PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY GRASS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 212, 6 September 1911, Page 8

PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY GRASS.

THE TWO BTSTEHS DISCUSSES. TOP-DRESSING AND GRADUALLY BUILDING-UP FERTILITY FROM THE TOP. (From the “N.Z. Farmer.”) The maintenance of permanent pasture is a subject of vital importance to farmers who make a feature of dairying or fattening. The question as to whether it pays better to break up periodically or to endeavour to maintain the permanency of the grass is one that is much debated, both systems having their advocates. There is much to be said on each side, but the matter is one on which it is impossible to dogmatise. On new sacond-class country just broken in from fern and scrub it would, perhaps, be advisable to break up a second time after, say. four or five years in grass. In such country there would be a deficiency of humus, and the land would be to some extent still sour. Breaking it up again in the early winter and fallowing till following autumn would correct the latter fault, while the second laying down with a good mixture of permanent grasses would in time supply the necessary humus, which would be attained by the decay of the roots of the plants as well as the gradual deposit of leaf and stem on the surface. It is estimated that a crop of clover leaves about three tons of decaying roots per acre in the soil to form humus.

But while it may be advisable to treat second-rate soils in thiß way, it is not by any means certain that better class soils will not, if treated properly by some top dressing material, continue to carry excellent pasture for many years after the first laying <*own. The writer was shown a paddork in the Auckland district which was sewn 50 years ago, and which is still so good that it is one of the best fattening paddocks in the district. The land was a good river flat, and walking over it I noticed that in one part the herbagr. was more com plex. There were more fine grasses, white clover, and trefoil. 1 drew the owner's attention to the la.ct. which he explained was due to that particular part haxrng been down 30 years instead of 50. From this it would appear that the finer grasses and white clover were, in time, crowded out by the coarser herbage in the longer laid down part. But. however that may be, the grass in the older part was still so good both in sole and quality that the owner would not break it up. A few years ago, when top-dressing was first being brought under the notice of agricuturists, this man tried the effect of this system of manuring on the whole of the flat. The effect was immediate and entirely satisfactory, the grass assumed a brighter green, the sole thickened, better grasses and clovers appeared in greater abundance in both parts; but the increase was more marked in the younger pasture as stated. The manure he used was basic slag, and the quantity about 4cwt per acre, at intervals of about three years. BUTLDDIG DP THE 80LL FROM THE TOP. Such an example as this would make it appear that it is possible to increase the soil fertility by top-dressing, thus saving the great expense of ploughing, working, and seeding. That it is possible for grans to maintain its fattening qualities for an indefinite number of years without re-sowing has been proved in various parts of Great Britain where there are good pastures, of which there is no record of their ever having been broken up. But however that may be, most of the land in this country is too new, and the climate is so different that we eannot judge by analogy. In the greater part of the North Island, at any rate in the Auckland province, there is a well-defined growth all through the winter, while at Home there is a fairly long season of rest. Time, therefore, will only show whether pasture will continue for lengthened periods under the strain of "all-the-year" growth. But if it can last for 60, or even 30 years, that will be long enough to satisfy most fanners. The question, then, is, Can land of average quality by topdreaaing be made to carry grass, and not only maintain, but increase its fertility over such lengthened periods? Without being unduly confident, I believe it can if the fertilisers are judiciously applied. In some instances which have come under my personal notice the application of a phosphatic manure alone failed to give the desired results. In one case, where phosphoric acid and potash failed, I inquired as to the history of the paddock, and learned that it had been heavily stocked with dairy cows. Knowing how great a drain on nitrogen milk is, I advised 2cwt of a good grade of blood and bone as a further top-dressing, and this was applied with entirely satisfac- ; tory results. On another farm one of 1 the paddocks had been cut for hay con- , tiiruoosly for ten years. In this case I advised the addition of Jcwt 96 per cent sulphate of potash per acre in addition to the phosphates, which, applied about 18 months previously, had not shown the desired effect, and the last report I had indicated that the grass was responding well to this treatment. I do not know exactly how long this particular paddock had been in grass, but I know it was down at least ten years, and it is now coming on well as the result of topdressing. At Rotharnstead wheat has been successfully grown continuously for I over fifty years with the, aid of artificial manures. It is true that the plant roots, and stubble which was ploughed in annually, supplied the necessary humus. In the case of permanent pasture I believe the roots wlrich are developed each year, and 'which in turn decay, to be again replaced by fresh roots, will supply sufficient of this very necessary soil element. We know that in many parts of the Dominion the land under the system of topdressing is steadily improving. It is about ten years since agriculturists gave serious attention to this method of manuring, and during that time the plough has been used as little as possible. Now if with this treatment the pastures, even when taxed by milk production, have not only not deteriorated, but improved, it ds fair to assume that, for a time at any rate, the expense of ploughing and seeding may be saved by continuing to topdress at reasonable intervals. These soils I have quoted were by no means of the same high quality as that of the fifty and thirty year old pastures already referred to t so that the farmer had not the same rich foundation to build upon,, yet the improvement as time goes on, is well defined. It is easy to deduce from this fact that the quality of soil and pasture may be improved without the costly process of breaking up and reseeding. I grant that in the ease of certain soils, which most people designate third class, it may De much better and higher farming to lay them down with some cheap mixture, such as danthooma, c*d top, and even the de■JjiWld CJKW'U&*WB*tJotora&yK9iJOt.

breaking up to lay down to permanent pasture with better gnoses at tile end of bur or five years. This, however, is a matter tor experiment. In one ease I know of it appears to have worked very well but bo far as I know, no experiment of trying to get permanent grass from the first sowing on the same property has been made. I may quote another instance of pasture that is about twenty-four years old. The soil is moderately stiff clay overlying a gravel subsoil. It has been topdressed yearly for the last three or four years with 2cwt. slag; the sole is thicker, the finer grasses, white clover and trefoil are snowing more freely than they have for so many years previous to topdressing; rye grass is rflso coming thickly over the paddock, and there is a sufficient quantity of cocksfoot to be seen. A paddock on the adjoining property with only a fence between, is almost wholly given up to weeds—hawk weed predominating. If the two paddocks were some distance apart, instead of adjoining, one might well be pardoned for classing the latter as a much inferior soil to the former, and the difference in value from the appearances of the pasture could well be estimated at £ 10* an acre. Both laid down at the same time, and subsequently divided for sale, y3t the difference owing to top-dressing was as stated. This is an instance of how pasture can be improved, and the standard of fertility of the soil not only maintained but improved without breaking up. A word of advice re top-dressing will not be out of place here. It is not good fanning to wait till the grass shows signs of deteriorating before top-dTess-ing. I know personally of a case of this sort, and the man complained of the non-effectiveneßS of the dressing. The fact was the frrass roots had been so completely exhausted that nothing short or receeding would have made a good pasture. The time to dress is when the grass is in good heart, and so keep it in that cnodition. By this method the best results will be obtained with a smaller quantity of manure. As regards the method of "application, while I personally favour three to four cwt. at intervals of three or four years on light soils, on heavier land one heavy dressing of five or six cwt. every four or five years has proved effective; this, however is a matter for experiment. On some of the poorer and heavier soils in the Auck'and district, a single dressing of half a ton of slap per acre has proved most profitable. Experience is a great teacher, and the old maxim still holds good, "An ounce of experience is worth more than a ton of theory." Of course, these remarks re permanent partures have not a. general application, as for instance, where cropping is more profitable than grazing o» dairying. (To be concluded next Wednesday.)