Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

8 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

-FIELD AND FARM. 1

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

FIELD AND FARM. 1 BOOT CROPS. The cultivation of what are known as "root" crops is (remarks Professor John Wrightson, in the Agricultural Gazette") the most expensive, the mast critical, risky, and complicated of all cultivations. It was originally grafted upon the old bare-fallow and added to its burdens, while, at the same time, it provided a set-off against un- > relieved expenses. It was an enormous gain to the country because it was only by means of root cultivation that fresh beef and mutton were pro- curable between Martinmas and Whitsuntide. Salt meat and scurvy were among the trials of the sparse population of these islands before turnip husbandry became general; and even carrying the young stock through the winter often ended in literalty carrying them out to the fields when grass day arrived. The benefit to the population and a new opening for profitable outlay of capital upon the land were the two cardinal points of root cultivation. The cycle was completed between corn and meat, or, as it was alliteratively expressed, corn and horn. Thus it was, but the arrangement received a severe check through the paralysis of one branch, namely corn. Horn is not so much up as corn is down. When a good farmer could work to a standard of £ 12 or iSIS per acre for his corn lie accepted the risks and outlay upon his root crops with equani- mity, hut when the value of corn sank to C5 or £ 6 per acre the music was silenced. It is impossible to express in general terms what has taken place, because there are all kinds and degrees of circum- I stances and a great number of pros and cons which interfere with the general result. Still, the effect has been what is indicated. The expenses of the root crop remain, while the means of recuperation have disappeared. The general public advise farmers to produce meat and neglect corn, but meat cannot be pro- duced at a profit unless it is backed up by a good price for corn, hence the continual depression which hangs over agriculture. How to get out of the deadlock is a question of such difficulty that as yet it has proved unanswer- able. Permanent pasture was the first and most self-evident alternative, and the great increase of grass land in this country during the last 40 years indicates that it was considered a sound idea. Temporary pasijures came next, and no doubt the five, six, and longer courses prolonged by old seeds and sainfoins have further diminished the corn area and tended towards the net increase of live stock and possibly towards profit. The grosa yield of the land is diminished, but the net yield ia increased, on account of the decrease in actual expenditure. As to the continuation of root cultivation upon arable land, it seems to be absolutely necessary but we are passing through a stage of transition from the cultivation of tui-nips and swedes to the wider extension of kindred crops which allow of a simpler cultivation. RAPE, KALE, &C. Of late years there has been a gradual increase in the area under rape and kale on account of the saving in hoeing. Kale broadcasted and allowed to cover the ground without either horse or hand- hoeing provides a good feed for sheep; and kale drilled and horse-hoed, but not singled or hand- hoed, is found to answer very well on poor land as well as good. Similarly, rape is a strong, rooted and vigorous plant, which may be drilled and horse-hoed and left to grow without further labour. One advantage of this system is that those fangy roots which render the next cultivation so difficult are avoided, and the succulent fodder is eaten bare down to the ground. Many farmers draw a very distinct line between roota and rape or kale. To them this change is a very important one and worthy of most serious consideration. It may appear to others to be a slight deviation from older practice, but the lowering of pay-sheets from June to September is very great when rape and I kale take the place of turnips and swedes. Comparing the two crops, rape is the more nutritious, and is marc likely to stand for a second feed. If sown in early May it is ready for con- sumption in August, and will produce an excellent fold in early spring. It is said that kale will stand twice feeding, but I have not found it so. Kale, however, is capable of producing a heavier crop, and is safer feeding for lambs in the spring. Kale sown any time in May will pay well to hold over to the spring, and the same is scarcely less true of it when drilled in June and July. The two crops may be grown together by mixing liJb. of rape ( 11 2 and 21b. or 31b. of kale seed, thereby insuring, against risk of the partial failure of either. A capital feed may thus be produced. It is pro- bable that kale will be more widely cultivated every year, and that it will go hand in hand, so to speak, with rape as arclief from the heavy charges of root cultivation. MILK FOR THE PIGS. I A striking illustration of the profitable nature of new milk as pig food, and of the better return it makes used in this way, in preference to butter- making, was brought to my notice (a correspon- dent of the "Agricultural Gazette" says) on two occasions comparatively recently. It occurred at the farm buildings of a country rectory, where the rector, who had spent some yeais of his early life as a pupil on the farm of the well-known agrieul- tnrist, Mr. Butler Smith, of Crop well Butler, and had there gained an extensive know!edge of agri- cultural live stock, had at length settled dowu in succession to his father at the country parish, from the old church tower of which history tells us that during the Wars of the Roses Queen Margaret watched the fearful slaughter of the battle of Blore Heath, where her champion, Lord Audley, together with most of the chivalry of Cheshire and the district, met their fate, a stone cross to this day marking the place where Lord Audley was buried, and giving its name, Audiey Cross, to the farm on which it is erected. But all this is beside the question of milk and pig feeding. The rector, besides keeping several brood sows, had also a small herd of cows for butter-making; but a year or two since, finding jihe price of butter so low— often from 7d. to 8d. per pound, and not in ire- quently no more than 6d.—he decided to experi- ment with his new milk as pig food. He had previously fed upon the dairy refuse and mill meal, keeping a careful record of cost and results; but when he substituted new milk he found that it paid him a vast deal better than it did when made into butter, and a further experiment of the same kind another year furnished the same results. Of course, it will be understood thatitwas only during the sum- mer season, while the price of butter continued so low, that the trial extended but if it was sold at 9d. per pound,and assuming that three gallons of milk yielded a pound of butter, this would only give 3d. per gallon for the new milk, while at 7d. per pound it would not reach 2.d. Under such circumstances, is new milk so extravagant a food as at first siglit it appears ? GEASS AND CLOVER FOE MOWING. I As a general rule all pastures intended for » mowing ("J. A. G." remarks) will have been pre- pared last month, but probably on account of shortness of keep some farmers may have taken an extra fortnight's keep before finally clearing all stock off. The presence of stones, crocks, and other hard rubbish deposited by previous dress- ings not only diminish the crop while growing, but will by-and-by make it necessary to set the machine high enough to avoid breakage. Now the mower should always be set as low as pos- sible, for the bottom herbage is, weight for weight, always more valuable than the top, and every inch of the former counts both in quality and weight. It is necessary, therefore, that all stones, &c., be picked off, and the land thoroughly consolidated by rolling. This process not only makes the machine travel more evenly, saving' wear and tear generally, but, by rendering the land firm, causes the grass to grow stronger. Anyone who has had experience in cutting with a machine knows what it means to have to deal WIth" dog-legged" grass. It mears either cutting above the broken-down joint, or else tearing grass up that has gone down and become rotten it is impossible to properly cut such grass at the proper height. Molehills, again, must be carefully spread, or they will cause great inconvenience and delay to the grass cutter, as well as blocking up the knives and taking the cut off. As a rule it is against a gateway, or in a hollow part of a field, that moles are to be found. A few traps placed in and attended to for a few weeks will clear these troublesome animals off. With reference to clover leys, if the stones havo not been picked or the land roiled, the clover will most probably be two high for anything of that rt to be done. But there is one thing may be done which at haytime will be found an advantage. On some soils "sow thistles "as well as the large jacks seem to be indigenous. These weeds growing singly, thrive fast, grow to a great height and thickness consequently when the clover is cut they retain the sap much longer than the clover, and when the latter is ready must either be picked out of the swathe or sufficient time must be allowed for them to get killed after the rest of the crop wants carting, and then most probably when in the stack cause a mouldy place where they lie. Men and boys with spuds should go over the fields before the clover gets too high and destroy the thistles in their young state, and the benefit, as I said before, at haytime will be appreciated.

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