ON THE LAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8207, 3 August 1915, Page 7

ON THE LAND.

I A Southland correspondent writes:— The winter is just about over, and considering winter feed has not boon quite so plentiful as it is usually at thin time of the year, we have been fortunate in getting an open winter, with' only one fall of snow and very little frost. Consequently, stock of all dcv | scriptions are looking well, and should give a good return when it is wanted. The harvest was later than usual qwing to 'the unsettled weather in the autumn. In some parts this has caused ploughing to be not so far advanced as it was last year. It is quite understood that there will be a largo acreage of crop sown during the spring, as the high prices for chaff and oats have been a big inducement to farmers to plough more for crop and to gamble a little more with .next year's weather. The very high price of grass-seed-of all sorts should also mean that more than the usual acreage will be reserved for seed. Chewings fescue and. crested dogstail seem to be the two grasses which are bringing in the best returns for seefl" Even on the poorer lands, £10 an acre profit is not considered above•the average for fescue, while £25 an acre is said to be token from crops of dogstail on the good country. Of the two grasses, the crested dogstail is very much better , than the fescue for 'grazing,' as sheep ( are very fond of it, while they almost | prefer tussock to the fescue. Many i Canterbury farmers would be wise to sow a few pounds of this seed with other grasses in paddocks that, they intend leaving in pasture for somo years.