AGRICULTURAL SEEDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1467, 26 November 1881, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL SEEDS.

Wr.SE duo consideration given the subject, the importance of using pure and vigorous seeds only would receive more attention on tlio pait of farmers tbtin is ?* generally attached to it. It ia impossible to deny that tho great bulk of the sample-^ of wheat, oit*, and barley sent to m.irlcet disclose mi^tares of different varieties, and when such is the case with the Slavic products on which the prosperity uf the farmer depends, the indifference manifested in tho selection of other seeds cannot bo a matter of surprise. It is tiue that complaints are frequent as to the difficulty of procuring seede true of their kind, and' the prices charged by the merchants for these when procurable ; whilst on the other side it is not unreasonably argued by the dealers that tho demand for superior assorted samples ii extremely limited ; that these can»only be obtained at considerable expense, and then remain in stock for a lengthened time, because farmers, as a rule, purchase inferior supplies procurable at lower rates. The question of price should, in the first inBtance, only influence tho intelligent farmer so far as regards the quantity of his purchase, for with a comparatively small beginning: he would in the course of a year or two, with good management, have an ample supply for his own requirements, and eventually, if the original selection had been judiciously made, the surplus produce would meet a ready and remunerative demand. s What may be accomplished in this way will be ■well illustrated by an example. A • struggling ' farmer purchased eight bushels of White Tuscan seed wheat, for which he gave one pound per bushel at the Melbourne grain show of 1859. Suitable ground was especially well prepared for it, but previous to sowing the seed was handpicked by the young people of the family, and eeery grain of foreign variety carefully rejected. The growing crop just when coming into flower was again examined, and any chance heads of other sorts removed, the absolute purity of the produce being thereby ensured. In 1861 40 bushels of tho produce were exhibited and were awarded the valuable money prizes offered by the Melbourne Society and tho Commissioners for the International Exhibition, and afterwards obtained the first prizo in London in competition with the World. The giower was amply recompensed for his enterprise in onginelly purchasing the seed, and the careful after managemeut, by the pi ices he obtained for many years subsequently. It is therefore apparent that there 13 no appreciable difficulty <o prevent the farmer fiom acquiring an unfailing supply of pure feed grain of whatever variety : he is already perfectly acquainted with the cultivation of the cereal", and all that U further required is the selection of the sorts, and careful attention to prevent admixture. The means of improvement are so simple that it is astonishiug what little progress has been made when the immense and immediate benefits which would accrue to farmers themselves ere taken into account, and it is certain that just as we have heavier yields than are obtained elsewhere, the more important it is for ua to attain superiority in quality of produce. The advantage of having the principal requirements of a farm self contained, is acknowledged by all intelligent farmers, and in seeds above all things the rule should be observed. Everything of the laud required in any considerable quantity should be home grown ; most of them lequire but little care or skill to keep up the necessary supply, but the vinous grahses and clover seeds deserve, and will amply repay, whatever extra, attention may be paid in growing them. For several years there has been an increasing demand for those, and this, it is evident, will continue to expand because of the general desire to lay down extensive areas in English grasses. The introduction of tho rotation system of agriculture will still further contribute to sustain these requirments, so that to supply our local wants alone, very considerable sums must be annually expended in tho importation of grass seeds, .should our farmers refuse to make efforts to meet the necessities.. Already a vast amount of money has been sent out of the colony for the purchase of this description of seeds, and which would have been retained had the fanners been fully aware of the profits derivable from their growth. Partial attempts have certainly been made to develop this branch of farm economy, and with success wherever the necessary condition have been observed. We are most favouraVly circumstanced both as regards .soil and climate, for the growth of superior seeds, and farmers who can supply pure and well-cleaned varieties may be . assured of large profits. Last season huge oidcrs for grass seeds wero sent hero fiom Victoria, and for which there was a totally inadequate supply, and we has 0 tho assurance of brokers and dealers in the Neighbouring colonies that New Zealand giown grass or clover seeds, true to name and clean, wonld meet with a decided preference there. Experience theie ha.s established the fact that our seeds geiminate moru rapidly and withstand the exigences of the Australian climate better th.in the European importations, "and the knowledge of this may be made of immense impojtance to our farmers. Tho insufficient moistme, great heat, find hot winds render seed growing thcip extremely hazardous; the lo^il supply is consequently unreliable and fluotu it ing. We, may, therefore, always depend on a ready market for any surplus at our disposal, if wg can offer a de-irablo aitiolo As already intimated, the piimary condition towards piofitable seed growing must be the judicious selection of pure and suitable varieties, find the«e, nsyun, must be grown and saved apart. It is a very common practice to lay down w ith mixed grass .seeds; but even when mch is the intention, the farmer will find it to his advantage to purchase tho diiit-rent kinds separately ; by testing thco by sowings in flower pots, ho can assure himself of their vitality, and by mixi'ig them at home he will be certain that the soits arc in the proportions he wishos. Serious disappointment and loss aie ficquently occasioned by the purchase of the«e mixtures, for even the Kindd of seed imy be true, but from long-keeping have lost vitality. The farmer, however, who purposes growing seed for sale must select varieties most in demand, and keep them distinct. The preparation of the land for their reception mast be carefully attended to, and the better the soil the more profitable will be the ro suits. The hay- cutting mu-t be deferred until the seed begins to harlen, but if possible this should be thrashed out at once and a considerable economy in labour will be thereby effected in savins: the hay. It is scarcely necessary to add that scrupulous attention must be paid to the cleaning of the seed ; if, however, the necessary preliminaries of selection and growth on perfectly clean land have been observed, tho final operations will be easily accomplished. It may be observed that when the seed is saved the hay suffers to some extent in qu llity ; it is necossarily less nutritious and drier, but nevertheless is a good, sound de>irable food for stock. Whero the land is in good condition many of the grasses will yield two crops of seed in the season, and in such cases the acreable profits will exceed those from any other crop on the farm in addition to the hay returns} but it will be necessary in order to sustain the vigour of the plant to top dress after one or other of the cuttings. The same rules should be observed in growing clover Seeds, and with those of root and. grew ,

I crops, i3iioh as the varieties of M tnrnips/ mangel-wi.™ -1, qanro^a, pirsnip, cabbage, ' &c, the mi. tier is quite simple and easily carried out. The best roots or plants must be .selected, and allowed to seed, the only additional precaution necessary is to Kiuid against the flowering of the fcoit^ of turnip or cabbage at the tame time or in close proximity, lest the seeds should bo hybridised. In conclusion, ir, may be observed that seed-giowing should be legarded by the New Zealand farmer as an important source of income, and ouly requiring intclligout management and probity to enHuie individual succeas.

On one Connecticut farm 125 varieties of the strawberry sire grown. Can' ad! an wheat is worth threepence per bushel more than Oalifornian in th London market. 1 Tub Climax of Disasters' is the heading of an article in the Mark Lane Ex~ press upon the British harvest. Look out for lice on ohiokens or turkeys as soon as they can run nicely. If you don't you'll be sorry. The Western Meat Preserving Company has been compelled to BHPpend operations, owing, it is stated, to the use of pho"<phoiised oats m that district of Victoria. Instead of fooling away your time in whitewashing hen houses (on the outside) or chicken coops to kill lice, paint them with kerosene. That will kill lice every time. Db Glenn's crop this year was only 100,000 sacks, against 400,000 sacks last year. Of this year's crop the dootor will have to save 35,000 sacks for seed, bo that he has only 65,000 sacks to maiket. The dreaded phylloxera is extending its ravages throughout the vine diatrictd of France, and has recently appeared in the German Rhine'provinces, and also in Switzeiland and Hungary. This invention for e.ismg the strain on horses in starting horso cars, which has been in six months' successful service in Bo ton, is put in operation by a little pedal that is touched by the driver's foot. It connects the tongue of the car with a lever, which operates a ratchet, takinghold of a cogwheel in the axle, thus easing the dead pull nearly one half. A company under the name of the ' Harvest-saving Company' has been formed to manufacture Mr W. A. Gibbs machine for drying grain which has become damp in the harvest field. Several machines arc already in u^e, and the Duke of Northumberland has purchased one for his tenants. From unanimous reports from all parts of the United Kingdom, it ia estimated that the rains have done so much irreparable damage to the corn that loss is chlculated at £1 to £2 per acre on one-third of the area on whith cereals are grown. This represents a total lo«s to the nation of -£3,000,000, which will have to be paid in haul cash to foieign countries. So.mr plight progress has been made with harvest work (the Mark Lane Eiprc^ tells us) about the beginning of September, but the weather has been cold, and, for the most part, damp. The bat ley crop was completely ruined as to colour, and almost in point of quality as well. Where the pea crop had not been secured it was of but little value, and $>rass was so watery that stock required dry food. A wail comes from Virginia with regaid to the English spairow. They are proclaimed strict vegetarians. Their increase is lit the rate of 12 per annum for each pair. They cannot be driven off. One writer dislodged a pair and destroyed their nest two days in succession, finding the nest renewed and one egg ready for him in the morning. In wild despair this writer says that only shooting and poisoning will remove them, 'with their incessant, insufferable, arrogant chatter.' If poultry raisers generally would attend to the advice given in the American Ar/noilf/onf, by a turkey raiser of great experience, they would have the thanks of every practical housekeeper. His plan is as follows :— The turkeys are fed as usual the night bafore butchering, and in the morning are driven in upon the barn floor as soon as they come from roost, and are made secure. Their crops are empty, and they can be caught as they are wanted. Make a slip noose of strong cord for each turkey in an adjoining stable or shed, put the turkey's legs in the noose, and with a Rmall pointed knife stick the bird as near the head as possible. As soon as the bird is dead strip off the feather*, pinfeathers and all. Cut the neck off as near the head as possible, remove the wings and draw the entrails before taking the bird down. The turkey is hung up alive and 'taken down ready for mnrket. Lay the bird on his breast or side upon a clean board to cool. Turkeys should be carefully handled in diessing to avoid breaking the skin, for it rubs off very easily when they are warm. Remove all the pinfeathers and pack the birds when sent to market in clean straw, so that there will be no marks of blood upon them. Handsome clean dressing will add to the market price of all kinds of poultry. Tkrrible RhVENGE. — A remaikable case of incendiarism is reported from the f'llage of Donbravitz, in Moravia. A peasant who had sought a divorce from his wite lost his case, and, on his return home, revenged himself by setting fire to his own house. The flames spread so rapidly that it was impossible to extinguish them. On the contrary, they soon extended to the neighbouring houses, until part of the village was burnt down. In all, there were 36 houses, with their adjacent barns, just filled with the results of this year's harvest, completely destroyed. The wife of the peasant escaped from the flames, bnt a woman in another house was burnt to death, and several other persons were severely injured bv the flames in the attempt to extinguish them and rescue their property. The perpetrator of the crime is I now in custody. SUICIDK OF COJIJIANDER SCOTT. — The case of the Lapwing and the Hochung has been occupying the attention of the ■Supreme Court for China and Japan at Shanghai. The two vessels collided in April last, and each held the other responsible for the disaster, and entered cross suits, the owners of the Hochung claiming heavy damages. The cape has been invented with an additional melancholy since the death of Captain Scott. The particulars to hand with regard to his death lead to the conclusion that he committed suicide. He was foundinhis sleeping cabin, having shot himself through the head, the shot having been heard throughout the Rhip. At the inquest — for death followed speedily — Mr W B Wod worth, surgeon of th,e ship, stated that about ten minutes before the occurrence he had seen Capt. Scott, who had lately been suffering from diarrhoea. Although the revolving steel coulter is coming into uso as an adjunct to every plough, there is one use to which it can be put which is not generally known. If the shank of the coulter is fixed to the plough b^am so far forward of the point of the ploughshare that the coulter as it resolves is dragged instead of pushed into the ground, and if the external edge of the revolver is set so that .it 'is .close to the point of the share, andcutsi juat half an inch deeper into the ground than the' ploughshare does, then, no, matter wHat roots are unknowingly come against in the ground, the plough rises easily , over them 1 without breaking anything of pheckjag hQrsea,