28 
THE FARM. 
Irrigating Before or After Sowing. 
Inquiries are frequently received as to 
the proper preparation of irrigated areas 
for seeding. Mr. F.G. Chomley, Man- 
ager of the Yanco Experiment Farm, 
states: — 
‘It is far better to irrigate first and sow 
after for all seeds, cereals as well as 
lucerne,’ 
‘In irrigating before sowing do not 
flood the ground, if it can be avoided, but 
plough furrows from 3to 10 feet apart, , 
according to the nature of the land. Some 
soils will soak 5 feet on each side of a 
furrow full of water; others take a long 
time to soak 1 foot 6 inches sideways. If 
there is much to do, and the soil is likely 
to get hard before it can all be ploughed, 
run the scarifier over it as soon as the 
horses can work on the land; in a few 
days the soil will be evenly moist, and in 
good condition for ploughing. The 
ploughed land should be scarified as soon 
as ploughed, or the crests of the furrows 
will dry hard. Ifconvenient, harrow or 
searify each day's ploughing as the work 
progresses. In autumn, the irrigating 
given for ploughing and seeding should, 
with average winter conditions, carry a 
crop of wheat, oats, &c, well into 
spring, when one good soaking, as the 
seed stalks are starting, should suffice for 
hay, with, if conditions are adverse, one 
more for grain crops.’ : 
‘Lucerne sown in autumn must not be 
irrigated till spring on most soils unless 
the sowing was done very early and a fair 
growth has been made, when a light 
irrigation (if dry weather continues) may 
be given. Lucerne is moro likely to suffer 
from too much moisture on the approach 
of cold weather than from dryness. If 
late-sown lucerne is irrigated before all 
the seed has germinated, the surface will 
set tight and the little leaves cannot get 
‘through.’ 
—‘ Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W.’ 
en RL ST NO TEETER SERRE 
We post ‘The Australian Gardener’ 
direct for 3s. 6d. per annum. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Cultivation where Irrigation is Out 
of the Question. 
The dry-land farmer must continually 
bear in mind that in order to succeed he 
must study the physical characteristics of . 
his soil and take advantage of every 
possible means of conserving all the 
moisture that falls, whether it comes 
during the preparation of the land for 
seeding, during the growing period of the 
crop, or after a crop has been harvested. 
The foundation principle of conservation 
of moisture is to provide ani maintain at 
the surface a layer of loose soil which 
serves to prevent the escape of moisture 
by evaporation. In the majority of cases 
it will be necessary to conserve the mois 
ture of two seasons for a single crop; and 
early deep ploughing, summer tilling of 
the land, and so arranging the crops that 
two seasons’ rainfall will be largely 
utilised for each crop, are the means of 
securing the desired results. The dry- 
land farmer cannot afford to be at all 
careless about any of these cperations. 
He should also remember that every weed 
allowed to grow in his cultivated crop saps 
its proportion of the moisture from the 
land and robs him of a portion of his just 
dues.—Report of Wyoming Agr. Exp. 
Station, U.S.A. 
Breaking up of Subsoil by 
Dynamite. 
Kansas farmers show a good deal of in- 
genuity in pursuing their calling, Noth- 
ing comes amiss to them, The question 
of expense in improving the quality of 
their grcun1 will not stand in their way 
if they s39 a chance of profit in the out- 
lay, Of late they have been operating on 
t @ compact subsoil or hardpan which is 
found in some places. Such stratum 
checks the growth of cereals, grasses, 
lucerne, fruit trees, &., and also affords 
a poor host for moisture. An ex- Governor 
of tho State, M.S. J. Crawford, tried an 
experiment with gunpowder. He desired 
to plant lucerne, a deep-rooter, and the 
hard subsoil rendered it unlikely that the 
crop would give good results, An ordin 
November 1, 190% 
ary Z-in. auger was used to bore holes in 
the ground, from 2 to 6 ft. deep and from: 
20 to 30 ft. apart, according to the nature- 
of the subsoil. One stick of ordinary- 
blasting powder was placed in each hole,. 
and exploded. The ground was Lroken. 
up toaradius of from 10 ‘ft. to 15 ft.. 
from each charge, anl total wholesale- 
cost of powder, caps, and fuse per acre 
was 63 3d. The holes made vere filled with. 
sand or gravel so ag to keep them open 
permanently as a passage way for surplus. 
rainfall. Mr. Crawford contends that 
the expenditure is repaid by one year’s 
added yield of wheat, maize, lucerne, or- 
whatever crop is cultivated. 
— Farmer and Grazier.’ 
Miscellaneous Items. 
— 
Potatoes should not be planted in the- 
same soil two years in snecession, 
* é * * * x 
Don’t wait until you need fodder crops. 
Put in your seed early, and have plenty 
of feed for your stock for summer, 
* . OK * * * a 
If farmers would learn to treat their 
hoifers and cows as liberally, in proportion 
as they do their horses and hogs, there- 
would be more good cows in the country. 
* * * * * a 
Give the growing lambs every care and 
attention, but do not forget the children 
in your own household. They need your 
thoughtful consideration, for their 
development and character-building are 
very important. 
* * 6 03 * * 
Anyone can farm, so can anyone 
Without the: 
necessary knowledge one is about as. 
likely to succeed in the one as in the 
other. Anyone can sow. but only the 
experienced farmer knows what kind of 
seed to sow. 
4 * * * * * 
speculate in stock. 
There is a great difference in seed. 
value between the different kernels 
grown ina single head of wheat. To 
prove this pick the kernels from one side 
of a head of wheat, lay thom on a board 
in the order in which they grey and 
gxamine them carefully. 
— 
SSS 
