SHEEPWASH.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 281, 28 February 1874, Page 2

SHEEPWASH.

In reply* to * Cf>r'Wf' i»nilji;rti »ni1ji;rt in ri»fi>ivnoe to •Heop-watii toot oeo, the AHttralctsim* •ir*:— "Tno tort kno*n nsC>nnecticnt u "ed in* ip <{<nd nith*r for *-nok;nj o* s ioep nt'i. For the Ult'T purpose it i» not necessary to transplant or to innir much eipi'n->« in cultivation. On wme «tation<4 an old sheep -ani it sown thmW, and with the exception of hoeing to destroy vreoU, nt cult-ration is done. Wtan the crop b fit for use it u moan rt:ii partlj driod ; it m afterwmla hung up heal di^nwards in n «hed, or in a thsdy st)i* until th* 1 drjin|»i Smshet, alter winch it U talcru down, tied in bnn Jle', and et "-oJ in & dry room. For aheep^aih ' tun sf»nq *rp a< m« r ul as the lp*f. If labJur-ba'ar^iUble, ; far better result* will bs obtained bj planting out." The upod should be si^n in boda a yard widn (Un^th accoraing to req'iireinontd), io that weedier can be dome without stopping on the bod. T.)« leed should be mixed with throe or four times its bulk of land, to facilitate distribution ; it •h >uld be sown rerr thinly — half an ounce to four yards run of the be i. Tlio ground (or the crop ihould be worked by plough and harrow, or. failing those, bf digging ; fine titt h and noh soil baing t crj eisential. Aj soon as the plants are Gin. high they mty be set out, the weather being s i table and the soil in order, at from 3ft. to ifL apart, in rnra not \ a a than 4ft. atunder. Tho toil around them I'lould be hoed occasionally, and kept quite clear of weeds Earthing up is praott^d clightly. and when the plants have made from six to eight largo leaves the top ii pinched oue, so is to throw all the sap into those leaves and develops thorn, both as rogirds siro and thickness. To thu end the shoots vrhicu appear in the axils of the leaves and lower down should be pinched out whenever they con be seen ; thi'y cunnot be removed too early. When the leaf is fit for harvesting the plants are out, wilted, and hung up to cure in a suitable shed ; when fir«t-ela-<s tobicco is required, so me skill is needed in managing the process by curing."