1869 - May, J. Guide to Farming in New Zealand. - [Front Matter], p 3-8

       
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  1869 - May, J. Guide to Farming in New Zealand. - [Front Matter], p 3-8
 
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[TITLE PAGES]


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MAY'S
GUIDE TO FARMING
IN
NEW ZEALAND

ARRANGED FOR THE
SEASONS AND CLIMATE
WITH A
COMPREHENSIVE CALENDAR
OF
THE OPERATIONS FOR EACH MONTH IN THE YEAR.






AUCKLAND:
G. T. CHAPMAN, BOOKSELLER AND STATIONER.
QUEEN STREET.

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Printed by WILLIAM ATKIN, High-street, Auckland.

[PREFACE]

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PREFACE.

IN the early days of the colony, when farming was conducted in a primitive fashion, 'helps' being scarce, each farmer was his own man servant and general manager, book farming was not then fashionable; but, in these modern 'go-ahead' times, the experience of the past is enquired after to enable the young settler to grasp the smooth handle of his difficulties.

At the urgent request of a number of friends, this Guide to Farming in New Zealand has been compiled; we have most carefully gone into the subject, and in every instance given the very best advice, so far as our knowledge and experience goes, and have now much pleasure in publishing it for the guidance of our fellow-colonists.

In describing the natural vegetation and soil, to assist our friends in selecting land, the language of one or two of the extracts given, may appear rather flowery, but as they are true, beautifully expressed, and to the purpose, we have not hesitated to adopt them.

To clear the land, whether from bush, scrub, or fern, we have given several ideas, for in this, as in house-building in the bush, we have not had much experience, and thus, in our anxiety to be clearly understood may have partly repeated some of them, but we believe that one of the plans slightly modified to suit different places and circumstances, will answer every purpose.

In the cultivation of the land, our own experience, extending over so many years in the old country and New Zealand, will be found, we believe, sufficient to direct both old and new settlers on this part of the subject.

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In the rearing and general management of stock we have throughout been very particular, for this, in our opinion, is the interest-paying part of the farmer's invested capital; the cultivation of cereal crops in New Zealand are gradually giving place to permanent pastures and well-bred mixed stock.

It would have been less trouble to have written an original work on New Zealand farming than to write as we have done; giving, with our own, the experience of settlers in different parts of the colony, In speaking of New Zealand and its fine climate we forget that it has several climates: thus, about the Bay of Islands the orange and lemon ripen in the open air, and the maize crop seems quite at home; about Auckland, with a climate equally mild but more moist, the maize is not always a certain crop, while south of Auckland, except in a few choice spots, it can only be grown for green food; in the Middle Island, about Otago, the climate is very much like that of Scotland south of the Forth and Clyde; with such a difference, therefore, in the climate, a little repetition, and in some instances difference of opinion, was necessary in a work like the present, intended for the whole colony.

The second division of our Guide to Farming in New Zealand contains the practical part of the subject, the particular duties for each month; [the tables at page 49 give the climate of New Zealand compared with several places in the Northern Hemisphere, followed by a general weather table for the twelve months; then comes the routine work for the month, each headed with a table, showing the average mean pressure and temperature of the atmosphere, the days on which rain fell, the total rain-fall and the prevailing winds, all compiled from the General Government Statistics.

The other matters which follow will make the work more valuable as a general hand-book for settlers, as well as a practical guide to all engaged in agricultural or pastoral pursuits in New Zealand.

[INDEX]

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INDEX.

THE Maori Seasons in New Zealand........2
The First Step, Introductory............9
Descriptive and Illustrative .........10
Practical and Demonstrative ........13
Bush Life and the Bush described........15
Cutting down and burning the bush ......18
Character of the Soil from its Vegetation......22
The Management of Clay Lands...........26
The Cultivation of Bush Land .............30
How to Build a House in the Bush........31
Clearing, draining and fencing for a Garden........37
A Personal Narrative.............42
Golden Rules for Farmers............47
The Climate of New Zealand...........49
Mean Temperature of Places in New Zealand and of Places in the Northern Hemisphere to compare with New Zealand..........49
General Weather Table for the twelve Months .............49

SECOND PART.

The Earth in its Natural State described.........51
How Trees beautify the Landscape..........53
Useful Hints to farmers.........54

JANUARY--Calendar of operations for the month .......55
Cereal crops; cultivation of wheat, barley, and oats; sowing new ground; maize crop; reaping, &c.; the cultivation of tobacco in Victoria described.

FEBRUARY--Calendar of operations for the month...........59
Potatoes may be taken up; plough cleared land; the process of paring and burning; Cape barley and oats for green food; prairie grass and tares for green food, &c.

MARCH--Calendar of operations for the month........61
Burning off bush; the process of vegetation; fern land, when to be sown with grass; lambing season; potato digging and cropping the land; pitting the potatoes; sow all winter crops; how to sow, and the quantity; lucerne as a valuable food, &c.

APRIL--Calendar of operations for the month..........65
Continue to sow for green food; plough land for wheat; lambing; sow various seeds; hoe and clear weeds; finish burning; clover and green food, &c.

MAY--Calendar of operations for the month...........67
Sowing wheat in bush and open land; thick and thin sowing described; thunder weather for wheat, the explanation; clear furrows, ditches and drains; keep milch cows and other cattle comfortable; saintfoin to cultivate, &c

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JUNE--Calendar of operations for the month...........71
Winter work; have shelter for cattle; proper food for growing stock; golden rule for feeding; salt as a condiment; milch cows' food and milk; sow winter wheat; pigs and bacon; draining, &c.

JULY--Calendar of operations for the month ...........75
Indoor work; water courses; cows calving; sheep require attention; horses' dry food; cart manure; plant potatoes; sow oats, barley and winter wheat; clear bush land; manure described; good farming; guano; bone dust; gypsum; lime; lime and salt, &c.

AUGUST--Calendar of operations for the month..........81
Attend to horses, store cattle and cows; plant thorns and potatoes; soils and manure for the potato; cows calve; dairy management; milking cows; cattle ponds, &c.

SEPTEMBER--Calendar of operations for the month...............85
Main crop of potatoes; sow maize; for hay close the paddocks; oats for hay; grass crop; sow Swedes, rape, peas, vetches and grass; cheese and butter making; the yearning; cheese, Stilton, Chedder, Cheshire, Dunlop, and Gouda, described; how to make Dunlop and Cheshire cheese; tobacco culture, root crops, &c.

OCTOBER--Calendar of operations for the month .............95
Late potatoes; sow grass, oats and maize; cabbage; docks; hoe potatoes; sheep; cows; maize; the value of horses and oxen; the art of managing horses; wheat, &c.

NOVEMBER--Calendar of operations for the month.............99
Hoe potatoes; pulverise the soil; plough new land; sow sorgum and carrots; give calves milk, and mares, cows and pigs good food; cart scoria; under-draining; parsnips; crops and manure, &c.

DECEMBER--Calendar of operations for the month...............103
Haymaking; oaten hay; sow oats, grass, clover and lucerne; pasture lands; broken winded horses; maize; mangolds; cabbages; sugar grass; fern; the art of grazing, &c.

How to grow Fruit Trees on Grass Lands.....109
Seeds required to sow Garden Plots..........111
Seeds required to sow an Imperial Acre .......112
Seeds required for a Garden of One Acre.......112
Dimensions of a Statute Acre in Yards........113
Number of Plants, at given distances, in a Square Perch............113
Yards, Feet and Inches, in links of the Imperial Chain...............114
Number of Plants contained in an Acre of Land........................114
Table for Planting and Sowing from 1 to 30 feet apart...............115
Weight of Produce per Acre from 1 to 14 lbs. per Square Yard.......116
Weight per Acre of potatoes, turnips, carrots, &c, by weighing 20........116
The Value of a Garden and One Hundred Years ago..................117
The Moon's Influence..........................118
Chronology of Rural Affairs from the Creation to the present time..........120


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