FARMING NOTES- FOR JULY AND AUGUST.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1260, 27 July 1880, Page 3

FARMING NOTES- FOR JULY AND AUGUST.

July. We have now arrived at Mid -winter, and so far the season has been all that could be desired, a moderate amount of rain falling, followed by mild warm days during the month of June. July is usually the severest month we have to contend with, stock of all kinds will require special attention, shelter and dry food are indispensable to successful rearing of this season, what little grass remains on our pastures is watery and innutritious, and should be supplemented with hay or clean straw. Working horses which are not housed, should receive a good feed of corn (crushed) before being turned out, let them be well rugged, and turned into a well sheltered paddock, but it will pay better to provide sheds for the working horses.

Cattle. — Cows calving or about to calve, should be kept under coyer on all wet cold nights, and have a liberal supply of hay, clean straw and roots, An occasional rub of the curry-comb will be labor well spent.

Wheat.— Sowing should be pushed forward on all dry lands, being particular to thoroughly pickle the seed with bluestone, which will effectually prevent the attack of smut. One pound of blue-stone reduced to powder and dissolved in warm water will not be too much fora four bushel bag; soakf or 20 minutes, skimming off all white-heads and light seeds, and leave to drain and dry till morning, the caustic qualities of the blue-stone is quite sufficient to dry the corn without the aid of lime, which only should be used with grain for immediate sowing j from one bushel to one and a half bushels will be sufficient seed per acre if sown in July, in good land, the better the soil, the less seed will be required. Draw water furrows were ever required, following the natural fall of the ground.

Roots. — Land intended for root crops next season should not receive a deep ploughing, and if eubaoiled at the same time all the better. Now is the best time to apply farm-yard manure, which should be ploughed-in, particularly on heavy lands, it would be folly to do so on light shingly soils, for the reason that the soluble constituents of the manure would get washed into the gravel, and lost to the crops. Mr Mechi says, " That to farm to the greatest advantage, the soil and subsoil should be well manured to the depth of 2 feet at least, so that the roots may find an abundant store of food in the subsoil, 70 tons of mangolds per acre are frequently gr«wn near London." Do a little and do it well. Applicabla as this is to all farm work, it applies more particulary to the growing of roct crops. The expenses attending the raising of a crop of roots, whether performed in a careful or slovenly manner, are not very different, except in the matter of subsoiling, which will, however, be a useless expenditure if the ground is wet underneath. Few operations pay better than draing where required, but no farm operation requires more judgment, a few deep drains judiciously placed, with regard to the natural fall of the land, will often effect more than a whole net-work of shallower drains placed according to thumb and rule.

Tabes. — Continue to make fresh sowings, say once in every three weeks, for the purpose of keeping up a succession of early feeding stuff. Sow 2 bushels per acre together with about half a bushel of oats, rye, or barley, by doing so the yield will be greatly increased, the first cutting will be off the land in time for ploughing up for mangolds, to be followed up with turnips. Keep a quarter or half an acre of the tares for seed.

August. Sheep. — Ewes will now bo coming forward for early lambing, and should be kept as much as possible out of wet paddocks, and supplied with a little sweet hay or oaten straw, and a few roots thrown on the grass, or have access for a few hours daily to where the roots are growing". Half a pound of oats per head per day till lambing would ensure a good dropping of strong vigorous lambs,, it is advisable to leave a few lumps of rock-salt about the paddock for the sheep to lick. To have good early lambs fit for the butcher, it is indispensable to have a paddock of rape, or turnips, rape and seeds, ready to turn the ewes into as they lamb. Sheep kept in paddocks, will require to have their feet carefully looked after and pared, the neglect of which is frequently the parent of foot-rot, and much ultimate loss. It is a good plan to drive sheep across a bed of freshly slacked lime, but the less ewes in lamb, or with lamb at foot are driven about, the better will be the results.

Planting. — It should be the aim of every owner of land, to get at least two and a half per cent, of his farm under trees, planted in belts of not less than two chains wide ; had planting been carried out more extensively in the early settlement of the Canterbury plains, the result would probably have been even now a very material climatic change, characterised by fewer hot winds, and a more regularly distributed rain-fall. Trees of all kinds are now plentiful and cheap, catalogues of which may be had from any of the nurserymen, with full instructions as to planting, and the best kinds for each district. Gum seed may be sown broadcast, and harrowed in, but in addition to the ordinary blue gum we would strongly recommend the stringy bark gum (Jiuculi/ptia, OblU/nu), it is an infinitely more useful tree than the former, it splits freely into palings and shingles, posts and rails, and it is quite as hardy as the blue gum. For a shelter tree we prefer the Citpremni Macrocarpc, it is a rapid grower and its conical form of growth renders it well suited to stand against the high winds. Finns Insignis is also a valuable shelter tree, thriving in some localities better than the former.

Spring Wheat. — The varieties of wheat known as winter wheat, such as the pearl, red and white chaffed, and velvet wheat, should now be followed by the spring varieties, embracing the Tuscans. As the season advances, a little more seed must be used ; in the beginning of August one and a half bushels may suffice, but as the month advances, two bushels will not be too much, and even two and a half may be used in light soils. Hour after hour, and day to day succeeds, Till c\ery clod, and deep-drawn furrow spreads The crumbling mould, a level surface clear, And btrew'd with corn to crown the rising year. J. B. A. — JSF.Z Country Journal.

.The boy who closn't leap over seven hitching posts, kick a lame dog, snatch a handful of navy beans in front of every grocery store, knock over a box or two, and work the handle of every pump on the sidewalk on his way home from school, is either lazy or dose'nt feel well. Boring operations will shortly be commenced at th« (iwbonw oil opriugs.