FARMERS’ COLUMN.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 127, 1 February 1915, Page 7

FARMERS’ COLUMN.

SPRAYING SOLUTIONS. TO ERADICATE WEEDS. Ever since spraying solutions have been used for weed eradicators, people have asked why a spray that will kill weeds will not kill grains and grasses as well. Some weeds cannot be killed by sprays without killing the grain also. At first there were only a few weeds upon which sprays could be successfully used; these were weeds of the mustard family. But now the list has been extended until there are a large number that come within the category of weeds that may be effectively controlled), Professor Bolley, of North Dakota, is the father of wear! spraying in America, and he tc;u in a very lucid way the. reason why grains and grasses are not affected by spraying, as follows; “The grasses and grains are peculiarly protected for several reasons; (1) They do not have extended absorbing surfaces as compared with most weedy growths. (2) They are indeterminate growers while young, growing from the inside outward at the stem ends, the young or growing point, being protected while the leaves have the growing point situated at the base of sheath. Those parts of the grasses which come most into contact with the spray are the tip portion of the leaves, and at the time spraying is usually done these portions have already done their physiological work. Even if the tips of such leaves are killed, the basal portions extend the growth, furnishing at once new sur-

faces to the sunlight. The grasses and cereals also have a pretty good protective feature in the bloom or waxy-covered cuticle. In this they are better protected than most weeds. I have only to call attention to the fact that dew-drops upon wheat and other cereals and grasses stand up as round spheres as if from waxy surface, while any drop of moisture readily runs over the surface of the leaves of such weeds as mustard and Canada thistle. A drop of moisture upon a mustard leaf extends at once almost ever the entire surface. The result is that the spray solutions on such weeds come into direct contact with the juices 'cf the plant and at once begin rheir killing effect; while in the case of wheat and other cereals and grasses the spray solution stands in large drops and the first gentle wind rattles it off. In the wheat field practically the only injury occasioned is where large drops chance to stand for a long period in the axils of the leaves or upon some bruised or injured spot. At first it was not thought that flax, as a crop, would admit of spraying. It has been found, however, that if taken at the proper time, the crop is well protected by its waxy coat of bloom.” —“Nor’ West Farmer.” AUSTRALIAN LIGHT HORSES. REMOUNT DIFFICULTY.

A writer in the “Australian” gives some interesting sidelights upop the light horses of New South Wales in the following;

In all the rush and turmoil incidental to the raising and training of the troops for our contingents, the most harassing job has been the purchasing of the horses. Occasionally one meets a very fagged veterinary officer, who comes from 14 days inspections in the hottest districts of the State. His experiences have been so trying that he hardly dares to speak of the business for fear that he might say something not strictly loyal. Horses seemed to come forward rather numerously at first but there was an alarming proportion of rejections, and something had to be done to prevent unsuitable animals coming to hepdjqyay.ter.s. Since then there has been a somewhat different system. Practically every horse is passed as good enough for service before being accepted in the country/ This means that the smallest lots and even single animals, have to be very carefully gone over, and the ground covered to secure a very small supply is enormous. Most of the service has fallen on Lieut.-Colonel G.'ribb.on, chief veterinary officer. Colonel Gribben, through previous experience, knows thoroughly every district in New South Wales where horses might b e picked up. but with that given in he has had weary times. One of the difficulties is that a large proportion of the best horses for army purposes are outside the price which caq he given; but, of course, the greatest trouble Is that there Is no such run of animals which could be passed as fit. Only the individual can be taken, and it is a rare thing to secure half a dozen horses at one purchase. At such times the inspecting officer realises how extremely uneven New South Wales horses have become. Increased returns from sheep and cattle and closer settlement have combined to disperse many of the mobs of horses which were formerly seen on lajgQ properties The number of holdings on which station sires are turned out with good mares fs greatly reduced, anti most of the horses are bred by men who have very few to sell after their own purposes are filled. It is evident that In future the market will be almost solely supplied in this way, and unfortunately many of these small breeders are the men wh° ose mongrel sires, because the services are cheap.