IRRIGATION WORK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 195, 31 May 1945, Page 8

IRRIGATION WORK.

Farmers generally have expressed concern that the Public Works Department graders would pack the soil making the seed bed too hard for a good strike of grass. Experience has proved the reverse to this, as, now the grass on these border-dyked paddocks is established, they show 100 per cent, stronger growth on the grader wheel marks than in other parts of the paddock. Another outstanding feature is, that in making a check-level, soil has to be shifted to the low side of the check, leaving less soil on the higher side which most farmers felt would lead to a very poor establishment; but practice has proved that this is not the case. On inspection of pastures that are now established no difference can be seen in the swarth over the whole area, except for the extra growth where the grader wheels have t ravelled. At a recent meeting of the Lauriston Farmers’ Union, Mr A. Flaye, lecturer on farm economy at Lincoln College, gave an interesting address on farm management. In answering questions, Mr Flaye said that lie thought the possibilities of irrigation were enormous in the area, and that it was going to solve the problem of feed shortage in the critical months for farmers on light land. It was his opinion that on the average farm in Mid-Canterbury farmers have no difficulty in providing winter feed for their sheep, but often experience great difficulty in bridging the gap between the spring flush and th time when autumn fodder crops are ready. Another point of interest that Mr Flaye made was that the best return could only be got from irrigated pastures by carrying Romney ewes and Southdown rams if fat lambs were to be raised.