FARM & GARDEN NOTES

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 65, 5 December 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARM & GARDEN NOTES

- Tin: Wkatui'.u.—Another week and no rain. The continued dry weather is having a most marked effect on pastures and farm crops. Gardens arc suffering greatly, and in many cases the household water supply has run out. If rain does not soon fall, the effect of tho protracted drought will be disastrous. A Simh,k. —An American dairy scribe likens a daiiy association tn a Salvation Army—a small band of firm believers in the cow as the saviour of the struggling farmer, who in vain catches at the. wheat straws to keep him from being drowned in the present tide of low prices. ■j-" -•- •!- Mu Giahstosk and Dairyino.—The 0.0. M. of England told his people at Ilawurden the other day that if he was only twenty years yotigcr he would go among them and encourage a hotter production of dairy products ; that their soil, climate, and stock was of the best, and that they were evidently receding iu the quality and amount to that produced in recent years. U.ycon Extnnrrs at tiik WT.t.uxcton Kxiiiihtiox. --The Christchurch Meat Company, Limited, have a magnificent display of " Morcpork " bacon at the Exhibition, weighing a ton - and-u-----quarter, comprising long sides, short sides, roll and hams, and thiee pigs cured whole, weighing 4001 b, 2701 b, and 701 b—the 0113 weighing 27Ulb is a Tarnworth, S months old ; also a quantity of lard in bladders, of splendid colour and quality. This linn is advertising for pigs, ami farmers throughout the colony having pigs ready to sell should communicate with the firm, and also with .Messrs W. Dimock fc Co., who aie large buyeis.— IN.Z. Dairyman. -1- -1- + Tin: llaisim; ami Fattknim; or Stock in tick Akckntisk.— Unlike the States, cattle, can be raised and fattened iu Argentina at a cost that would be deemed unrcinuiiorative even in Australia, Large areas tire being laid down in lucerne, and it appears from the latest consular repcrt from that country that cattle, fattened on cultivated pasture can be shipped at a price equal to L','l ot English money with profit to the shipper. There is a great demand also for sheep for the Argentine Republic, Kent sheep being in especial demand just now. In September the secretary cf the Kent Romney Marsh Sheep-breeders' Association issued 'Jo export certificates for sheep shipped to that country. An I.MfitovKii Dkain Pi.ontii.—Mr .lames Robertson, of Hampden, has (according to the Oamaru Mail) invented an improved lever drain plough which will surpass anything that has yet been in - vcnled for effectual mole draining. The regulating of the depth of the machine is instantaneously controllable by means of a lever and chain, the great advantage being the cutting of the drain level in the bottom whatever the formation of the surface of the la ml is, and giving the water a free passage. The machine can also be lifted out of the ground without stopping and without removing the draining knife. The invention is of great value, as it will supply a means of coping with a difficulty felt by those who have too much water lying on their land throughout the year, and thereby wasting it, Mr Robertson has taken the necessary steps to protect the invention from infringement. Mr Robertson's machine runs on four wdieeis, the front ones working on the lock, and although very substantially built it is of light draught. Gi.i:a>"lN'o a Ski'akator ■' J.U.AW, In the " British Dairy Parmer," says : '• In cleaning a separator, it is best, to wash at first in merely warm water, not hotter than the hands can hear, because boiling water consulates and cooks the slime fast to the surface of the bowl, nuking it very much harder to remove. Whirl the prrts quickly in warm water, using a stiff brush in "the corners where required, then steam thoroughly or plunge into boiling water for a few minutes ; then wipe lightly the thin tin parts, and place in a dry, warm place, where the heavier fixtures will dry themselves thoroughly by the heat remaiirng in them from the steam or hot water. Cleaning will be facilitated if. instead of using skim milk to flash the separator when the run is completed, there be used a quantity of pretty warm water, say three or four times the eapa city of the bowl. Warm water flushes the- bowl far more completely than doeskim milk, and reduces the loss of fat in the "bowl-slop." This is an important point to be observed iu the use and care of cream separators. While they are the simplest of machines, like everything else, to become masters of them at all times will require a good deal of experience and common sense. -!- + -iPuTATii Pj.axtixo,—On lhis subject Mr .luiius 11. Mount, of Nccrim South, Victoria,, writes to the Leader : '• If you cut tho crown off and ilon't interfere with (he eyes of a loz potato whole, will you have'a greater percentage of small, such as seed and big potatoes » or if you plant the whole imt a to—loz—and don't iuterfero with it in any way, will you have a greater pei'-entuge of largo'r I generally cultivate from ;J0 to (10 aires a year of potatoes, and I found by cutting the crown off I get greater percentage of large. I. don't interfere with any of the other eyes, 1 have found by leaving the crown on and not interfering with any ol lhe utluT eyes I get a greater percentage of small. My theory is this ■ If you cut the crown oil you distribute the strength of the potato "to the other eyes, hence they throw two or three largo potatoes to e»eh eye. Vim will often lind live or six eyes ill a, whole potato of loz, so you get a greater percentage of largo potatoes. If you leave, the crown on. the whole strength of the potato goes to the crown. Tho ol her eyes do not gruw to produce, as only one stock comes from the crown, and you get only two or three large potatoes, lhe rest small; so you see there must he tin average in taking the crown oil'. I do not, appi'ove of waiting for the seed to sprout before planting, for the reason that if you wait for them to do so, before you get the half of your crop iu you will have lost half of the strength of the potato; hencJ a small yield. 1 also find if you cut extra large potatoes info seed of one or two eyes, you will get large potatoes and a good yield, as 1 did, up to lib weight." I''ui;w.\!:n.— At the luncheon of the Durham country show .Lord Loliflondeny delivered a little homily on the blessings which follow to adoption of that quaint, adage. '■ I leaven helps those who help themselves." This is by no means new advice, nor does his Lordship, we presume, claim any distinct originality in ultr-riug it. Still iris precisely the one doctrine upon which the balance of prosperity is bound 10 rot. The farmers who are best stemming tho tide of depression an; those wdio are quick to seize the opportunity of adapting themselves to changeable times. There are admittedly grievances who-c iniquity is tin insuperable barrier to success, and which only legal machinery is capable of removing. We merely remind those who prate too much about the farmer adopting scientific methods that, so long as our dairy produce is rigorously inspected and the foreign article is not, so long as foreign meat is .-old as English, ami so long us the Agricultural Holdings .Vet remains a dead letter, there remain three of many impuilaul harriers to fair and honourable trade to the detriment of ihc producer. This cannot he denied. At the same time, there is something in the cry of old fogoyi-.iu. Farmers, a.- a clas-, do not u-siuiiliUe the teachings of suiuuej to -

readily, but. does it not strike those is to speak too strongly in this matter, that half of this aversion is due _to the teachers of this so-called scientific farming. “ Practice with science ”is the motto we wish to see adopted, but, by all means let us see the practice put first. The fact remains, when all is said and done, that the farmers of the country, tor as much as they arc maigned, grow bigger crops than the farmers of any other country. People have talked of the science of (ierman farmers and American farmers. It wo judge their science by the results of their practice, .vo would prefer to keep by “ rule of thumb.’ xxx Tut; VtcToittAx Chops.— The Melbourne Leader of November 14th says; No improvement in harvest prospects has taken place since last date of writing. A cool change was experienced, but there was no rain worth speaking of, and in the northern districts it is now too late for an increase in the yield being brought about by a downpour. Poor returns uill be the rule from the Coulhnrn River away westward to the South Australian border, except where the crops have been irrigated early and more than once. Rain would probably do as much barm as good now, and it would seriously interfere with haymaking operations which arc now general except in thejeool districts. The hay returns will he light everywhere north of the Dividing Range, most of the oat crops having ripened prematurely while the wheat crops generally aro very short. It is not likely that the yield per acre of hay will exceed that of last year audit is improbabale that so large an area will be eut as, on account of the higli price of grain, farmc-s will prefer to lot their crops ripen. The absence of rain has had a disastrous effect upon grass, and in many parts of the colony the pastures now present much the same condition as in the month of February in an ordinary season. 3lany farmers have been compelled to sell their stock as a sacrifice because they dare not run the rish of holding during the summer. M l:cn the grain is harvested a few weeks hence the stubble fields will provide much needed addition, to the available quanity of stock fodder, but the productiveness of dairy herds in the north is certain to fall far below the records of two years ago. Rain would do much good to both craps and grass in such districts as Rallarat, Lanecficld, Colau and parts of Cippslaml, but farrncis in these localities have very Hide to complain of, as the season all along has been Very favourable. + + Tine Woitt.n's Wiif.at Surn.v. —The Hungarian Minister for Agriculture, in reviewing the position, arrives at the conclusion that the crop for 181)6 will show a shortage ot (I per cent, as compared with IS!)."), and of 12 per cent, as compared with IS!)I. Ho. further concludes that the available wheat from the exporting countries will fall far short of that requited by the importing countries. The returns show that the yield of wheat in the United Stales must have been exceptionally good, for, although there was a reduction in the area under that crop, the yield was .')G million bushels over Unit of the previous year, ihit the greater yield of the United States is much more than balanced by the great falling oil of the yield of Russia and India. In 1891 India was able to export seven million quarters of wheat to lilurope, hut slice then its export has dwindled down to about onethird of that quantity. The export of wheat from Argentina rose from 1,871,000 quarters in 1891 to 7,890,000 quarters in 1804 ; but last year the export dropped to 4,700,000 quarters. All these tilings point to the fact that wheat will rise to a higher level of value in the world's market, but any tendency to high value is always more than counterbalanced by the increased demand for maize and rye. There has been an enormous crop of maize in America, and while wheat is rising in value maize is being sold unprecedentedly low. This balance of the supply of the world’s food Stull's is a good tiling for the consumer, as when tiie stall'of life rises ton high in price there is a great deal of suffering amongst the poorer classes of the community. At the same time it prevents holding back grain against a speculative rise. The total result to the New Zealand farmer will tie a rise in price for wheat ; but inflated values need not he looked for. That is quite a thing of the past, for the magnificent steamships now afloat make all eoun'rios comparatively near to the world’s markets. A sharp lise in tlie u u colonies would speedily biing in wheat by the shipload from San Francisco, so that the speculator who would hold wheat in store would be certain to sud'er loss.—Exchange.

THE AUSTRALIAN HARVESTS.

For some months past the critical condition of the growing grain crops in the Australian colonics, owning to the extreme drought, has been it prominent topic for discussion in the weekly journals, in which until the very evo of harvest hopes wei\) expressed that a copious raintall, if not too lonsr delayed, would somewhat mitigate the disastrous ellucts of the protracted dry weather. These hopes have not been realised, and although it is too earh r to from definite estimates of what the cereal yields will respectively aggregate, I lie concensus of opinion in the colonies most coiic.rucd—Victoria and .South Australia—appears to be that tlie returns from the wheat, oat, and barley crops will be much below the unusually ssunty harvest yield of last season. In regard to the present wheat crop in Victoria, the Australasian says: average of live bushels were realised, the total yield would amount to about 7,500,6()0 bushels, which would baivly be sullicieiil to supply the requirements cf the colony for seed and food for the nest 12 mouths. If I lie awrago weie four bushels, I he yield would be about 1i,000,000 bushels, and if the average wore six bushels, flic yield would be about !>,000,000 bushels. If the outturn is less than five bushels per acre, then it will probably be necessary to import. 'L'lie cost of importing (.'alifornia.il wheat, in the present state of the outside markets would probably be about (is ;Sd to lis Id per bushel (duty paid), but this would be modified by the ups and downs of the San I'rancisco market, which depends partly upon the English market and partly upon the demand for Australia, South. Atrici, and India.'' The crop prospects m South Australia are of a more gloomy character still than those of Victoria, and are summed up by the Adelaide Observer thus : ■• It indicates a terrible state of atl-iirs in the agricultural districts of the province when for two consecutive years it is not necessary for nieruhants to charter a single ship for the carriage of grain to Europe. Vet this was the case a year ago, and also at the present line. There is no chartering of wheat, ships for the United Kingdom for the very good reason that it is now recognised that none will be required.'' Not only will 1 here bo no available surplus of home production for ex port from South Australia, but it has been ascertained that if Adelaide millers are to supply their old customors in South Africa, Western Australia, the Mauritius, New Caledonia, itc, &ft, with flour, they must have supplies 01 imported wheat on terms level with thosu enjoyed by Sydney millers, whose imports of wheat are duty free. The Melbourne millers desire permission to grist in bond, so that they may to some extent retiin their old position in the export trade. The Adelaide miller askorfor permission to ijruit in bond, but would prefer the privilege accorded Fivnoh millers for several years past, and the proposition is now under consideration by the UovcrnnT'iit of South Australia. In Franco tin: Government aullmrities give anyone exporting from tiny French port a note representing in value 100 tons of wheat I'or every To tons of flour exported, this note to be transferable and available for payment, of any llovernuiont dul its whatever. The Adelaide Chronicle, i u reviewing the position, says ;.-»•' San

Francisco offers of milking wheat nrc on this market at, ts 2d per bushel, ships slings, and prompt sb.pment; this means delivery some time in January or February next at a cost of .is (id landed (duty paid, •2s per 1001 b). Unless the duty is withdrawn for a least this special yeur there is hut little charge of our millers getting full employment for their large staffs of mill hands, and for nearly all their filst class machinery, which 111 tho past has been turning our Hour that has taken the highest place for quality in the world's markets. . . . By the French plan

the duty which the French miller has to pay on imported wheat is practically refunded to him, whilst, tho market price of breadstuff's consum&d in France is not interfered with, nor do the agriculturists suffer any injury. It is gratifying to find that the Government arc discussing the advisability of making it, possible for our millets to retain export flour business in their own hands, and are proposing to adopt tho French plan. It has been said the return of the duty collected on 10(1 tons of wheat ior every 15 tons of flour exported would leave untouched the byproducts—bran and pollard—with which our market would be swamped, to the injury of growers of oats and maize ; but tho quantity thus mitdo would bo in this coming year a great boon to every keeper of a horsu or cow, and mist of all to many farmers, who will, it is to be feared, have to buy fodder." in Australia tho whoat crops are the first consideration, but the failure this season is still more mirked in the case of the outcrop which especi illy requires moisture, and in that of barley. Both are decided failures, and the same, according to reports in Australian journals, has to be said of the hay harvests, so it may be concluded that hay, straw, and chaff will be in comparatively short supply, and consequently will command what may be regarded as extreme rates after (he lapse of a few months.

TUKNIP GROWING.

Tho following excellent paper on -'Turnip growing," was read by Mr J. Scolt, a Taieri farmer, beforo the Muuiototo Farmers' Club, and believing it will be read with interest by AVnikato farmers, we publish it hi <xl< 11*0 : oil): adverse circumstances.Arc dry climate and dry soil liable to set hard anl bake ? It may not be out of place here to remind you that climate has much effect 111 determining the nature of the soil. A very dry and hot climate produces a sandy desert; a vciy wet and cold one produces peaty bog. No part of the plain reaches either extreme, but it is all on ihe sandy side. The alluvial flats and nearly all of the north side tire near the lumpy medium for turnips, Tho hurl I have just referred fo in sandy loam. Tts gravel and sand is chiefly schist debris, and, were the climate a little less dry, it woulu bo excellent for my subject. The north side catches moro rain than the side which faces the sun, and consequently the soil has more humus because of the denser vegetation which grew and rotted there. Lower Gimmcrburn and the upper Taieri end of tho plain is dry indeed. The soil has too little vegetable mould. The bulk consists of quartz rock iu tho form of gravel, sand, and white clay. There is too much silica, and soil as well 11s subsoil*, is often cemented together with what appears to be oxide of Iran. Let mo here direct your attention to the- effect sail has on climate. The land I havo mentioned as consisting chiefly of metalliferous rock becomes greatly heated under tho summer sun. and throws hick the heat into tho air, greatly intensifying the heat, and consequent drought. The heated air ascends, cooler air from the mountain falls—or rather rushes in. In consequence we have hot forenoons and breezy afternoons. Two or three hot days are followed by a nor'-wester. I will not pursue this theory further lest wo disagree, .and will finish it by stating what you know to be true—namely, the warm season isalso the windy one. I have cone somewhat out of my proper track, but tho practical outcome may be beneficial here. The most practical way to mulch grass land is to stock liifbtly and refrain from burning. What a glorious mulching this plain had before fire, sheep, rabbits, and ploughs had any local habitation ! For turnip land the substitute is finely-harrowed mould oa the surface. Let no one believe that ground is mulched when it is thickly covered with living plants—weeds perhaps. It is true the sun cannot heat the earth so much, but each plant sucks moisture out of it, and the sun sucks that moisture out of the plant. Dead plants are proper mulching material. C'LKAN LAND, whether after grain, stubble, fed-off turnips, or first furrow, will now receive our nttentiou. To secure the key of the position is to jret 11 vigorous, health}' br.iird. First.: Seed is of the greatest importance. Select well-grown bulbs, and from them grow as much ns you require. If you buy get. if possible, ;l pedigree " seed of lust season's jrrowtb. Do not sow old fusty, musty seed which " was grown liingsyne, Guid kens boo lung." Some of the seed ottered for sale is very dear as a gill. Seed grown iu South Otago unci Southland should be just tho thing for n*. It is acclimatised, and lhe dillVrencc of soil is a goo.i change. From England to Maniotot.o is rather much of a change, though it is proper to use impoited seed occasionally. The better laud of the plain, when properly treated, is the best 1 have ever seen for giving a thick braird after what may be called thin sowing. J-'onr ominx of ijooil snil U niii/tfc when evenly sown broadcast. If perchance Ibis paper wanders beyond our bounds, some farmer of cold clay land may read pounds where 1 havo written ounces; but 1 havo underlined tho words, and hop? no mist ike will bo made. Second : It is import nit that the land be ploughed as early as possible. IJreaking up can best be done in favourable weather (1111111"; winter, it can also he done in early sprimr up to ihc middle of September—-the earlier the better, the later the woisi. When ploughed in good time tho frost. mellows the lurned-up soil, the rain gets into the subsoil, tho furrow settles down without baking and holds the moisture. If anyone doubt'* this let. him shovel up a load of soil which was ploughed in duly and one ploughed in November, and if tho weather has been dry tho comparison will dispel bis doubts. 1 make bold to asssrt that late ploughitig has caused more failures than all tho other causes combined. Stubble bind should be ploughed in winter and early spring, but only when moderately dry. Ploughing vcrv wet land that has been worked beforo is a bad job ; it is likely to set bard and be worse than if not ploughed at all. The fed-off turnip breaks should be ploughed as soon as convenient after being eaten off. for the double purpose of securing the manure from beiiifr washed away from tho often smooth and almost waterproof soil as well as preparing it for catching ttie rain and being mellowed by the frost. Bovine stock are undesirable, and where turnips arc to follow turnips sheep only should be used. If in arj r oaso the land is very hard si-t, or tramped into solid lumps, then a stroke of harrowitiur immediately after ploughing will be of benefit, more especially late in spring. As a rule it is not wise to harrow immediately after the plough —the soil is 100 raw to make fine mould, though breaking down readily, and if the rain comes before it is dried a crust is likely to form. If only moderately lumpy, better to let it dry and bo ready with the harrows when it is in condition after rain ; but never harrow when the ground is wet, nor while rain is falling. 1 believe it is a good plan to have the laud partly hnirowed about a month before sowing. The final harrowing necessary to make fine mould should be done onlj' when dry enough to make dust. Of course, a good braird is sometimes got where the ploughing has been very late ami the harrowing almost nil —where the gruund has been scratched with the plough, and bus laughed with turnips ; but 1 maintain that, except iu very moist

and free land, it nil depends on the chance of heavy rain falling after ploughing and before sowing. If the ploughing be late and the sowing follows just after, the seed runs the gauntlet of being destroyed. I have previously remarked that newlyploughed soil, in dry weather, is abnormally dry. That, being so, light rain, just sufficient to wet the seedbed, causes the seed to germintite quickly ; the surface moisture soon dries away bottom moisturo (most important) there is none—then the germ withers and dies for ever. That is a complete failure. Partial failure takes place where the surface moisture is more and the bottom dryness less. Whn a combination of favourable circumstances enables the seed germ to reach the stage called braird, even then a few growthless days gives the Hy a chance to devour it. The points that I wish to impress on you as necessary are: A moist bottom and a finely-harrowed surface. And these are much more likely to be got in land early ploughed. Third : Turnips should bo sown in October and November—rather in October than November. The variety best suited by experience should be chosen. My experience is that swedes and the globe (white) varieties are least suited to our circumstances, and that tho common pnrple-top and green-top are the best. I saw. and you may have heard of, four purple-top turnips grown last season atGlimmerburn which turned the scile at lewt. Unless the land is lumpy or late-ploughed rolling is not necessary, nor even beneficial, if it is at all wet. The best condition is when it is dry and dusty. The very fine mould then runs into every crevice, fills the vacant spaces, and—most important—covers the seed. In whatever way the seed may be sovvn, one stroke of the tinnd harrows is neccssar}' to cover properly. I think seed requires mora covering in outdry climate, and especially so late in the season. 1 am aware that light harrowing with brush or chain harrows is advocated on the supposition that the bulbs grow better out of the ground ; but I imagine that the depth of covering has less to do with it than is usually supposed. Tho crop grows well enough above ground o new land, and also on old land, when it is properly worked. A healthy good crop always grows well above the surface, and a poor stunted one is always, or nearly always, too deep, no matter whether the seed were planted deep or shallow. In esse mi}' of j'vju have besn prejudiced against deep covering by British agricultural writers, I hasten to submit that their case is different, in all parts of the United Kingdom there is more rain, and —what our summer lacks—more cloudy moi-t days ; the soil in general has more humus, the seed gets moisture enough near the suifaeo ; while tho better heat and light are all needed, and writers write accordingly. In our case, with a light rainfall, we have very dry air. In our comparatively cloudless sky the heat, of tho sun is great. The quartzy material so much in evidence in the drier soils is a heat conductor of no mean order. The schist debris, so common on the north side of the plain, though it forms a better soil, is also a heat conductor, therefore we must cover the seed well to protect, it from the heat and to let it iu to the moisture. 1 may conclude this paragraph by saying that little can or need be done after broadcast sowing if the land is clean. The gate should be shut, the fences properly fixed up, and all vermin in the shape of hares and rabbits should be vigilsntly pursued and ruthlessly destroyed. MANOKK. In the foregoing I havo assumed that manure was not to bo u-ed. Most farmers haw new land yet, and do not greatly require it—indeed the expense of carriage is almost prohibitory at the present time: but my sul jeet would be incomplete without a paiauraph on manuios. The most suitable manure is the one which best, supplies the elements in which your soil is deficient. That is what special turnip manures baldly ever do. They are designed to supply what the turnip requires. They invariably contain a stimulant to hasten the young plant beyond the powi r of the fly. If all the turnip elements tiro equally deficient, the turnip fertilisers are ctVtainly tho best ; but it strikes mo that our soil is strom.r in its mineral elements, and that it does not require any stimulant exceprin j moisture. Quieklyiieting manure might even do damage. Given more that l average moisture in the first of the season, a luxuriant, musbroomlike jtrowth springs up, but when heat and drought come it withers, and tho crop is an abortion. It has been observed that in placs s where heaps of farmyard manure arc left to rot the crop looks very well till heat and drought set, in—after that it fails. The pampered young plants cannot <;et moisture enough, and they blight and shrivel worse than those of slower growth. For the greater part of our land bones are the best manure—either dissolved or in meal; and I have little doubt that, the right manure applied at tho right time iu a proper way would give good results. The right time would bo shortly before sowinjr. and the proper way would be to sow broadcast and cover with disc harrows. Manure will not act, when lying in or on the dry surface above reach of the rootlets. WKKIIS. The chief of them is the plint known as fat-hen. Prevci tit from getting a footing. Take it by the forelock. A few plants iu a field arc not hard to pull up. Make heaps and with something that burns freely. It burns badly itself. Never pull or hoe out ripening and ripe fat-hen and leave it to roll about with tho wind, the seed is thereby sown far and wide. In fact I have known plant* to bo rolled before the wind for miles. Vermin hares, rabbits, and birds —cat the seed at the ripening stage, and spread the nuisance everywhere. The seed has such amazing vitality that in our climate it will lie on the surface and in pellets of dun-; till the land is ploughed and the seed gets into a favourable place, where il will spring up in a surprising way. Show its way to the man whose axiom is " nothing produces nothing." His faith will bo shaken, and he will begin to wonder whefhir nothing pivduood fathen. After what I havo seen of it I would not like to name the time it might lie on the surface rr buried in the ground ready waiting for a favourable opportunity to embrace a new life. Tho spread of this weed is alarming, and is the greatest menace in front of turnip-growers. Sorrel does not sr.atter much with lhe wind mid does not spread very rapidly where the subsoil is tightly bound; but. on the better turnip land, where the subsoil is loose, there tho sorrel is a formidable enemy. Farm stock, us well as vermin, spread it in the same way as they spread fat-hen ; and in addition it is propagated by divided pieces of root being carried further afield. How best lo deal with sorrel and fathen is a problem worth solving. Probably the most effective way to overcome fathen is to plot-.gh and harro.v early in the autumn to give the seed a good chance to Kcrminatc. All that germinate will perish during the winter. If wo could gee every seed to ■Terminate, then the land would be clean : hut unless the work is executed well and carefullv, and very favourable weather is experienced for sprouting, there will be much of the seed left sound. Some may be covered too deep, some not covered enough, and it will live till the position suits the season. The shallow-covered will sprout early in September, while that at tho bottom of the furrow will sprout in December and all through the summer. Therefore .'iin is deep enough for the autumn ploughiug-in of fat-hen. Cultivate again shortly before sowing to destroy all "the plants which have come up in the spring. Delay the sowing on this account to tho middle of Novoabtr. Sow the turnips in rows wide enough for a grubber to go between ; and when more weeds begin to show, a round of the grubber and a little hand-hoeing will, I believe, ensure a crop. Autumn cultivation cannot be practised where turnips follow turnips, bur. tho rest of tho scheme applies. Sorrel chokes tho crop with its vigorous growth from the old root, it being a perennial plant, and perhaps it is not wise to plough two early but jus.t long

enough before sowing to give sufficient titno for the weeds to start to plouirh deeply, and to grub and harrow thoroughly indiy weather, so as to completely wither all the root-'. The grubbing ami harrowing required for that will make plenty of fine mould and ensure a braird. It may be said all this work will not pay wages, and that may bo true so far as poor land is concerned, but everyone knows that it is quite useless to sow turnips on a bed of sorrel or fat-ben, and if it does not full)' pay to keep down weeds:, certainly it will pay less if they choke the crop. To be successful we must get fair crops with little expense ; but the land on this plain is easily got over, and a little extra work will not bo so expensive as it appears at first fight. RAISED DKIIIiS call for some notice. Turnips are easily hurt with too much wet weather, and cannot stand soking in water tint cannot get away, therefore in a wet aud humid climate raised drills are almost indispensible, turnips should be on drills in all cases where hoeing and manuring is necessary. But I am of opinion that raised drills are not suitable for Muniototo. Our climate is too dry, and rain water gets away too casil}'. Drills run the water away from the plants, whereas we require to direct the water to them, liaised drills doubtless would be drier than a flat surface. Where drilling it. necessary on account of weeds, I think it preferable to sow in rows on the Hat; For this way of sowing, none of the machines in the market are adapted, but a machine can be made without invention whenever it is called for. In the absence of a proper implement the sowing may be done with the ordinary revolving spindle, with the canisters placed 28in. to Mill, apart, and a piece of iheet iron fixed below moll to gather aud guide the seed in a row. in case of wind the iron wouid require to reach the ground as nerr as possible. nuo.KT attacks in autumn. After hot dry weather rain causes a vigorous growth, and then if another turn of heat and drought sets in a sudden stoppage cakes place. The ill-nourished plant, like the ill-nourished animal, becomes the prey of lice. I have noticed that about the borders of inisfcd places the blight is worst. 1 should therefore infer that early deep ploughing (or subsoding), timely sowing, and moderate closeness, arc what should be looked after in the way ct prevention. iSubsoiliog shculd be of much benefit toward prevention. Blight seldom affects the better turnip 11 lit I of this plain where the subsoil is eomparitively loose, while it is very frequent on the lower and drier parts where the subsoil is tightly bound. The cost and difficulty attending the subsoi'ing of very hard-lotton.od land are almost deterrent. The work can best be done after the subsoil has been softened, and that seldom happens, excepting during winter and early spring. At any other time the wear of subsoil shares and horseflesh is very great. This of course refers to the less suitable turnip land only. Much of the plain can be sub.-oiled at any time, in any season, and with comparative ease, but there snbsoiling is not much required. Excepting through the agency of Nature, cure is to say the least, impracticable. Starlings are now pretty numerous, and with light attacks they, to some extent, are aide to cope, but I have seen thousands of then; on a few acres without effect. Spraying machines, however perfect, I have no faith in. The spray cannot reach the under side of the leaves, and to expect smell to kill blight is to court disappointment".. Poisonous gases have a habit of rising into the air, and need not be expected to kill blight nor fly in the open ; bisides, the cost of chemicals: puts cure out of court. Proper preparation and subsequent treatincut arc the only reliable things to depend on. My paper has dealt fully with these, and I need only reiterate that after a line tilth has been obtained all tramping of horses and stirring of implements should be avoided in wet weather. Tramping and stirring pulverised wet soil makes it into bricks. Stirring fine mould even when only slightly wet makes it like butter at the granular stage, aud whtn dry weather sets in it hardens in little pellets —small peihaps, but sufficient to defeat the object which should be aimed at a finely pulverised surface, in ooNcorsrox". As my paper is stretching rather long I shall briefly treat farm management, and only in relation to my subject, To fully treat farm management would require a paper on that alone. Estate management caunot be touched without stirring political feebng, and that I wish to avoid for the present. Heturning to farm muuageracut, 1 have written of turnips following iurnips. It is usually considered bad practice to sow the same kind of crop twice in succession, but oxr circumstances do not admit of rotation crops. Tbsre have of recent years been broken up many thousands of acres which are not likely to bo profitable for grain-growing. Artificial grasses do but indifferently, and aro expensive to maintain on all but the best lands. The natural indigenous grasses are really excellent sheep pasturewhen lightly stocked and they cust nothing to maintain. On the poorer soils they are far superior to any yet tried. It is true the alluvial flats by the watercourses—oasss—arc capable of big things in yrain and grass; but I refsr to the extensive tracts of a distinctly different nature. Well, then, it cannot be management to drive the plough with breathless baste and valture-like greed over all the rirgin land, tearing np the native grasses, whioh cannot be restored, taking o:ie or two crops, and leaving behind a forest of woods. That is killing the goose that lays the golden egg. It is much better to pliusrh hss extent aud cultivata thoroughly, keeping down all weeds, and taking five or six crops before grassing. 1 know by experience that if weeds are kept down turnips may be profitable for six yenrs in succession, even on poor land. •' Ho that hasteth to becune rich shall become poor." and, true to that, tin; in-haste to-gef-it-all farmer, if a freeholder usually goes through tho "mill." and the place that know him knows him no more. If a .State tenant, he slackens and bangs his lower lip like a motherless foal, and approaches the Land Hoard with a somewhat irrelevant tale concerning his delicate wife and large family; his poor land is too dear; be cannot pay rent, and wi«heß—to —surrender. Were I the landlord I should consider Kim a " social ppst," a:-:d would promptly take action to prevent others from following in bis footst-ps, 1 hnvo no*' toed the lino where I promised to stop.