AGRICULTURAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 168, 27 April 1871, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL.

THE GRASSING OF LAND.

" Viator," a correspondent of the " Melbourne Age," gives some valuable suggestions on the grassing of land. His remarks have reference to tho grassing of a run of thirty thousand acres in New Zealand. The question how natural pastures can be improved, is one that concerns the farmer equally with the occupier of thousands of acres. The farmer who has just entered on three or four hundred acres would like to improve the pasturage of that portion which is not destined to cmne under the plough for several years, for. could he do so, the income derivable therefrom would form no inconsiderable portion of the total annual income' from the farm. Good grass land, moreover, is the one thing needful to render farming profitable iv. this country, for it demands a comparatively small amount of annual expenditure for labour, and labour is the hete noire of tho farmer. It is advisable and- proper to have a fair extent of good pastura<jp, and it may not be. and is not. i\)ways possible to lay down the whole of the grass in the best possible manner. If, then, any plan can be adopted, whereby the grazing capabilities of a farm can be considerably increased without much toss of time, and with a comparatively small expenditure oi' money, it should' surely be worthy of notice. In the letter referred to, ' the writer intimates that the gra^s seed* are effectually covered by a dou ile tine of the harrows, and in the case in question we can easily suppose it would be so. In the first plac *, the surface

soil was light, composed as it would be in part of decayed ferns, and an addition was made to it by the ashes of the ferns; which wero burnt to clear the land for the reception of grasses. Many farmers have adopted the idea that grasses will not succeed upon unbroken ground : but as this is owing to the fact of their being destroyed in their infancy by stock, and not to any other cause, we take exception to the statement that they will not thus sue-

ceed. We have had ocular proof that rye grass will succ ed as well in that way as'in any other, provided time be given to take root. The finest lota of prairie grass we have met with have been self sown on roads and flats that have not been worked for years ; and almost the only failures of this last, gi'ass have occurred on land deeply worked and specially prepared for to receive it. Experience has shown that there is no greater error than sowing grasses on hollow land. If the land has been worked for a previous crop, say for wheat or oats, last season, nothing moi'e would be needed than to harrow the stubbles, sow the grasses, and roll the land firmly down. 3?ur» ther ploughiugs will only do more harm thau good.

To get rid of weevils from a barn, a plan that we can recommend is to clean all the grain out of the barn, then obtain of a neighbour a few sheaves of wheat, place one of them iv the barn, and all the weevils gather into it ; then take the sheaf some distance away and burn it. Repeat tho operation a few times until all the weevils are destroyed.

A most efficient agent for the destruction of weeds in walks, and ono that is not expensive, can be made by boiling four pounds of arsenic and eight pounds of soda, in twelve gallons of water. To every gallon of this boiling mixture three gallons of cold water should be added, and the liquor carefully sprinkled over the walks while it is yet warm. It is desirablo to do this in fine weather, and when the walks are dry, so that the weeds and weed seeds may have the full benefit of the application. Care must be taken not to let any of the liquid fall on the leaves or reach tho root of any plant it is not desired to kill. In twenty-four hours after the poison is put on the walks every seed will be killed ; and if it be once thoroughly done, it will keep the walks clean through the whole season. We take the following interesting paragraph from a recent issue of the Nelson evening paper: — The hopgardens throughout the Province present a busy scene just now, and we are glad to learn that crops are turning out well in all directions. Up to the last two or three years the cultivation of this valuable plant has been almost entirely confined to the various brewers, who have, eaoh of them, a few acres within the town boundaries ; but we are glad to hear that the industry is being extended to the country districts, and has this year been attended with such satisfactory results that the growers purpose to largely extend their operations next year. The value of this crop is being gradually recognised, but we have not yet received any information as to the results of the present harvest. Our climate is so thoroughly adapted to the cultivation of the hop that, at nodistant period, we look to its becoming one of the principle- products of the Province of Nelson.

An intelligent and reliable neighbour of ours, who has for many years been making experiments in corn, has discovered an importance and value in replanting corn which is quite novel and' worthy of publical ion. We have always thought that replanting corn was of little consequence, but this gentleman says that it is of- so much consequence, he replants whether it is needed or not — or rather he plants, two or three weekfl after the corn is planted, a hill about every fifteenth row each way. If the weather becomes dry during the filling time, the silk and tassel both become dry and dead. In this condition, if it should become seasonable, the silk revives and renews its growth, but the tassel does not recover. Then, for want of pollen, the new silk is unable to fill the office for which it was designed. The pollen, from the replanted corn is then ready to supply the silk, and the filling is completed. He says nearly all the abortive ears, m common in all corn crops are caused by want of pollen, and that he has known ears to double their size by their second filling. — " St. '"Louis Journal of Agriculture."

The Legislature of New York, at its late session, amended the Act of 18G9, in relation to planting trees alongside of the public highway. The amended Act reads as follows :— " Any inhabitant liable to highway tax, who shall transplant by the side of. the public highway any forest shade trees ; or -fruit trees, of suitable sir.c, shall be allowed by the overseers of highways, in abatement of his highway tax, one I dollar for every four trees* set out ; but no row of rims shall be placed "nearer than seventy feet ; no row of maples or other" forest; trees nearer than fifty feet, except locust, which may be set at ttiirty feet apart, and Ino allowance, aa before mentioned, shall be made, unless such trees shall have boon «"t out the year previous to the deraan.l for said abatement of tax, and living nnd well protected fyaui, anijpals at the time of 3uc4 denß%n(f*'