A Note on the Working of 
Soils. 
JS. McFardzean, Dairy Supervisor. 
Many soils vary largely in their consis- 
tteney under different degrees of noistness 
but there is some stage between wet and 
dry when each may be must easily reduced 
by mechanicil action to that friable 
condition that is necessary in a good seed 
bed. When breaking up land at any 
season, but more especially when the 
weather is dry, every effort should be 
made to work the ground at this stage. in 
order that the labour and cost of culti- 
vation way be reduced to a miniinum, 
and a satisfactory yield be nitimately 
obtained, 
It is not tobe supposed that anyone 
would intentionally make this work of 
cultivation heavier for himself cr his 
team ; nevertheless, this is often done 
through overlooking some simple matter 
in connexion with the variations of the 
soil or weather. Even when apparently 
dry, all soil contains some moisture ; but, 
when in a condition which allows of it 
being easily turned over by either plough 
or spade, there is usually an obvious 
amount present. In breaking up ground 
that is intended for cropping during the 
summer months such moisture should be 
carefully conserved. Want of attention 
to this point frequently have caused much 
loss:of time, and has even resnlted at 
times’ in thé failure of that season’s 
SOWING, 
Tf damp soil on being turned over 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
lie inan unbroken sod, exposed to the 
action of either a hot sun ora dry wind 
much of the moisture it contains will 
soon evaporate; and it is apt then to 
become more or less caked and cloddy. 
In such a condition it will not make into 
a satisfactory seed bed ; but, if broken 
down by harrowing before it becomes 
over dry, much of its moisture will be 
retained, and it will be more easily 
brought to the cesired position for 
sowing. 
No gardener in digging sweet ground 
would turn it if over in sods and leave it 
to dry in that state. Hach spadeful ig 
broken down as it is turned 
when digging is finished very little more 
over; and 
work is required to make a satisfactory - 
seed-bed. On the other hand it is quite 
a common occurrence for a ploughman 
to continue turning over acres of soil 
until he has finished a given area ; mean- 
while thoughtlessly leaving the damp soil 
to bake and clod, and the moisture to 
The result is that, without 
afterwards 
evaporate. 
an opportune rainfall, he 
experiénces much difficulty in bringing 
that ground into anything like fair 
sowing conditicn, even by expending 
much extra time and labour on it in 
repeated working. In the 
weather is blamed for the unsatisfactory 
result. But,if the farmer had worked 
his deres on a méthod similar to that 
applied by the gardenerand broken down 
the newly turned soil before it became 
dry, he would have had no cause for 
complaint. A like result is obtainable 
with either plough or spade if the soil i, 
worked down at the proper time ; that is 
before the moisture dries from it. 
Under.dry weather conditions, there- 
fore ground should «be broken down as 
soon as possible after it is turned over 
and the drier the atmosphere the less 
time must be lost in harrowing down the 
freshy ploughed surface. No rule, how- 
ever, suit all soils or weather 
variations. The point to be remembered 
is, that to allow soilto dry out to any 
extent before breaking it down by 
harrowing means increasing the cost of 
producing the crop by putting up more 
work for the man and eam ; and at the 
such cases 
will 
same time the possibility of asatisfactory 
crop is being materially reduced. 
In either the farm or the garden, a 
small area properly worked will give a 
more satisfactory result than a larger 
extent of ground indifferently treated, 
Careful cultivation insures a more eyen 
germination of the seed when sown ; each 
plant is also enabled to make better root 
growth ; and the land has thus a better 
chance to yield a good return. 
Victorian ‘Journal of Agriculture’. 
The Cost of a Bad Collar. 
Some people have an idea that so long 
asa collar is sufficiently bulky and strong 
looking it will serve for any horse_ 
When ploughing time comes round, and 
the hardest work of the year commences, 
on to raw youngsters and the bloated 
elders go great collars.. Of course, almost 
any horse after a fair spell from work may 
get a bit tender about the shoulders 
during his first few days at ploughing | 
but it isalso not by any means uncommon 
to see quite a large proportion of the 
horses on a holding practially incapacit- 
ated at the most critical time through 
lack of care in getting well-fitting collars 
The los of time, and in ticklish seasons 
of favourable sowing opportunities, in 
this respect must be very considerable. 
The subject is one that is worth 
preaching about: There are three ways 
or so round the difficulty: — 
First ; Let each horse haveit’s own collar, 
and be sure that it fits him as well as 
possible. ; 
Second : Be sure that you so adjust the 
hames as to give him the fairest 41.d most 
effective pull. 
Third: Take care of the collar, and 
keep it as clean as possible of cake sweet. 
—‘ Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 
Too much cleanliness cannot obtain in 
the dairy, nor in the cowshed. What is 
amiss there will affect the dairy. 
* * * * * * 
Isolate every cow at calving time and 
keep her apart from the herd, to avoid 
the possibility of harmful excitement. 
