AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2023, 22 March 1890, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

The Board of Agriculture have issued their official returns of the three principal corn crops of the year in the United Kingdom. The average yield per acre is returned _as 29.91 bushels, a fractional increase over 1888 and a decrease of 2.16 bushels on 1887. The Government Statist in Sydney estimates the New South Wales wheat crop at 6,460,000 bushels, or an average of 15.86 bushels per acre. After allowing for seed he estimates that 1,487,000 bushels will have to be imported for food requirements ; 407,400 acres were reaped and this exceeds by more than 100,000 acres the area from which last year’s crop was taken. The average yield during the past twentyeight years has been 12.88 bushels per acre. The Perthshire Advocate, a leading agricultural journal, says that a matter of extreme importance to the grain trade is found in the great accumulations of wheat in America, the official reports of which have just arrived. These show that during November the accumulations at 1000 points east of the Rocky Mountains increased no less 7,507,659 bushels. Prom the Pacific coast the the exports have been heavy and so the stocks west of the Rockies aggregate 8,120,000 bushels, or a decrease of 1,250,000 bushels on the month. As compared with the same date last year, the total stocks of wheat in sight on December Ist were as follows : Stocks of Wheat in Sight on December Ist in 1888 and 1889. United States. p IBBB -, R lßß^ JbushoK Bushels. Rast of Rocky Mountains,,*. 51,394.546 54,455,395 West of Rocky Mountains... 6,476,967 8,120,000

Total ... 57,371,613 62,575,395 With such large accumulations as these, it is very evident that no important increase in values can be looked for. The increased facility afforded to the American farmer for the carriage of his grain is an important factor in regard to the competition the? New Zealander has to contend with in attempting to supply either the Australian or English markets. In 1860 the cost of conveying 1001 b of wheat from Chicago to New York was 65 cents (2s while last year it was reduced to 25 cents, (Is The American Miller estimates that quite Is per bushel has been taken off wheat at New York by the reduced cost of transportation, and proportionately more on the value of other grains. The policy of the railway syndicates in America is to encourage the transport of grain by every means in their power, while here the farmer is handicapped in every direction, although it must be admitted that some slight improvement has taken place within the last five years. In a brief note to the' Rural New Yorker on this subject, Sir J. B. Lawes says : —Does a clover crop enrich the soil ? There is no evidence, so far as I know, that it does. A very rich soil where we have grown clover for more than 30 years in succession, is greatly impoverished. But better crops of grain are grown after clover, although it is true the clover has carried off large quantities of the food contained in the soil; and further, we have satisfied ourselves that the soil for the first nine inches from the surface is richer, i.e„ more competent to grow a larger crop of wheat than it was before. Part of this increased food is certainly derived from the subsoil; whether all of it is so derived there is no evidence to show. Mr Terry (the correspondent of our contemporary, who started the discussion) grows clover, potatoes, and wheat, exporting the grain of the wheat and the potatoes. Why not ? Because he is exhausting his soil; would it not be batter to say he is reducing its ferility, and is not all economic agriculture based upon the removar of fertility ? I suppose that no other person has tried so hard as I have to exhaust-my soil, and yet what is the result of fifty years’ experience ? That upon a soil which has no pretension to be called a rich soil, the bulk of the ■ fertility is still there.

The Conference at Melbourne which has been considering the ravages of red rust and the best methods of dealing with it, have agreed on their report. They recommend early sowing in all eases where practicable. The fact is not overlooked that in some years, owing to unseasonable weather, early sowing is impracticable, but its adoption is recommended where late sowing is at present practiced. The Cont ference fully believe that no such cereal as rust-proof wheat has yet been discovered, but the experiment ot importing different varieties from countries outside the colonies, and careful selection in the colonies of certain kinds haye proved that there are sorts which are constitutional able to resist the pest to a considerable extent. The continuance of this work is recommended with a view to securing a list of the var eties most likely to prove remunerative to the farmers of the various colonies. Evidence shows that certain varieties will resist rust in one part of the colony and succumb in another* The report further recoinmends growing wheat upon laud previously fallowed or in to crops such as maize, sorghum, and | peas. Wheat so grown has been found IGirjoylGirjoy greater immunity from rust | than when succeeding a previous crop | oi wheat, oats, or similar graminaceous plants. The burning of stray/ and *scuoole affected by the disease is

recommended. The Conference will meet again in Sydney after next harvest to consider the results of the experiments it has been determined to make.