February, 1909.]/ 



115 



land year after year, if he cultivates the 

 land properly and follows out a system 

 of rotation of crops, with judicious green 

 manuring, etc. The land on the farm 

 must be ploughed to a depth of at least 

 four or five inches. The plough used for 

 the work must be of a little heavier type 

 than that used on wet, clayey paddy 

 laud. After ploughing the harrow is put 

 on which will stir, pulverise and level 

 the land thereby making a good seed- 

 bed. The roller will then follow. With 

 regard to the effect upon the crop of 

 pressing the soil about the stems and 

 roots of the plants, all who are familiar 

 with gardening works know. The plant 

 cannot grow well if the soil does not 

 support it iu a fixed position, while 

 alternating rainy and dry weather Avill 

 draw the soil away and destroy the 

 close relation between soil and plant 

 necessary for the process of vegetation. 

 The roller counteracts this and 

 establishes close contact between soil 

 and stem and roots. The seed is 

 now sown and covered. Once the plants 

 have established themselves and attained 

 a certain height, the harrow is put over 

 the growing crop. This loosens the soil 

 thereby breaking up the capillary tubes 

 and minimising evaporation. The har- 

 vesting could be done in two ways either 

 with a reaping machine or a scythe. I 

 would not suggest the reaper as it would 

 be very injudicious Avith the object in 

 view to introduce anything that the 

 villager cannot buy or improvise. So 

 far the only expensive implement he 

 will have to procure is the plough. A 

 serviceable set of harrows can be turned 

 out by a village blacksmith, and a very 

 good roller can be made out of a log of 

 wood. Ploughs should be sold to vil- 

 lagers at cost price to be paid for by in- 

 stalments. As years go on and the people 

 become more prosperous and have learnt 

 the first lessons of the utility of modern 

 implements, then can be introduced seed 

 drills, reaping machines, disc harrows, 

 threshing machines, etc. 



CATTLE. 



The experimental farms cau be run in 

 conjunction with the "Stock Farm " sug- 

 gested in my article on " The Improve- 

 ment of Cattle in Ceylon."— vide page 

 57 of last issue. A certain number 

 of cattle are necessary for economic 

 purposes. There is always the stub- 

 ble to be utilised and crops under 

 green fallow to be fed off. It is neces- 

 sary to have draft power available. The 

 raising of cattle would also show the 

 people the economy and profits of mixed 

 farming, 



PIGS AND PIG BREEDING. 



We all know the difficulty of procur - 

 ing a good piece of pork, so much so, that 



wherever a good pig is secured for 

 butchering, it is specially advertised 

 in the papers. Why should not good 

 and cheap pork be always available? 

 At present, except by a few individuals, 

 pig breeding in any systematic way is 

 unknown. Two pairs of pigs, one of 

 Berkshire and the other a Poland China, 

 would suffice for each farm. A small 

 portion must be specially fenced off for 

 this purpose, and special root crops, etc., 

 grown to feed them. In some instances 

 it will be found that certain crops bring 

 in more money if sold in the form of pigs. 

 There is also a lot of otherwise waste 

 matter on a farm that would make good 

 pig feed. By judicious breeding and by 

 the economic growing of food, and the 

 utilising of otherwise waste material, 

 it will be found that pig breeding is a 

 valuable adjunct to mixed farming. 

 There is no doubt that in some districts 

 the villagers are prejudiced to rearing 

 pigs, but time will break through these 

 barriers, especially when they see money 

 in the business. 



POULTRY REARING. 



This is a much neglected but very im- 

 portant branch of farming and must 

 receive special attention. People living 

 in towns and even in the country know 

 the exorbitant prices demanded for 

 poultry and eggs. Except by a few 

 poultry fanciers no systematic breeding 

 and raising of poultry is attempted. 

 It should be the duty of the farm to 

 carry cut poultry rearing in a syste- 

 matic mauner, so that the people may 

 be taught how to conduct a paying busi- 

 ness on a large scale. Poultry can be 

 turned to a source of profit at very little 

 expense. The best breeds have to be 

 selected whether they be for eggs or 

 table purposes. Then proper attention 

 has to be paid to feeding, hatching, rais- 

 ing, fattening, etc Perhaps no depart- 

 ment of a farm takes in capital to begin 

 than that of poultry. The returns are 

 rapid and to a small farmer this is a 

 matter of much importance. The poul- 

 try may be classed into (1) table fowl, 

 (2) the general purpose fowl, and (3) 

 the egg producer. It is necessary to 

 secure young vigorous birds to breed 

 from, and each season fresh males 

 should be introduced, of a different 

 strain, so as to prevent in-breeding. 

 Toimpiove our native fowls the largest 

 hens must be selected and mated with 

 vigorous cockbirds of the following 

 bieed :— Dorkings, Indian game, Or- 

 pingtons, Plymouthrocks, Laugshans, 

 Wyandottes. Fresh cock birds of any 

 of the above breeds should be introduced 

 each season so as to improve the size 

 and prevent in-breeding. Food can be 

 grown on the farm, the suu-flowet seed 



