The Alexandra and Yea Standard, Gobur, Thornton and Acheron Express at KellyGang 4/1/1879 (2)
(see previous)
Stubbles ought to be worked as soon as possible after being cleared. First of all, feed off all growing weeds with your sheep or dairy stook, then the scarifier-or heavy harrow may go to work ; and if there is a prospect of your being short of feed at the end of March, a few pounds per acre of rape, mustard, or turnip seed sown at time of harrowing will give your ewes and lambs a good bite. This harrowing not only induces the growth of all weed seeds which may be lying on the surface, but it loosens the top soil, and, by preventing the evaporation of moisture, makes the subsequent ploughing so much easier on the horses.
Harvesting Grass Seeds.-There are at this time some hundreds of sacks of seeds paying store rent in Melbourne, because they are foul and unsaleable. There are in the market small, handy, and cheap dressing machines, and in many cases these machines can be advantageously used; but there are some weed-seeds so nearly the size and weight of the approved grass seeds, that it is impossible for machinery to separate the two. In such cases a grower has no remedy but to employ hand labour in the paddock, and, although at first the cost may make a grower hesitate, still, from what I know of certain paddocks, and the almost absurd difference between dirty and clean seed, the labor and cost would be well expended. In some paddocks, five shillings an acre would be quite sufficient to clean many plots of prairie from that fearful spear-grass. I was offered eighteen pence per bushel for eight hundred bushels of prairie this week, which would have been honestly worth four and sixpence had it been clean.
Feeding off Grass Paddocks should be done with some judgment just now. To feed them off to bare is to materially injure them, and to permit the last year's sown paddocks to mature their seeds would injure them still more. Every year I see more and more the desirability of sub-dividing our grass paddocks. When such sub-divisions are made, the owner has such complete control over his grass, and can eat off, or “spell” portions, just as he sees necessary. Under such management more than double the quantity of food is obtainable, and the paddocks will last longer in a healthy condition.
Garden.-The manured and dug ground will now be ready for being planted, should rain fall ; but it will be wise not to set out more cabbages, &c., than are really wanted. It will be better to wait a month for the first autumn rains before the general transplanting takes place. Turnips may be sown in moderate quantity. Carrots and red beet may also be sown if a further supply be required, provided the ground be moist enough to ensure their growth. Celery may be planted out, taking care to shade well. French beans may be sown, but for this mowing it will be better to prepare a trench almost as deep as if you intended it for celery. Cucumbers, marrows, &c., will require constant attention this month in stopping the growing shoots, by nipping off just above the embryo fruit; as these stoppings occasion the production of numerous shoots. Some of these will need removal altogether, or the plants will become crowded and unfruitful.
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