THE GRASSLANDS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 20, 3 November 1937, Page 6

THE GRASSLANDS

SOURCE OF OUR WEALTH.

VALUE OF PLANT RESEARCH.

ENCOURAGEMENT OF ENTER -

PRISE

"When thinking in terms of export, we look on wool, lamb, mutton, butter and cheese as the main factors in ■enabling New Zealand to be the greatest exporting country in the world, per head of population. Very few people, such as townsfolk, and more so the city dweller, have any idea just how much the life blood of these industries depends on grassland farming. A great deal in the breeding of a sl;eep is really that which goes down its throat in the shape of succulent grass and clover and consequently we are indebted to the Plant Research Station at Palmerston North, and to Lincoln College, as ivell as our officers of the Department of Agriculture for a wonderful lot of information which is now being put to practical test right throughout New Zealand, writes an Ashburton authority. Ashburton in the past has always been looked on as the granary of this Dominion, but, excluding certain reliable wheat areas, such as Wakanui, certain parts of Chertsey, portions of Rakaia, Barrhill, Methven, Winchmore, portions of Lauriston, Lagmhor, Jslesworth, Eiffel ton, Longbeach, etc., a lot of land should never have been put under crop. It was more in evidence three or four years back, and it still looms very much at the moment, but the medium country which was used to grow wheat has deteriorated to such a state that only the best brains and experience will enable farmers on that particular land to make profit. Various attempts have been made to top-dress; successive trials of grass have failed, but to-day it would appear that the successful farming of the light and medium tracts of land is being satisfactorily attacked. We know that irrigation is receiving considerable attention by the officers of the Public Works in charge of this scheme in their close co-operation with the Agricultural Department. However until the irrigation has actually commenced its flow through the district, we are assured of a discovery about the capabilities of which even those farmers who have it are rather reticent. It is a plant called Subterranean Clover, and from these areas under cultivation it is obvious that revolutionary changes have taken place, and will further take place. If this plant will not survive the dry conditions of Canterbury, it will have at Igast increased the fertility of the soil to enable grasses and other clovers being established. There is a lot to learn regarding this clover, but it would be no mean boast at this stage to consider that Ashburton, within a few years’ time, will boast of a quarter of a million more sheep within the borders of the county. The day has passed for conservatism, and enterprise should be encouraged in the establishment of this clover on light country. What the effects of irrigation later will mean is another problem, but it obvious that the district is on the eve of a great advance in its sheep carrying capacity, and perhaps one might add that the farmers on light land will give up growing wheat as sheep-farm-ing will pay handsomely on the subterranean clover basis. This clover is highly nutritious and lias great fattening capabilities.