10 Sept., 1919.] 



Farm Notes for August. 



56T 



the germination and early growth of the plants was much better. Par- 

 ticularly was this tlie case on a few slight depressions where the f-oil, 

 apparently, contained more moisture. To provide an ideal seed-bed for 

 this crop it would, therefore, seem that the soil t'hould — 



1. Be in fine tilth. 



2. Be firm or compact below the surface. 



3. Contain sufficient moisture, right to the surface, to enable 



shallow-sown seed to germinate. 



Feeding off Tests. 



The first " feed " for the season has been completed on three of the 

 forage crops in the green manurial rotation field. The forage? on these 

 plots are grown and fed off in alternate years, in rotation, with wheat 

 harvested for grain. The sheep are carefully weighed in and out of the 

 plots, and the results are summarized in the following table: — 



" Feeding off " Tests, 1919. 



This is the first time that Algerian oats has been used in these tests» 

 Hitherto, a combination crop of rye and vetches was the forage grown 

 on plot No. 19, and last year the wheat crop on this plot (as well as 

 that on plot No. 14. where rye and vetches were ploughed in) was 

 practically destroyed by the disease known as " take-all," while wheat 

 following peas, rape, and bare fallow on adjoining plots was, com- 

 paratively, only slightly affected. It thus seems that the rye served 

 as a host plant, wiiich carried the disease from one wheat year to 

 another, and it was decided to change the forage crop to Algerian oats'. 

 in order to test the reputation of this cereal to resist "take-all" on 

 a soil known to be infected with the fungus. The result will, of course, 

 not be available for some time, but the above table affords an immediate 

 and good opportunity of comparing the yield and value of this well- 

 known variety of oats with those of barley and rape. The small 

 quantity of seed required per acre, and its generally low cost, make rape 

 the cheapest crop to grow, but, even allowing this, the good return from 

 the oats makes the latter more valuable for grazing. In appearance, 

 the Algerian oats plot did not seem much 'better than the barley on 

 plot No. 17, but it stooled well and was fairly dense, and this accounted 

 for its ereater weight. Its stock-carrying capacity or grazing value is 

 proved by the fact that on the first "feed" in this, a dry season, the 

 crop weighed more, carried the sheep for a longer period, and produced 

 an increase in the live weight of the sheep of 78 lbs. per acre more 

 than the barley, and 67 lbs. per acre more than the rape. 



