CHATS WITH FARMERS. (By Cincinnatus.)

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1209, 27 March 1880, Page 2

CHATS WITH FARMERS. (By Cincinnatus.)

II Passing, more for the sake of variety than anything else, from the contemplation of lands newly brought under the kindly influences of the sun and air, such as I treated of in my last, to observe cursorily some of the results of more advanced farming. I paid a visit the other day to the farm of Mr Parsons Te Awamutu, and in the course of a conversation with that gentleman, became posessed of the following information which I will here simply transcribe without much comment, feeling myself, as I do not doubt others feel, that in such cases commentaries, unless they are the results of much deep thought and after study are rather a burden than an ornament to the main object. The farm which is situated on the high ridge of land commencing at about Mr Goodfellow's farm and including Mr Rutherford's before it reaches Mr Parsons' passes from the latter away over to Kihikihi, and bounded by the Puniu river. The farm consists of 691 acres all dry land, and was purchased by the present occupier from Mr Gibson, in the year 1876. At that time about 45 acres were in grass, and much to Mr Parson's regret, the principal plant was cocksfoot. The land he found to be of extremely good quality and the grass was sufficient to keep all the cattle required the first year. In the following year Mr Parsons sowed 165 acres of the new land down to grass, the amount of seed sown per acre being 231bs. including 61bs. of cow grass or red clover, lib. of white clover, lib. of ribgrass, 31bs. cocksfoot, half a bushel of rye-grass, besides some other kinds in smafi proportions. He finds that with 31bs. to the acre, cocksfoot spreads too rapidly, and in future is determined to reduce the quantity to lib., which he considers to be ample. His paddock sown as above came on splendidly and is now one of the finest paddocks in the district. There have been no less than 100 head of fat cattle on it all the summer, with 33 additional beasts for several months, and yet abundance of feed remains. Indeed, the appearance of the clover is astonishing, and indicates unmistakably not only the good quality of the soil, but also the care which has been taken in its preparation, a point so strongly insisted iiDon at the late meeting of the Cambridge Farmers' Club. Last year twenty acres of old ryegrasa pasture were broken up and sowed with turnips in January, and the field was one of the best which Mr Parsons had ever seen. The roots came on with remarkable rapidity and were kept till June, when he put 700 sheep, and 40 head of cattle on them. The cattle were on about two months, but the sheep remained on until the end of August and were then in splendid coudition for the butcher. Mr Parsons as a farmer of many years experience in the old country, considers this to have been the most cheaply grown and profitable crop of turnips he ever beheld. Th ground was simply ploughed once and well harrowed, half of the area being dressed with 4cwt. of Mexican guano to the acre, while the remaining half received a like proportion of bonedust. With guano at £7 per ton delivered, and bones £9 per ton, the total coat of putting in the crop, including ploughing, harrowing, cost of seed, &c, was only £2 15s per acre. The crop, which, as before stated, was excellent throughout, was better on the portion to which the Mexican guano had been applied, and Mr Parsons says he lias never in England seen a crop which was finer than this portion. He states that, taking the high price of labor obtaining in this country at the present time, turnips, so valuable as a winter food for both cattle and sheep, can be grown here much more cheaply than in England, where the highest wages ever paid by Mr Parsons were 8s per week. The reason of this is that in New Zealand the crop requires only a tithe of the labor ! which has to be expended on it in the old country. The land is harrowed before sowing with the ordinary teeth harrow, a chain harrow being drawn over to cover the seed. This year, encouraged by the success of last, Mr Parsons has increased the area of turnip land to 51 acres, which were treated the same, with the exception that the whole of the manure used was Mexican guano, which is now about £1 cheaper than last year, thus materially reducing the cost per acre, making the cost indeed utterly below anything in Mr Parsons' experience. The seed was sown on the last day in Jauuary, and was somewhat retarded by the dry weather. Three weeks passed before the plants made their appearance at all ; but, once up, the progress made was very rapid, the paddock now presenting a fine appearance, outi growing last year's crop even. If everything goes on well it is proposed to put about 1000 sheep on the roots in June, as well as 100 head qf cattje whioh, although it will be heavy stqckiijjj, Mr Parsons considers the turnips will keep in good coudition till the early spring. The advantages of such a system must be so apparent as scarcely to need any direction. The difference between having beasts realty 1 for the spring markets a.t so, reasonable a cost and the possessing a lot of half-starved cattle at the close of the wet season must be patent to the dullest observer. The more intelligent settlers are all indeed alive to the fact, anil I am glad to be able to say there are many excellent crop^ of turnips in the district this year, some of which I shall doubtless have to notice hereafter. Much remains to be said on the subject of grass, thistles, &c. ; but, as I have already exceeded tl\e usual limits of these papers, I must pqsj;pone the discussion of these very important subjects to a future issue, when I shall also take occasion to advert to the very beautiful and fruitful apple orchard of Mr Parsons.