turnips, or cereals for green feed such as Black Skinless barley and Cape barley, with or without tares, will afford quick feed, but must not be allowed to, get away, and will give several feedings by early spring. Algerian oats and tares, while not so quick, are excellent for winter and spring feed. A half and half sowing- of three bushels with a quick acting- phosphate is best. Western Wol'ths or Italian ryegrass,. 15—301b5., with Cowgrass 51bs., is also sown for winter and spring feed, and the summer months. All stubble land 'not required for a catch crop should be sacrificed to encourage weeds to germinate

Lucerne Lucerne, if established, will require thorough cultivation, preferably with a sharp pointed spring tooth cultivator. Spring sown lucerne is better harrowed after cutting, as the young plants hav e not had sufficient time to become established Where it is intended to autumn sow every endeavour must be made to encourage germination of weed seed and kill grass by keeping the ground well stirred with the cultivators Autumn sowing is sometimes an advantage, where spring weeds are very deleterious to spring- sown lucerne, but it is a mistake to sow lucerne in dirty ground al any time. Potatoes. To/vard the end of the month u start Avill be made to life main crops of-potatoes. The proper time to lift is indicated by the tops dying and the tubers dropping freely from" the steins when lifting; the skins should also be firm and not easily rubbed off. If the tops are killed by blight before being ready for harvest the tubers should not be dug until the,skins are firm. The usual practice in selecting seed is to pick out the medium sized tubers while bagging the crop in the field. Better results are obtained by choosing the most vigorous plants before maturity and choosing seed tubers from these. Root Crops. Cultivation of root crops should still be carried out unless the crop is too far advanced, and it is impossible to get through with the scuffler. An extra cultivation often means the difference between a light crop and a good yielder. Noxious Weed Control. Time should have been given to cutting Oalifornian thistle and blackberry. Spare time could be profitably spent now .in cutting and burning these weeds. The seeds of Californian thistle will probably mature unless the cuttings are burnt, and the blackberry cuttings are frequently troublesome if left in the pastures. Opeii drains should also receive attention, as they will probably require clearing out in readiness for winter.