FARM AND DAIRY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 84, 29 September 1911, Page 3

FARM AND DAIRY

CKOWINd 01' LU.'KRNF.. I I'.y A. I!. Woods in Wairampa Times). There is a diversity of opinion regarding the best method of sowing this crop. The Department of Agriculture's co-operative plots will be watched very carefully—broadcasting and drilled plots are to be sown. The conditions as to cultivation previous to sowing will be identical. The quantity of seed per acre is another matter which will demand careful attention so as to arrive at some definite quantity to apply pei; acre. In New South Wales'anything from Gib to 251b per acre is applied. When the actual number of seed is reckoned up it is enormous- in two ounces of seed there are 35.200- .-.ecd and in 251b of seed 5,040,000. It is well known that this plant, as it glows, has a tendency to become thin. The class of soil may cause this, and again the stronger plants get larger and kill out the unfortunate weak ones. Cultivation has a great bearing, and many other circumstances may alter the results. The farmer with deep soils can grow this crop successfully, but it is the shallow'stiff soils and water-log-ged sub-soils which will cause trouble. Lucerpe responds to an application of lime and careful cultivation.

MAIZE CULTURE. Dairy farmers will soon l>o paying attention to tliis crop. The success of this crop depend- mainly on cultivation —both previous to sowing and after cultivation. There is no crop which repays for all tin? expense more, than a crop of maize. Tho land should he deeply ploughed if possible; and a good seed lied provided. Maize roots make a deep ■ search for their food, and to provide the roots with' room for development is an important factor and assists to procure a rapid growth and early maturity, j Experiments have been conducted in this district which have decided the varieties of seed to sow. When farmers are growing nniize for green fodder three or four kinds can be sown, each to ma;ture in rotation, and so avoid having too large a .quantity ready to cut at the same time. But if a farmer is growing for seed tliis must be avoided, as cross fertilisation is sure to spoil the seed., The bulk of maize grown in this district is ehieflv for green fodder for milch cows, and in. the near future no doubt ensilage will he undertaken with most excellent results, for there is no crop more suitable for this purpose than maize. The best feeding value from maize is when the cobs are formed. The cost of building a silo may be too costly for n. small dairy farmer.However, it is often convenient for two or three to join together and lighten the burden of first cost. The size of silo should be built according to the I cattle to be fed. When this calculation is arrived at. there..is little fear of building the silo too small. It is better to be on the huge side. When estimating the quantity of ensilage to be given to each oow. a guide as to quantity may be. fixed at 4">lb per cow per day, providing the stock have a grazing paddock of fair quality. ■ Forty-five pounds, of ensilage equals one cubic foot. Based upon tins, about 32 ton 3 cwt, of ensilage would be required to feed ten cows during <i period of four months. Allowing for shrinkage and waste, a silo built to hold 2000 cubic feet would be required. To provide for this a silo -20 ft by 10ft by 10ft deep, inside | mesisurment, wotdd be necessary. There | is very Tittle (inference in the weight of | one ton of :.green stuff and one ton of I ensilage. If maize is selected for use, it would only require two acres (sixteen tons per acre crop) to provide the amount, to till a silo such as the one described. The actual cost depends upon the class of silo to be built. I venture the opinion that ensilage will soon become a matter that the progressive farmer will pay attention" to. The great advantages will shine out when such matters as improved quality of milk, richer cream, etc., is noticed bv the feeding to dairy stock. It is an established fact that twenty tons of silage will go as far as twenty tons of hay, not forgetting that it takes twenty tons of green s trill; to make six or seven tons of hay. A circular was issued by the U.S.A. Depan.ment of Agriculture to four thousand .farmers, asking them to report on the value of silage. Not on-e said a word against it. A few of the replies may interest a few who have doubt* of what silage can do:—(I) One acre of ensilage will keep eight head of cattle . one hundred days. (•>) Tt will double ■ the stock-carrying capacity of our farms. I (.'!) Lain keeping four times the number I of stock with my silo than I have been ' , able- to do hitherto; a silo filled with ) green fodder in time of protracted - drought is invaluable. (4) It enables ■> one with little land to keep a large amount of stock. (.">) I think stock can } be kept for one-fourth the expense of - a:iy other method. It is needless to say - any more upon the aspect of the question. A trial is the only thing to make I this matter the dairyman's anchor. ;, The Victorian Department of Agricul,t ture is still erecting silos for farmers I, on the. time-payment system. One-third n cash is paid before the erection of the ~ silo, and the balance in equal payments i. at tho end of the first and second years. ,] Various forms of tubs are erected. A s 100-ton wood and iron silo costs .O) v to £.")4. according to distance from Mel-

bourne; a 105-ton all-wood .C-14 to £5-1; 110-ton concrete Mock £!)() to £l)2. These prices include the cost of an elevator. For the all-steel it is claimed that it has the advantage of being white ant-proof, and is not all'cctcd by climatic conditions, while it is also of much less weight than the other types. The popularity of the concrete block silo, it, is stated, is steadily increasing, owing to it being fire, white ant and verminproof, and more durable than any other material.