LAND, STOCK & CROPS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 202, 8 June 1933, Page 7

LAND, STOCK & CROPS

NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By “The Tramp”). i The difficult economic situation, appropriately has given rise to an intensive search for every possible means of reducing farm expenditure. One important consequence of this is a great danger of reductions in expenditure being the causes of greater reductions . in returns, so that eventually the financial position becomes worse than it would have beeff bad such reductions in expenditure not been made (writes Air R.-P. Connell in the “N.Z. Journal of Agriculture.”) In this connection the field work required for the most

profitable feeding of our farm stock is of current importance, for such work should be planned without delay if this has not already been done. In contemplating any reductions in farm outlay it should be remembered that an outstanding weakness in our farming has been the poor feeding of

our stock. If our past feeding practice had been of a higher standard there might have been scope for reduced effort consistent with the maintenance of efficiency. As our feeding practice commonly did not completely fulfil the profitable requirements of the stock

there cannot generally be economic scope for reduced provision for feed and, in general, unless there has been a

reduction in stock, the primary aim of the farmer should be to provide at least as much feed as formerly. Pasture top-dressing, because of the’ dominance of grassland in our livestock industry, has been an important

factor in the cheap provision of feed, and, to the utmost limit possible with the funds available, reduction in top-

dressing should he avoided. It is especially encumbent on those who find it necessary to reduce their former topdressing programme to consider alternative means of maintaining the feed supply at the same level without the same amount of direct outlay. Some of the most important measures which

may be adopted for tills purpose and which will soon call for attention are grass harrowing; ensilage, and special cropping. Regarding ensilage and special cropping, which are discussed later, it is well to keep in mind that though they may serve to some extent to replace top-dressing as a means of feeding stock they cannot similarly serve to feed the pastures, which may be expected to deteriorate to an extent corresponding to the extent that top-dressing is reduced. In tlie crops commonly grown to supplement grassland, such as mangels, chou moellier. turnips, and rape, as a rule heavier crops than those oidinaiily obtained would prove more profitable after making due allowance for the extra effort needed to secure the heavier yields. This is accounted for by teh fact that the main heavy items of cost have to be faced whether the crop is merely a medium one or a lealfi good one. The cost of land, of seed, of some manure, of ploughing, harrowing, discing, drilling are the same foi a 25-ton as for q 50-ton per acre crop. If the extra outlay on manure and cultivation 'needed to produce the extra 25 tons is not as great as the whole cost of producing the smaller crop, then the heavier crop is the cheaper source of feed. It is of seasonal importance that one of the main factors limiting crop yields is insufficient tillage, particularly before and also after the sowing of the seed. Under liianv circumstances it would be .well to begin at this season the preparatory cultivation for such' crops as those mentioned above. However, during that preparatory cultivation two deep ploughings, such as are sometimes recommended, are not always advisable; the surface labels of old swards at times carry a heavy population of weeds and their seeds. A first deep ploughing will bury these. A second deep ploughing will bring them back to the surface layer where they will he likely to give trouble in the growing of the crop. There is no good reason for bringing them hack to the surface provided a sufficiently good seed-bed can be secured bv skim ploughing and discing well ahead of sowing, thus pulverising the surface soil, which is later turned down deeply by a full ploughing and not subsequently disturbed. In order to place all’ the weed-infested surface layer well underground it is at times of value to use on the plough a- suitable skimmer attachment, thus lessening the development of weeds which occasionally occurs between the furrows.

In many parts of New Zealand the factor which definitely limits yield, especially in the case of crops such as mangels and potatoes, which are capable of high yields, is the supply of soil moisture during the growth of the crops. This fact one reason why in drier districts it is advisable to begin tho preparatory cultivation for these crops in*good time. Early working enables the rain to sink in more readily and to he held in reserve for the use of the crop. The importance of building up a soil water reserve in this way is illustrated by the fact that in the growth of a 50-ton crop of mangels at least 2000 tons of water an acre passes from the soil through the leaves of the crop. This amount of water is equivalent to 20in. of rainfall. In those districts in which 20in. of rain do noi> fall during tho growing season of the mangel early cultivation obviously is highly desirable as a means of augmenting soil reserves of moisture.

When the soil is not too wet and cold oats and barley may at times he sown with success in June to provide useful spring feed. Such crops should not be drilled deeply, and usually will respond profitably to a dressing of lewt. to 2cwt. of superphosphate per acre. Such treatment -should be carried out as with earlier-sown cereal crops.