Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

10 articles on this Page

FARMIXG NOTES.

News
Cite
Share

FARMIXG NOTES. (From the "Agricultural Gazette.") MARCH. We should now be plunged (Professor Joifin W rightsnn observes) into the activities of spring work. March is proverbially an uncertain month, seldom passing without some storms of snow and returns of severe weather. It, however, is essentially a ap-ing month. Land dries in March, and it is the principal time for sowing spring corn, especially barley. It is a particularly busy month, not on'1 on account of the sowing of spring corn, but alsc -his preparation of land for potatoes', mangel, early rape, and even for other root crops. It is the best month for sowing grass seeds either for tempo- rary or permanent pastuies, for harrowing and rolling corn, and for preparing pastures and meadows for their summer's growth. Live stock also still demand the same attention as during the winter fat eaule and sheep, ewes and lambs, cows and calves, all need increased attention; while last, but not least, the poultry yard awakens to new life. and young chicken begin to"be a feature of the farmyard. The scene is indeed lively and inspiriting. Life in the field, the fold, the yard, all is in full swing, rnd the farmer be- ginning to feel the pressure of getting on with the various descriptions of farm work. BARLEY. This Feems to have become by far the most im- portant of our corn crops. Wheat, it is true, Iris recovered its value to a considerable degree, fer 30s. per quarter is not a despicable price in the light of the experience of recent years. Barley is, however, now the favourite cereal, anki is at present, of interest in connection with a proposal to agitate for a restora- tion of the Malt Tax. It is now thought by many capable men that the re-imposition of this tax would increase the price of English barley simply on account of the preference which would then be shown for it. In the old days of the Malt Tax it was urged that, while it increased the price of the best samples, it depressed the Talue of inferior ones; but many changes have occurred since then. Foreign barley has come in like a ilood, and an army of malt sub- stitutes as well. Pure beer has become a rare article, and it is thought that a malt tax would force the bands of brewers, by making them declare their con- sumption of this article. Far be it from me to dis- cuss this important subject here but any move which would raise the value of English barley and shut. out foreign novelties from the brewing trade —that is, restore beer to its true character of malt and hops-would be of benefit to the farmer and the public, and could harm no honest trader. The on I) matter of regret is that, the farming community should ever have been so mis- guided as to have agitated for its repeal Never was there a more unanimous demand, although even then manv far-sighted men saw the mistake. Whatever comes of the present movement, it at least shows the vast importance of barley to the country, and of every element which influences its value and its uses. At the present moment it is the cultivation of good barley which demands attention more than legislative enactments regarding it. The natural conditions are favourable, and it is for us to take advantage of tho season and secure one important element of success in one particular at least-namely, early sowing. When barley is sown in February or early March the tendency is to produce big corn. This is always much esteemed by buyers, as a big grain is richer in starch than a email one. There is less husk and more saccharine. The plumpness of barley, due to the stuffing out of the grain through starch cells, fineness of skin, and good colour, all help to make an attractive sample, which, further, is heavy and sweet. Scarcely any other qualities seem to be necessary. What can any buyer require more than a large, plump, well-coloured, fine-skinned, sweet, and heavy barley? These are, in fact, the points which it is very difficult to combine in perfection. Omit one, and the whole complexion of the case is changed, and the price falls to the level of pig barley. How far may early sowing be trusted to secure all these advantages? No doubt in many cases it makes all the difference, but not unless assisted by other conditions. I have already drawn attention to the rules for growing good barley. If we were to suppose a case in which every pre- caution was taken, the conditions of growth would be as follows: (1) Suitable soil. (2) Moderate condition. (3) Early sowing. (4) Fine and uniform tilth. (5) A good variety. (6) A favourable season. (7) Good harvesting. (8) Careful getting up for sale. The difficulty of producing a good sample lies ehiefly in the rarity of all these conditions being pos- sible. Many of them are to a great extent beyond control, and hence, cultivate as we may, a few (,-old nights, or bad weather during harvesting, may easily ruin the prospects of the crop. There nmst always be an element of chance in growing barley. And yet it is clear that some people always seem able to produce a flne sample—as, for instance, our great seedsmen who deal in pedigree seeds. They seldom fail, and therefore the faculty of taking pains must tell upon the production of good samples of barley. At the close of each harvest year we always report on an annual show of barley, but the methods of growing the prize samples vary verv considerably. We have always held that the best samples are grown after wheat, or even after oats, and this seems to be due to the less exuberant character of the growth, and probably to the fact that such barley is usually sown earlier than b,-irl-t-v after roots. SPECIAL MANURES FOR BAULKY. They are plenty of barley manures, and prize barleys are frequently raised from or after dressings of such fertilisers. It is singular that no far-reach- ing experiments have ever been instituted upon manuring barley with a view to proving the effect upon quality. Rothamsted deals almost exclusively with yields per acre, and no agricultural chemist has yet ventured to put forward a combination of fertilisers which may be relied upon to pro- duce a high class sample. Such combinations are left to the commercial-manure manufacturer. Agri- cultural chemistry might naturally be expected to tell us how to manure for barley. The list of fer- tilisers is too meagre, and seems principally to o cil- late between various combinations of two familiar substances-nitrate of soda and superphosphate. Potash is uncertain in its effects, but probably a mixture of these three would exhaust the list. We are, therefore, left comparatively in the dark its to the manuring of barley, and lean to the iden that a moderate condition of fertihiy brought about through ordinilry g'.od farming is the best for this purpose. There is, it is to be flared, much room for quackery in the fabrication cf barl.t-.v manures; but nevertheless a fair test of various manures manufactured for the specie' growth of barley might prove useful if the manufacturers would submit their wares to such a crucial test, and if a central experiment could be arranged. The question is extremely difficult, because each season has its own peculiarities, and each Eo:1 its own peculiar de- ficiencies. In the meantime tl e trade in such spec'al manures is chiefly supported by testimonials as to what has been achieved in particular cases. FIXE TILTH. Suitable soil, in suitable condition, and finely worked to a uniform tilth, are perhaps the chief con- ditions for securing a good crop of barlev. In ordfr to secure them careful folding, earlv ploughing, and the mellowing effects of weather are all required. Once ploughing may sometimes be all that is neces- sary, but twice ploughing is also recommended. In such a dry season as the present there is no fear of land having been battered down with heavy rain. Folding has been dry, and the ground breaks easilv. One plough and plenty of harrowing and rolling will, therefore, be found suffic'tcid,. Drilling is preferable to broadcasting, as more like.y to secure equal depth of sowing, equal germination, and uniform appear- ance above ground. ROLLING AFTER pr.ouGiusa. When folds are broken in dry weather the furrow should be at once rolled down, as it will be found to .pulverise better, and will not be rendered liable to cake or ettch in the sun. As the season advances, this tillage will be found to grow in importance. It w ono of the difficulties encountered in sowing lafe arley th&t the furrows catch and become intractable it? fr^n ^8 P^sn pointed out in this cojumn, os udy of tillage is a iaost important part of agri- cultural practice, and farmers who understand and take pains with ti, order asd timing of their simple operatioiis ,4-ill be quite as to bring out a good •ample of -barley as those who bestow more attention upon the spe&^i nianures recommended for barley..

[No title]

GARDENING GOSSIF. 1--

[No title]

AMERICAN HUMOUR.

.HOME HINTS.

SCIENCE NOTES.

[No title]

ART AND LITKRATt^3

[No title]