The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, FEB. 18, 1890. TILTH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3438, 18 February 1890, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, FEB. 18, 1890. TILTH.

All those having gardens in this district must know only too well what a lamentable shortness of rain there has been of late years during' the growing time of the year,, Promising beds of vegetables after (he first i spring crop havo ceased even to

promise, and have degenerated into weedy stalks; potatoes have been partially cooked before ever they were taken up or wore half grown; strawberries, except for the very earliest crop, have been a tantalising fraud j cabbages have not had strength to throw off attacking blight.; lettuces have made efforts to run to a head before acquiring a body; everything, in fact, in our gardens has been demoralised for want of that gentle stimulant that a well-behaved season should periodically supply, anil fathers of large families have been equally demoralised to see their hopo of doing a deal of filling up from the garden has become each season a delusion and a snare, Undoubtedly this bhortness of supply of our growing vains must he met by more careful attention to the preparation of the seed bed and the garden plot, by more attention to the soil also, right through tho summer. We reproduco here an article on this subject, written by Professor Frearu, F,L.5.,F.G.5., in the ''Mark Jjane Express." for April, 1888, which so lucidly explains the source from which 'plants should derive their water supply, that we venture to suggest it as being worth more than a single reading or passing notice:—lt is scarcely needful to point out that in the production of tilth the silent operations of nature commonly plays a prominent part, Inwinterthisisparticularlynoticeable, and one of thecompensationsof a hard winter is the finer state of subdivision In which surface soils emerge from it. Charged with water,' which, at the moment of freezing, undergoes in all the pores of the soil a minute yet sensible expansion, the particles of the Soil are sundered from each other and gradually fall doiynin a fine powder, That a good tilth provide? a favourable bed for the seed, t))at it is conservative of the moisture which the seed requires,, that it facilitates the exploration of the soil by the delicate rootlets and root hairs whose duty it is to'absorb the nutrient solutions on which the plant is dependent, are points too well-known and too gonerally understood to need any discussion, However-dry and psrohed a cultivated soil may happen to be, it is not necessary to dig "yery deeply before moist soil is reached. By digging to a much greater depth the water table or line of,water Jevel in that spot, will be found, Vnd It will be'seep that from the water level upwards, the earth is moist, though the actual, soil has lost all; or nearly all, its ojoistnre. Why should it;;not;i be moist : np to; t(jo surface} "Is it because the surface is so largely exposed to evaporation 1 Partly so, no'doubt, but it is 'ft

iiestiou not ao' mtioh of evaporation sof capillarity, ihiit is of tilth. The Me capi|liary tubes having lost most f their moisture by evaporalion, ave given place to otlier more'open übes, :,ioo broad-.for.; 'lis -w.!ti-r. to ravel along, and heuod th~ smHce oil _ has been deprivoJ o£ those nyi'iads of minute invisible conduits fhioh would have enabled it to ontinuously draw , its supplies of uoißture from the reservoir below, Slid ; the surface soil been kept ut a state of fine tilth, and this jan be done by stirriug it sufficiently :requently, tho moisture would have travelled up from below to replace ihat which evaporated. When rain falls upon the soil, some of it sinks town ..to replenish the stores below, but during the season of activo growth, and particularly in a droughty season, there is a movement of moisture from below upwards, This moisture replaces that lost at the surface by evaporation, and its direction is such that it tends to keep the soluble plant food where it is wauted, that is, about the roots of ths plants. If enough water be poured into a saucer in which stands a flower pot full of earth, the surface of this mould will, at length become moist, and the water will necessarily have travelled upwards by capillarity. But hereanotherimportant point comes in. If all the capillary tubes are open to the surface, evaporation can proceed from them so freely that; the underground Btore of moisture may be insutfcient to supply the continuous demand. Hence, again, it is desirable to keep the aurfuco soil by frequent stirring, in such a state that tho capillary tubes are broken or interrupted a littlo below tho surface. In this case tho mere superficial coveringof mould acts as a soil mulch, and like a layer of leaves or grass, or farmyard manure, it protects the moisture beneath. Hence "an occasional slight stirring of the superficial soils serves to conserve :ather than to dissipate the underlying moisture. It cannotbetoo thoroughly , imlerstood that land under crop gives up more water than a bare fallow, jtber circumstances being the same. But when it is remembered that all aoil foods enter tho plant in solution, and that the excess - of water which thus travels into the plant is evaporated, at the leaves, the drain which growing crops must exert upon soil moisture becomes apparent. It is well known that the rapidly growing sunflower is grown in large quantities in summer around ■ dwellings in damp or marshy situations, because ihis crop keeps down excessive moisture in the soil, and everybody must have noticed how the wide-spreading roots of a- large tree can keep the surrounding soil dry. In this relation weeds asaumo a very important aspect. That they.are thieves of crop food'is certain, but is this the worst that oan ba said of them 1 Do they not occasion fur more mischief as dissi pators of soil moisture 1 In all probability (hoy do, They spring up in a very short timo in summer, they grow rapidly, they soon cover the ground with a green mantle and they suck the soil dry, Then it is that those crops which cannot be hoed begin to suffer, and very frequently it is thought that the manuring has been at fault, whereas a foul seed bed is the origin of tho mischief, Viewed in this light the importance is enhanced of a clean seed bed in a state of good tilth.

Messrs Lowes and lorns announce a sale for Saturday next of sundries and a sale on 26th of stock at the yards. ' Mr 0. Smith, tho cash draper ofM.istorton, announces that his monster surplus salo, which is now on, will last but fourteen days, The summor goodß must he disposed of at any sacrifice. Their now advertisemont will appear to-morrow,

Mr J, E, Innes notiGeß having oponed up new books and new good?, ox lonic. Mr Innes has also been appointed agent for tho do of pianos, and has a tirsfcclass instrument on view,

Tne ajjitntion for tho removal of the Government toll at tho Gorge is'boing renowed, and the Paliiatua and Waipawa Uounty Councils are to be askod to ■maintain tho Gorgo road from general revenue if the Government will remove the toll.

A pigeon shooting match, five birds aside, twenty-three yards rise, came off yesterday on tho Club's ground, Masterton, and resulted as follows;—T Bill, live; E Hawson, four; J 0 Walkar.lhim In a second match, with three birds each, Messrs Hill and Eawson killed the lull number and Mr Walkor, two. '.-..- j

At tho annual meeting of-the P. and O. Company the ohairman stated that in Decembor last there were a million ot tons of shipping under construction, and 60 far as ho could judge that amount of tonnage seems hkely to be considerably in excess of tho requirements of the trade, This should bo Rood nows to Now Zealand as indicating a probability of cheaper freights. A shark 17 feet long was captured on Friday by Davidson and Gibbons, two fishermen, while engaged fishing near Otago Heeds. Tho monster, which is of the whip tail species, was firat hooked and then harpooned, aud after very considerable troublo was taken up to Dunedin, Tho Queenstown correspondent of the Otago Witness telegraphs :—" The wellknown guide Harry Birley, in company with Mr Jlorpoth, of Wellington, planted a flag within 200 ft of tho summit of Mount Earnslaw, having thus achieved as much for this mountain as the Rev. Mr Green did lor Mount Cook."

A letter received by Mr Samuel, M. H. E„ by the inward mail, states that Sir J. Vogel is sufforing from yery severe illnesß. The writer also states that shares in the Taranaki Petroleum Company havo all been allotted, and that arrangements are being made for a boring plant to be sent from America as soon as popsiblo. In connection with the Taranaki iron Band it is also stated by the writer that Edison's invention has ovorcomo the refraotory nature of tho metal.

The gigantic concern of the firm of H, H, Warner and Co.,' limited, with branch- establishments in all parts of the civilized world, has been sold to a London syndicate for a sum Involving one million sterling. I The Directorate includes some of tho most prominent men in the commercial world, including leading members of the "British Parliament, with the Earl of Crawford as Chairman of the Board,. The Hon. H, H, Warner, hitherto solo proprietor ot the famous Safe Remedies, who desjro to bo relieved of the exacting claims upon his time and attention which the exolusiye ownerslijp of a concern of such magnitude involves, remains managing director and retains ' a considerable interest in the business wbjch in its oxpansion has had no parallol in'the history of proprietor)' medicines. ■ Good nows If nm Wellington, and quite true, you can get a splendid harmonium from L 5, piano 'or organ from LIB, organ with divided octavo cpuplars all in solid black walnut cases from L 17.; This beats all the cheapest' h&uses' in town, Fianoß tuned for 7s, or by the year four vjsits LI, gravelling expenses added.' All kinds of musical instruments tuned; cleaned, and'ropaired/uew reeds' putjiraccordeariß,' .Concertinas; harmoniums, an)} organs; also' liberal exchanges made. Any instfuihentmaybe' purchased qn tljß.tiuie' payment Bystem from2s Od per' woek. Call and exchange your.old piano for a new one at F; J Pinny's Musical Instrument Ijepot', Manners-Btreet, Wellington. (Sole agept of -tpe celebrated Worcester o'rgaus.)-WT

A notice from the New.•■•' ' Zealand Accident. Inßiiranoa Company appears

hi liuother MrT. Maokayhas convened a meeting of members aud iiitendiiitr jmembers of the Single Tux ..Society, at the Oddfellona'" Hall to-n>ovrow night. ;.;

Mr P. H, Wood publishes his preiminary catalogue of stock for sale at his katahi yards on Thursday February 7th. Further entries are invited.

. The whole of the furniture andeffects of a gentleman leaving the district, contained in .nil,eight-roomed house, Maatorton, is advertised for sale through the medium of our columns. Messrs Eirkcaldie and Stains, of Wellington, aunounce the last fourteen days of their great reduction sale to close on March Ist, Special items for the woek also appear.;. We loam that Mr Coker is negotiating for the appearance of,the American Colored Minstrel Troupe now performing at the Theatre Royal, Wellington. Judging from the favor in which such companies are held here no doubt the enterprizo would be rewarded with lame houses,

It is, we understand, intomlod to hold a grain show in the Exhibition somo time about the middle of-Maroh 1 , and in view of this the Executive are anxious that farmers should be made aware of the fact no that they may prepare samples during the current harvest,' At tho meeting of the Works Commit' tec of the Borouph Council, held last evening, it was decided to proceed at once with asphalting the footpath round the Post and Telegraph Offices, Several other portions of Quoen Street, are, we understand, to be subjectod to a similar treatment at an early date. Tho information laid by tho Mayor ot Gore, Mr I Simson,against Orßalhntine,. charging hiui with use of "offensive and disorderly language at airiieeting of the Borough Council, washoardat thaR.M, Court, Gore,on Thursday. Aftor listening to the evidence Mr llevoll dismissed the information, each party 10 pay, his own costs.

Mr P. H. Wood sold the privileges connected with tho Wairarapa Jockey Club meeting on Saturday. Publicans booth, J. Fabian, £9; Rofroshmout booth, A, Grigg, £4; Grand Stand booth A. Wilkiuson, £ 10s; cards of races, H. Cook, £5; horsß yards, Crawford £2. The Bites and 'Jrand Stand luucheon booth were passed in. A correspondent of the Post says:—A Foxton flaxmiller has cabled Homo for advico as to whether it waß good enough to continue operations, and was rewarded

with a reply to keep ou,, as _thoro is nothing known in London in reference to a heavy drop in tho rnarkot. The

aotionof Wellington firms is strong! condoranr.il

TheFnink Thornton Comedy Compan;

opened their season lastnight at the Opera House, Wellington, with the irresistibly funny " Pnyate Seoretary," Every part waß well taken but, owing to counter attractions in the shape of a mass mooting uf ttio Federated Tndes Union and the Minstrel show at the Theatre Royal, the audience was not bo large as anticipated,

The approaches to the Clack Bridge ovortheWaiohineriveraredangorouaand, fur the benefit of the public travelling by vehicles along this line, the road should be railed on each side, The rorfchom approach is especially steep and narrow. Looking at the bridge from the river bed, it can be noticed thafyne span is saggod, Bhowing that the bridgo wants screwing up. A trifling expenditure in the direction indioatod would prove beneficial.

Tho Wairarapa Juckoy Club's annual meeting takoß place on tho Moroa course, Greytown, on Friday next, and, asthero is always a lavgo gathering at this favorito annual meeting' the railway authorities have vory properly arranged cheap (ares as a concession to the general public, who may wish to tako advantage of tho occasion, to onjoy a good days outing at a reasonable cost. Notice appears elacirhoro that Saturday return tickets will bo issued on Thursday and Friday next available for return up to aiid including Monday, February 24th, An inmate of the Masterton Hospital named James Smith, a laborer, fortytwo years of age, died last night from a complication of diseases, He had, amongHt other complaints, been suffering severely, and for n lengthy period from kidney disease,-and twelvo months ago ho was recommended to undergo an operation that would relieve him. Ho put off his consent until recently when his sufferings being so great he decided to risk the operation, and l)r iiosking, assisted by Drs Milne audlioy, removed tho left kidney from the patiout on Monday, last week. Had there boon nothing ailing him bebides he would, mall probability, lmvo regained bis health, but his constitution was completely shattered, and although at first thot'owero grounds for the boliefthat he would benefit by the Burgical operation, he died as stated above,

Tins is the last week uf " The Fair," as wo shall positi voly close it on b'aturday next, the 15th hist., at To Aro House, Wellington,

Duhino this weok wo have determined to olfor soveral lots of our season's parasols and sunshades at very much less than English oost, at "The Fair," Te Aro House, Wellington.

Foil instance, wo shall soil all oui figured satoenand sateen and laco parn< wis that were marked 2s (id, 2s lid, and 3s fid for om shilling oach.at "The Fair" during this i,cek only, at To Aro House, Wellington.

DcßiM this week we shall give our customors the opportunity solecting from the balance of our sateen and satin parasols, nicely figured, and many of them trimmed with lace, that were usually sold at prices varyinp from 4a Od for eij/i/cenpeiice, at" Tho I'air," Te Aro House, Wellington,

Duiung this week all the rest of our colored satin parasols,triinmed with lace, tho original prices of which varied from 8s 6dto 10s Od, may be had for 3s (id each, those at 10s (id for 6s Od, and a few at 21s 0a at 7s Od, for "Tho Fair," To Aro House, Wellington. D bring this week and this week only, will the above really atonishing bargains bo obtainable, as" The Fair'' positively closes on Saturday next,at Te Aro House Wollington.-Apvi. . .