October 1, 1909 
simple drill for their home agriculture ; 
and English makers seem satisfied to 
utilise their inventions without treubling 
to suit our own. Why a man should not 
be able to ride on a drill and operate a 
few parts, while a man on a binder has 
so many to look after, seems strange. 
Wake up, England! Surely a good steerage 
might be provided that could easily be 
worked by the feot, ita hand cannot be 
spared, to correct the inaccuracies of 
driving; and all other points, such as 
regulating the depth, might be con- 
veniently worked by other levers. The 
adoption of a modification of the motor- 
car steerage ought not to be a_ great 
difficulty. Three men—we sometimes set 
four—and four horses, making a funeral 
procession to bury wheat, drilling about 
as straight as an Irishman walks after a 
prolonged wake, is not good enough for 
the twentieth century, and wheat at less 
than 5s. a bushel. The American maker 
won’t provide us with something up to 
date, and the English maker apparently 
can’t. Where is the successor to 
Salmon, who, at any rate, did provide a 
gocd steerage a century ago? 
‘wanted. 
— Difficulty of Steering, — - 
Considering how difficult it is to steer 
the drill with accuracy, and that even with 
good steerage, only the very highly skilled 
can make the first draught across a field 
-even decently straight, it is extraordinary 
that a line is not laid down asa guide, but 
we have never seen it done. It may be 
‘pride on the part of the drill man that 
prevents it, but it very foolish for a farmer 
‘to allow an unskilled man to do bad work 
‘on such grounds. Moreover, if most men 
get a good start, it takes them all theic 
time to keep straight, and where it is 
intended to horse-hoe subsequently it 
‘would be far better if the farmer insisted 
upon it. and if the man eannot keep 
straight far over the field to make him 
lay down the cord again. There would bo 
far less inaccurate drilling if this were 
done. It seems almost superfluous at 
‘Sight to say that the coulters should be 
set exactly at the required distance 
apart, but if one takes a measure into the 
field one will find far more inaccuracies in 
He is 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
ett a ele caaliciaiciel ss DADE Lene 8 A 
would think 
possible, except where the master keeps a 
very close and proper oversight of what is 
going on. 
this respect than one 
—‘ Agricultural Gazette.’ 
Prospects of the Season. 
The farmers of South Australia have 
seldom labored under more encouraging 
conditions than they‘have this year, Fol- 
lowing a remarkable run of good seasons 
and good markets in practically all 
branches of the agricultural and pastoral 
industries, the present year promises to 
to eclipse them all; and there is every © 
likelihood—given good weather for the 
wheat crop—that South Australia will this 
year establish a record in production, both 
in quantity and, itis hoped, in value. The 
conditions at seeding time could scarcely 
have been better than they were, and the 
same good fortune, so far as the weather 
is concerned, has attended the farmers to 
the present time. There has, perhaps, 
been too much rain in some places— 
especially last month, which was one of 
the wettest Augusts in the history of the 
State, Some towns have already had 
more than their average annual rainfall in 
eight months. Beyond causing temporary. 
floods, the heavy rain has not done very 
much harm. In a good many districts 
ploughing has been and 
fallowing has been delayed. It is to be 
hoped that farmers will not restrict their 
fallowing in consequence, because it is 
better to fallow late than not at all. - The 
crops in practically every part of the State 
are most promising. A splendid hay 
yield is almost certain, and with a good 
October a record wheat harvest should be 
assured. Graziers have been equally as 
fortunate as agriculturists, the lambing 
having been good and feed for stock 
abundant. ; Sic 
—S.A, ‘Journal of Agriculture,’ 
impossible, 
Study your soil, and find out what it 
needs. 
To-day the skilled plant-feeder knows 
his soil and what it will do asa driver 
knows his horse, and treats the case 
intelligently. 
31 
Miscellaneous Items. 
All perma nent growth, all high ideas, are 
- somewhere linked in a dignified way with 
the soil. 
Nearly every spot on the farm can be 
made to return a profit if the sheep are 
properly placed. ate 
* * x * * * 
No amount of work on the soil or in 
culture will make a good crop of corn 
unless the seed is good. : 
* * * * * * 
Responsibility and profit-sharing will 
do more to keep the boy onthe farm than 
almost any other two things, 
* * * oe * * 
Activity is not objectionable in the 
_ horse for general farm work. But it 
should be activity without nervousness. 
* * eee eee * * 
The ton of mixed hay contains about 
960 pounds of digestible dry matter, while 
eight tons of silage contain 2,560 pounds 
of dry matter. 
* 33 * * * * 
The use of silage for fattening beef 
cattle has been tested at a number of 
experimental stations by stockmen, with 
excellent results. 
* * * eR * 
The four corner stones of successful 
farming are live-stock, legumes, crop 
rotation, and tillage. Upon these a 
wide system of farming can be built any- 
where. 
a * x * *® * 
Start early and keep your stock in 
first-class shape this year. ‘An ounce of 
prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ It 
is much easier to keep out internal 
parasites than to get them out. 
* * * * * * 
Remember the men who talk loudest 
_ against the silo have never tried it, Build 
a silo, say build two, a narrow one for — 
summer. Youcan do nothing te help 
out your pastures that will beat asummer 
silo. 
