FARM AND GARDEN NOTES FOR OCTOBER. (N.Z. Country Journal.) The Farm.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1916, 16 October 1884, Page 4

FARM AND GARDEN NOTES FOR OCTOBER. (N.Z. Country Journal.) The Farm.

Potato Piantinu. — In the earlier districts, potato planting will be in progress. For the general crop of keeping varieties, the end of the month and on till the middle of November will suit. With improved labour-saving machinery, this industry is destined to become of large importance to the New Zealand furmei . India and other tropical couutiies too hot for the growth of the potato, offer an un limited market so soon as we have rapid and cheap means of tiansifc at our command. The cold air piocess can be brought to bear on picscrviug the potato at a less cost than for meat, from the fact that a less degree of cold will answer the purpose. Give plenty of loom between the tows, not less than 30 inches, to allow ample room for the di ill-grubber and moulding-plough ; don't be afraid to cover the sets with plenty of soil, say live inches, and just before they reach the surface run a pair of light harrows across the drills, which will destroy a full crop of seedling weeds, and at the same time fill the spaces between the rows with fine mould for earthing up. Tukvips. — Active preparations will now be making for this crop, Swedes lirst, to be follow ml by the rough leaved varieties. The ultimate success of the crop depends in a large measure upon the manner in which the seed is committed to the ground, (taking for granted that the soil has been well tilled and ia in good heart). Tho sooner the seed is sown after the plough, the better the chances of the crop ; from one to two cwt. per acre of fine bone meal sown with the seed will force the young plant up and into tho rough leaf ; it will then be safe from the attack of the turn : p beetle (or fly). If sown in drills a couple of pounds of seed will be required, if broadcast, in new land, .1 quarter of a pound will suffice. Mangels and Carrots may still be sown with advantage. The yellow and orange globe vniieties of mangles are the best for tho sowing. Dairy Cows, if well managed, will now be coming into full profit ; plenty of water, clean sweet gias-, soiling, and quietude, arc tlnee gicat elements in successful cowketspmg, remembering always that it takes a-> much to feed a bad cow as it does a good one ; better far to pay a few pounds i>\tiannd procuie an animal fiom a known good strain, and use the best bull within your icacli. In making a selection, look out for a fine head and neck, soft skin ami silky hair, broad cjuaiters, thin tapering tail, udder ■well foi want and spacious behind, soft to the touch, with plenty of nulk-veins, and see that the teats aie oil pot feet; these aie a few of the essential points. Farm Mu'liim.ri.— Collect ploughs, lianows, and all other tar in inachnieiy no longer requited, and stow thnni away under co\er, lemembci ing that the sun, rain, and wiud.ue more damaging to sucn than actuil use. See that the mowing machines are in order, ready for wot I:, also diays and fi ames, and piepari 1 bottoms for the hayiiuks. The Dany .should be now coming into full and ptofitablc operation. The great est caie and attention are necessary in everything connected with the dairy stock and utensils. Clean milking is among the chief things to attend to, as the last diop is by fii the nrhest; and any pot tion left 111 the udder is quickly nbsoi bed into the system, which goes to promote fat, the udder becomes less capacious, and tho secretion of milk becomes imperceptibly less and less at every milking; it is also a ccit.un pie\entive to soie uddeis Teats aie often lost in this way, and the most \aluable cows become useless for dany purposes. Cows tint have onoo aboi tod or blinked their calves should be quickly }^ot ml of, as they aie ever after liable to the same occurience. When the accident does occur, be specially caieful to remove the animal fiom contict with other cow&> 111 calf, as either fiom sympathy or some othci cause they, too, Mill be apt to tlip. The most suupulous cleanliness should pervade evei> thing connected with tho dairy: constant scoui ing and linsuigaie neceasj.il y ,* but to keep the tubs, &c, properly clean and sweet, theio is nothing so effective as having a boiler laige enough to receive tin 1 -vessels, and give them, being well cleaned previously, a good boil, which completely e\ti acts all the oily particles fiom the poies of the timber.

The Garden. In October the main ciop of potatoes should be put in, except in wet land, •\vheie it had better be deferred until the following month. Potatoes should always be planted in tienches made with the spade about eight inches deep, and two or tlnce inches of woll-iott •<! inniuuc laid in the bottom of the trench. The tienches should be about two feet apait, and the bets (winch should be large onoi) about eiglit inches 01 a foot. Bret should be sown dm ing October, in deeply woiked '•oil, in dulls twehe incites npirt, and tlun if the .seed is good. After sow int.', thegiound should be lightly tioddcn with the feet, and th & applies al<-o to all otliei eiops. The best Kind of Ixefc foi tins colony aie " Nutting's, Selected " and Dewar's ■Superb." Onions sown in the Autumn Should now be tiansulanted into rows about a foot aput and four inches between the plants. Thewoik should be done with a dibble in moist warm weather, and the '-oil should be pic paied as foi the spimg sowing of this vegit.ible. Leeks give excellent ciops in this climate, if sown in diilK in October, and planted out thinly in ikh soil dining the autumn October is, the best moiun foi sowing main ciopn of French beans and scailet runnels, winch aie \oiy easy of cultivation, and will giow in any soil if supplied with plenty of water diui'iy hoc ueathm . Tomatoes may be sown out of ilwib in October, or in hot beds in September. They should be set out eaily in November, in light nch s-oil, in lows, and trained to ticllis-woik Tomatoes aie miuh improved by pinching tho points of the young shoots as soon as tin* flowers aie ■\i&it'le. Vegetable inanows, gotuds &c , should be laused into pot.s or boxes, and planted out in October, on piles of nibbish and soil laid o\er an old dung heap. All the works in the garden should be put in pioper order. All vacant ground should be dug and occupied at soon as possible. "Weeds should lie destroyed as soon as they appear, for if they are not looked after they will soon spread over the giound.