FARM WORK FOR THE MONTH.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1234, 27 May 1880, Page 3

FARM WORK FOR THE MONTH.

We have now reached the middle of May, and so far the weather has been all that can be desired for autumn work, &uch as threshing, sowing, thatching, &c. Fine weather generally prevails during the month of May, and every effort should be made in taking advantage of it, in getting as much as possible done in ploughing and sowing. All kinds of winter wheat ought to be in the ground before the end of the month, unless the ground be of a dry and u arm nature, in which case the crop, if sown in June or July, may probably be as forward at harvest time as that sown much earlier in stiff or badly drained laud. Downs and undulating land is by nature well provfded for as to drainage, but on the plains it will be found necessary to draw furrows to let off the surface water that collects in every depression in the ground. If this is not attended to a great portion of the crop is destroyed and the ground monopolised by weeds and docks. As a large area of the plain land is so very level and the water courses so far apart, it is very diffigult

sometimes to find sufficient fall for carrying off the water. A very wet, low-lying situation, where winter wheat is not likely to thrive, it will be better to leave until after the winter, when spring wheat may be sowa with- more advantageous results In nine cases out of ten, where winter wheat cannot be sown in proper season, it will be found more profitable to let the land stand over for a spring crop. A gdod manager will sow whatever kind of cereal that he knows his land is most suitable for. It is a great mistake to sow wheat in land that is not in a fit condition for that crop just because wheat happens to be a better price than oats or barley. It is of very little use trying to anticipate the price of any cereal or other crop a year hence, for most probably the present plethora of oats in the country will be the cause of an .improvement taking place in the demand before next season, simply because nobody will sow oats if they can possibly sow anything else. The fact is, it is very difficult to decide on the most profifc- , able ase the land can be put to in thu face of the prevailing stagnation in every description of farm produce. If the late rise in the wool market is maintained I'or any length of time, it will have a very marked effect on the prosperity of the country. A considerable quantity of oats will, no doubt, be converted into wool during the coming winter. A bushel of oats can be more l'eadily disposed of in the form of a pound of wool, and at much less expense. Some people advocate cutting oat sheaves into chaff, and giving to the sheep in trough, which no doubt would be the better plan in feeding a small flock. A large flock of sheep can be profitably helped through the coldest months of the winter by scattering the oat sheaves about on the grass, and it will bo that the sheep will pick up "every head of the grain and if pushed very hard, will cab a great 1 deal of the straw also. The sowing of autumu barley should be proceeded with during this month. That autumn sown barley has many advantages as compared with spring sown, there is no question. Under favorable circumstances, spring barley will often produce heavy yields goth of grain and straw ; but the sample, as a rule, is not to be compared to autumn barley for malting purposes. It is said that the reason of this is. that as the crop is in the ground several months longer than the later sown variety, it draws more strength from the land, and has the advantage of a longer period wherein to mature the grain and extract the necessary weight-making and malting qualities. When sown before winter the land should be worked moderately fine, but left a little rough on the surface, so that when the roller is applied in the spring the soil will be compressed about the roots. With regard to the preparation of lea ground for a crop, it must be borne in mind the success of the crop depends in a very great measure on the manner in which the ploughing is performed. Single ploughs are more to be recommended for this description of work than double ploughs, as they cut a better edge to the furrow for harrowing down, and also pack the furrows more closely together, but without laying them to flat. If lea land is only ploughed once for wheat or barley, it requires to be thoroughly harrowed and solidified before sowing, otherwise the ground wM not retain sufficient moistiue to keep the crop healthy during the summer. For seeding lea ground the drill is generally used, chiefly because it effects a saving of seed by burying it at a uniform depth and at regular distances. All through the past season there has been abundance of feed for all kinds of stock, and many sheep farmers have been enabled to keep more sheep per acre during the past summer than for many months past. As there is some prospect of the next season's wool eellmg at a remunerative price, owners of stock will be greatly tempted to carry more sheep through the winter than is consistent with good management. If a man finds that he ha's more sheep on his place than he can keop in good healthy condition through the winter months, it is by far the best policy to dispose of his surplus stock in good time— thai is, before the feed begins to get short, or else the benefit to the remainder ,is greatly reduced. Paddock-fed sheep will live almost entirely upon good oaten or barley straw when grasn is scarce, but the presence of straw and chaff in the wool is a serious drawback when the &hcep are allowed to help themselves from the straw-stacks. The most profitable mode of utilising straw as sheep food is by cutting into chaff and mixing with pulpe^. turnip I',1 ', but, as we have not reached to that degree of high farming, we must be content with a less effective and rapid way of returning the soil to the land-— VaLly I'ms.