FIELD NOTES FOR OCTOBER

Shannon News, 28 September 1926, Page 2

FIELD NOTES FOR OCTOBER

(By W J. McCULLOCH, instructor in Agriculture, Palmerston N.). Pastures.—A vigorous pasture growth will now be evidenced, especially where drainage has been practised or where fertilisers have been applied during the whiter or early spring. In order to obtain the greatest benefit and longest service from a pasture care must be’taken to keep the growth young and succulent* and above all prevent ’the grasses from s-e ating. For this purpose a few sheep would bo extremely useful on a dairy farm which could follow the- herd. If the growth cannot be c antroiled through stocking, a mowing machine should be used to prevent a londeney to seeding or coarseness. Similarly on hill sheep country, stocking with cattle will . benefit the pasture and control the tendency to coarseness. Paddocks intended for hay may b closed during the month, and,in early November. The. latoi closing results in greater development and higher proportion o’! clovers where they are present, but it is generally recognised that tii,e early hay is finer in quality. Rape and I vales. —-In favourable districts the first .sowing of rape can 'be made during the men!!), but the main crop would be sown during early November. - v lt is always wise to sow the crop ip .break;. at intervals judged according to local conditions. to give a continuous crop of maturing rape, during thq fattening period. Tpis ' would overcome the danger of over ripeness and also tend in part to restrict’ the ravages of the aphis. Any of the kales can be sown this month to come in from tne middle of January and the beginning of February. Chou Mocllier is well adapted for this purpose and is particularly useful on a dairy facto, sown at IMb per acre and 3cwt sutler, but the best returns from it accrue when it is cut ■ and carted to stock. It is less susceptible the attacks of blights and aphis, than most cruciferous crops. When preparing the ground for these crops on ' can'’-;; 1 dre.o too much the importance of heavy and thorough cubivatioii. hhe ground should be ploughed early in the spring and then ' broken down with (he cultivator and harrows, end finally packed into a fum seed bed' with the roller previous to sowing. CereaV; —The sowing season is about over, though in some districts late sown cereals do fairly well; but then much is due to the season. If sheep huv j been grazed on/the crop it' should be harrowed when they are renmved, partly to give air access to the roots and partly to break. Ih<> surface cake and conserve moisture. Judicious feeding off and harrowing will not reduce the yield of a tillering variety of oats or wheat, but rather produce a denser crop. Care must be taken not to feed too lab; in the season. Mango ids arid Turr. tor—Mangolds should be essential on all dairy farms as a winter feed for the cows. This crop may bo sown towards the end of October, but the beginning of November is early enough -in most district. Sow about 51C lb. to the .. acacia rows 2(Jin. to 2Sin. apart to allow of inter-cultivation. A good general manure would be a mixture 'of Sew. super, 1 ’cwt. blood and brine, appuefl, at about >3e\vt. to the aero. Ai-ont Ucwi. per acre ot kaiuit. should be applied about three weeks before sowing. The mangold prop is one which allows a tremendous response to ktore.l cultivation. The land should really ho fallowed over tic winter and then worked" up. / dcon ploughe<j. and finally worked for thf sewing which should be in ridges, which is much more profitable than sowing on the flat. Turnips. —Greystone, Purple / Top Mamniodi. and Paragon soft turnips can be sown this month, and on early warm land would toe ready for January feeding. A rotation of small er as should be sown from time to time, gradually bringing in the hardier and betjer keeping soft varieties such as the Green Globe. Potatoes —-The main crops should bn put T. this mouth,. though crops sewn med. mouth m some localities are quite as 'successful and probably are freW from .bright. A very useful man ere potatoes would be 6 pts. super, 1 pf- blood anu bone, and l .sulphate of potash, sown as about 4ewx per acre. Lucerne. —By now' Ike ground should be ploughed and limed for this crop, which in most . districts should be sown in November when warm conditions will alow the lu- , ce-ne to come away without a check due to frost, etc. The ground should be cultivated until the date -of sowing, which also encourages weed seeds to germinate, but as sowing date occurs the depth of cultivation should become shallower, and the soil packed for a, 'firm seed bed. A common sowing is from 25 to 25ib. per acre, and one or two cwt. of a quick acting phosphatic manure will give the crop a good start. Lucerne does best on well drained sandy loam with ■ a free loose subsoil. Carrots. —Matchless White is still the best yielding variety. These should be sown in rows to allow of interculti'-ation and produce, a very useful fed dor in early winter, but must be pulled and fed or a great loss will be entailed. Carrots will yield up to about 30 to 35 tons per acre on good land, and are not affected by club-root., etc.