Sept. 2, 1908.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S,W. 



697 



organic matter such as stubble or green crops worked in during the process. 

 H(-avier soils rich in organic matter on the surface may be deepened quickly 

 to advantage. Too much vegetable matter on top absorbs light rainfalls, 

 keeping them at the surface, and no inducement is offered for the plant to 

 root deeply. Shallow-rooted plants cannot withstand droughts and are 

 dependent upon more continuous rains. It will thus be apparent that deep 

 ploughing would be advantageous consistent with the keeping of a mellow 

 surface. Ploughing should be performed in such a manner as to discourage 

 the growth of weeds. Ploughs which do not invert the surface and cover 

 young growing weeds are faulty and should not be used. Disc ploughs do 

 not cover weeds as effectively as mould-board ploughs. For fallowing, ploughs 

 which present the largest possible surface of the soil to the weathering agents 

 should be used. kSmooth fallows also are invariably weedy ; rough surfaces 

 should be aimed at. Smooth surfaces readily crust and run together after 



Harvesting Wheat after being fed-off. 



heavy rains. Rough ones mellow and crumble down during the fallowing 

 period, thereby continually changing the surface, which is desirable. Heavy 

 storms run off smooth surfaces, whei'eas rough ones trap them. With mould- 

 board ploughs the clods are kept on top when the land is ploughed dry, the 

 finer particles settling beneath. The disc plough carries the fine particles to 

 the top, sprinkling them as an impalpable dust over the surface. Such 

 particles readily crust after heavy rains, and the fine condition of the surface 

 induces the germination of the small seeds of weeds. 



Weeds. — Weeds should be attacked vigorously. They are robbers of plant- 

 food and moisture. Heavy yields cannot possibly be obtained where they 

 are abundant. Land should be ploughed as soon as possible after the crop 

 comes off to destroy all weeds which have not matured during the time the 

 wheat occupied the land. By a rational crop rotation weeds are kept in 

 check. Wheat should never be .sown amongst a lot of young weeds ; the 

 weeds always retain the advantage. The land should be newly ploughed, 

 and the grain sown upon a fresh furrow ; stale furrows are unsatisfactory. 



