SORREL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 397, 7 October 1874, Page 3

SORREL.

From a recent exchangeto hand, we enll a few interesting 'particulars iv regard to the successful eradicating |of sorrel from the coil. It cannot be expected that the soilhowever well cultivated — can produce two crops during the same period. In the most fertile localities the baneful effects of sorrel, when once in possession of the field, are very apparent and startling. On no account whatever can it be dislodged by means of mowing and chipping, and when ploughed and harrowed, its roots interlaced like net work through the furrows send up fresh and vigorous shoots. There are various waya of dealing with land infested with-sorrel. One plan is like that adopted with fields over-run with thistles. The Scotch-Canadian, or Taranaki thistle, as it has been variously termed, which is beginnmg to appear amongst us, has been long established in the Northern provinces. In cases where it has been neglected and allowed to get firm possession of fields, they have been abandoned to the thistles ; and it is found that after a number of years the soil becomes thistle-sick, and will grow thorn no longer. ■It is then reckoned that the large top-roota of the thistles rotting away enrich the ground, and admitting the air assist in pulverising it. Some propose to deal with sorrel groutiu in the Baine manner. The fields red with sorrel are left to themselves, and year by year it becomes more stunted in its growth, and at last disappears. But it is bad husbandry N thus to leave land to grow crop after crop of exhausting weeds, when it might, by .vigorous I treatment, be cleared of them, and produce profitable crops. We have seen land very b;id with sorrel ; it seemed hopeless planting a crop in it ; but by working the ground well with plough and harrows, exposing the sorrel roots to the suu, and then planting the field with roots, with bone duat to start them away vigorously, then, by working between the drills thoroughly with the horse-hoe, au<l also using the hand-hoe, the crop did at length gain tho mastery over tho sorrel ; and as it became luxuriant, aud ultimately a heavy crop, the oorrel entirely disappeared. It is the growing continual grain crops that encourages the sorrel — not to speak of exhausting the soil, thus proving a bad systoni of farming. But so long as grain crops are esteemed the most profitable, whatever may be said against them, settlers will for tho most part go in for what brings them the largest present return. The case being co, then tho question remains, What is to be done with land where the crops are becoming less and less year by year, and it is painfully evident that their cultivation is becoming much leas profitable.. It ia not practicable to plant root crops on large areas, requiring an- exhausted aoil farmyard manure, and thereforo tho sorrel cannot be got rid of iii the manner that has been described. We say in the first place, the loss exhausting cropping that has been pursued the better, and that the only remedy then i 3 to work the land thoroughly with plough and harrows, exposing the roots of the sorrol to" the sun ; then sow it down for pasture with a thick sowing of mixed seed containing a large proportion of while clover — a plant that is suited, from its close manner of growth, to combat the sorrel, aud has been found in practice fully to answer such expectation; and though the farmer might choose other, grasses rather than it to form the staple of his pasture, he will consider it a good substitute for sorrel. In most cases it will be necessary to encourage the growth of the clover by a dressing of bone-dust. Land that would not otherwise produce pasture will do so with the help of bone-dust. It is much preferable to guano for permanent effects, and is almost au essential auxiliary in overcoming sorrel, giving vigour to the young crop to combat the weed.