HOW MUCH SEED-WHEAT SHOULD BE SOWN TO THE AORE.

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1671, 22 March 1883, Page 4

HOW MUCH SEED-WHEAT SHOULD BE SOWN TO THE AORE.

A Writer in the "Pacific Rural Press" (Mr C. Blackwood) says :— I have never seen the question satisfactorily answered, Some say lOOlbs, some 901bs, some 751bs, and afew say OOlbs. Scarcely any says less I .'" But when we consider how marvellously a single kernel of wheat when deposited in suitable soil will multiply xtsely in the way of reproduction^ it must be conceded that even the leant of the above-mentioned quantites is far in excess of the exact quantity required to properly seed an acre. A single kernel of wheat under favourable circumstances will produce from thirty to forty stalks, each bearing a head containing from sixty to seventy-five kernels (I have seen heards of wheat contain over ono hundred kernels). Take, however, the least of the above multiples, thirty and sixty, and a bushel of wneat can> be made to produce 1800 bushels of wheat. But it will be objected that this sort of seeding ior wheat could not be made practically successful. Be it so ; the fact still remains, and has come under the observation of every intelligent wheat farmer that every kernal of seed in his wheat field maturing into a crop has produced from three to eight stalks, bearing heads containing from 30 to 50 kernals, say averaging live stalks, and 50 kernels. His yield from (JOlb of seed ought to bo 200 bushels, or from 901b 300 bushels ; but instead of such yields he is well satisfied if he reaps I,ooolb from his 901b sowing. Given 90. Pro =l,Boo 90.1,800=1.20, that is only 1.201b of his 901b of hia seed sown came to maturity and produced his I,Boolb of wheat 1. 201b of his seed was absolutely lost. Yet, if his land was in good order, and he sowed good seed,' it is safe to assume that nine-tenths of his seed sprouted and but forth blades. What, then, became of eight -tenths of it? Smothered by the remaining tenths — the fittest only surviving. These facts coming under my observation during my long experience as a wheat farmer, both here and in the Atlantic States, led me to a series of experiments, the result of which led me to the conclusion that wheat growers used altogether too much seed ; that if they prepared their lands well, and took pains to properly sow the necessary quantity of seed they would largely increase their yield per acre. Having arrived at that conclusion, I put it to a practical test some ten years ago, being the last year that I have fanned my lands to wheat. I selected an eightacre lot which had been cultivated to beans the year previous, ploughed the lot, measured off three acres and harrowed it down ; took a onehorse plough for the want of a drill, aud marked off the three acres into shallow towa 18iu. apart ; then took a part of a sack of seed, having previously weighed the same, and distributed in the rows very sparingly till the whole three acres were thus seeded. I then weighed what was left of my sack of seed, and I found that I had used 151bs, or a peck of seed on the three acres. I then on the same day towed the remainder of the lot broadcast, using about 751bs of seed to the acre, thoroughly harrowing down the whole lot both ways. After the wheat wot well up I went through the threeacre portion v ith a hoe to clean out the young grass and weeds standing. Now for the result. The three acres yielded MO bushels, or 53i bushels to the acre ; but whether I got the right quantity of seed ou the three acres is still undetermined. But I was satisfied 73lbs of seed were too much. The wheat smothered itself out to a great extent, the fittest only surviving.

Immediately an animal begins to fret for food, it begins to lose flesh ; never cheek the fattening process. A Good guide for a safe quantity of grain per day to mature cattle is one pound to each hundred of their weight ; thus, an animal weighing 1,000 pouuds, may receive ten pounds of grain. Thk Fjbkmxg of Fakji Hok«i;s. — "A Practical Farmer " writes to the Live Stock Journal .•—" In the second volume of the English Cart-horse Stud-book is some excellent advice on the feeding and management of farm horses. I consider, however, in one particular I have improved upon the system therein advocated, by giving each horse 141b of bran per week in addition to its other food from the beginning of October — when the green food is over — until March, when double the weight of cut mangold is substituted, until the rye and j vetches are ready. Since I have adopted this method, I have not had a single case of stoppage of the bowels in my stables,' which was certainly not the case formerly. There is no better corn for farm horses than good sound oats crushed ; peaineal is flatulent, and bean and maize meals are exceedingly apt to produce swelled legs and greasy heels, if, owing to snow and frost, the teams get a few days' holiday ; nosebags get commoner every year, and very useful they are, not so much on account of the food the weavers get, as that in rough weather they undoubtedly prevent cold • catching, Chemists tell us that the skin of wheat! contains the elements of bone ; bran has, therefore, for some years been added ta the crushed oats my foals get after they are weaned, with, to keep their feet right, a run every day on an occupation road. Putting draught colts to 1 work, unless the soil is very light, before they are three yeara of age U, in my opinion, a miatake~coltB so treated oftener than not get palled out of shape, and spiritbroken as well. I prefer keeping my working horses in the yard at vetches first, and second-crop clover afterwards, to taming them out, firstly because there are no ditches for them to fall into and die ; secondly, because they are *t I hand when wanted. I refer, of course, to 'the summer season," ' ' „ ' ! - You will do well to famish your 'house I ? fofcn Garfic'k'atid Cranwell'*. "iW have' noW • die, most <wriplete Furnish inir NWwfojusc in Auckland, funMtUte to suit all classes, *W>d,, * strong, and cheap. They have Tapestry , Carpet* | from 2s*! per y*r4, Brussels from Bs' lid per yard. Linoleum from Bs #d to £s, Oil Cloths from* Is 6d to 4s Od .per yard, good \% feet wide Oil Cloths at'ds 1 6d' per yard." fn»»ett§* assortment cClran Bedsteads from Infant*' Cot* to jj foet wd«hal^tißftcr : Ped»te«(l*. Double «vw» Jttd- , jftejwlfri>th/26*. ' 480 BcSftcads in stock to select Vfroinj^ ffeddrogs pfMl Wnd*>,and -s!z<m ,tep}< \ \ 4^&Vf^fPiniJl£ J WttidffT^fa^«iC;j:obrt Vfivj '■■ ■: , nitiifiSMM an 4* large awdttment orMahchcstcf '' ' '- . 'and£FiurauiMnc Goods, tricludinf - 'A', Jot"'- i O f' ■'■ ' 'Ctnmmt7j{liaixiCMmogvc* sent free to,)n>;