FARM AND GARDEN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4467, 11 July 1893, Page 2

FARM AND GARDEN.

Exhaustion of the Soil, and ''■ Consequent Necessity for Manures,:

[Fr,OM " I'lE Aomcowohsi."]

Ths elements entering into the composition of plants are carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, potash, soda, lime, magnesia, iron, carbonic acid gas, silica, and ch'orine. o!these, carbonic ' acid gas and oxygon, whioh a,o present in the atmosphere, and hydrogen, present in the wate;, are absorbed wiihout difficulty by planis. Nitrogen, although i. forms four-fifthsofihe atmosphere, is'Tipoflsiblo of absorption in that sipie, so it, with all the oihers must be p,esent 'n the soil. Soils w] in character, some of these elements predomiiiatinj in one, some in arother. The wholo of these elements oeour in suflio'ent quantity in most soils in their natural siato, and when Cook discovered New South Wales the eastern alluvial river flats were as fertile as at preser., it not mors so. Each successive clothing o( vojeip.tion that has beautified tho world's surface frcn creation's dawn till now, as it died, not only re-invested tho soil with the elenentsitwithdiw from It, hut-—/ superadded also thoso it has. takeaJhrt* >- the air; and even what the animalnln. for their food, was fully returned aithetf death, so that no loss occurred, Under cultivation, however, mau takes from the soilinthcvo;-,otab!es and fruits which ho cats, many matters which are never made up to it; so that cultivated g.-ound beconios continually poorer, vutil, like the Southern United States of Amcrloi, once nolod for their bountiiul crops ol cotton and sugarcane, they refuse at last to g.ow the same crops at all, This is because some elements have jeen nearly or completely abstracted from the soil as plaut food. The only way to mako such land fully recover, is to give it again tho lacking materials in such quantity and proportion that its pittinopioduotiveness may ajuln lie equalled, -Hence the necessity tor manures, A soil will refuse to grow a crop while there is absent from it oven one clemeat in its composition, and any of those above mentioned may be tho missing ones, but it has been found that 'nitrogen,phosphorus, and potash are most frequently wanting. Theso are supplied ohiefly by animal excrement, bones and ashes.

The reputation o'E a'J varieties .of cow-pea as a fertiliser has long been known the art o( green-soiling or manuring for nearly every kind of crop. Planters and farmers should sow it in dtfj season, for its growa rapidly; and when ploughed into tho soil tho cow-pea enriches the land largely with nitrogen and humus. One'acre of cow-pea, adds largo quantities of phosphoric aoid, potash and linn,

Chceso-making is sato business to' stiok to, /or it is not as liable to be overdone u M butter-making, aud the product will kejH longer and bear the transportation bettenH j Butler shrinks as well as other arlloles, j and such is ofien tho cause of errors in ret, ports of sa'es when butter is shipped long I distances and remains unsold for several ! weeks. Improper food is a prolific source of poor i milk and small yield. The milk is ruado 1 from the food the cow eats and the water 1 she drinks, and it is well to remember that i the food must be properly balanced, i Tho demand for butter of a superior ■ qualify Is on the increase, and eaoh season ■ more is purchased direct from the producer. It will pay to produce a superior artiole, and customers once secured can always be re(ained, There should be a good garden and oronardoneve:y farm, Not to speak of the mere pleasure connected with proper variety - of food, the gain in hcalthiWill be undoubted, Nowistbo time toftgUisb them, it it has not 'already ieen kSected. Any spare time nny be profitable spent in the crltivntion of the choioest kinds of vegetables, fruits and flowirs, and the benefit to body and mind will be great, Cancer in Fruit Tiees, A Mtci in the Journal of HoiKculture is of opinibi that this troublcsomo disorder is • moro often eaused by impaired root aotion than from anytkiig else, arising in the first case from want of efnoiont drainage and perfect oulture, thus restiict'ng the formation of healthy root grontb. It may also to,a limited extent bo due to injury arising/roma too t.'ghi bandage or wound caused by a nail. He reoominends extra good oulture, inoluding top dressing of good minure and a liberal-application cf liquid manure duii.ig the autunWi|£v winter, and should that fail, liftingJmP" replanting tho trees in a' well prepared' border, (running the roots and amoving all diseased wood, .v .