DEVELOPMENT OF SWAMPS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 192, 15 August 1925, Page 18

DEVELOPMENT OF SWAMPS.

TREATMENT AFTER DRAINAGE. MEANS TO CONSOLIDATION. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. A special report on the development of swamp lands has been submitted by Mr. T. H. Patterson (lustructor in' Agriculture) as supplementary to the .Government report on a scheme for draining the swamp areas of South Auckland. In this Mr. Patterson states:—

While the shallow peat, and that going to a depth of about loft, presents no great difficulty in developing for agricultural purposes, provided always drainage can be economically done, the peat layer overlying the solid to a depth of greater than loft, and up to ~sft, presents greater difficulty in grassing and-.cropping, but in grassing particularly. Where high land is contiguous to the peat, it is less difficult, and can be more economically brought in.

The deepest peat areas, and those even where the unconsolidated peat is over loft, need further investigation before definite advice can be given, which, if followed, would be economical and successful. Where the peat is very deep, e.g., up to 35ft or over, and where it is removed from uplands not peaty, such areas present the greatest difficulty in srrassing and cropping. At present burning, though' not favoured altogether, is the only method practically which is used. Here, investigation, say, in co-operation with your engineers, would, T feel sure, lead to useful results. It is my intention to bring this matter under the notice of my Director, with a request that experimental work be undertaken on the lines suggested. The generally reeomended procedure in grassing deep peat is as follows:—

On undrained pent swamps the surface covering consists almost entirely of rushes. After draining, the rush growth is usually replaced either by fern or manuka, both of which successions should be avoided if possible. After draining, the surface covering of rushes should be burnt oft. The firing of the rush covering should never be done in the summer owing to the danger of burning the peat, which exposes the stumps under the surface and leaves the surface very uneven and sometimes with deep holes.

The surface is now too soft to plough with horses, but if a tractor is available the land should be ploughed and consolidated by rolling, and sown down in the autumn in a temporary pasture of Italian ryegrass and clover in the following proportions: Italian ryegrass 301b, red clover 41b, white clover 21b; total 361b per acre.

Consolidation should be carried out by heavy stocking, first by sheep and later with cattle, and the stock should be maintained on the area a3 long as possible by feeding out hay and roots. In most cases ploughing is at first impossible and surface sowing is the only possible way of bringing the area in. After burning, try and consolidate the area by driving a few young cattle on to it, and keep them there for a few days by feeding out hay and roots to them. Surface sowing the following mixture: Yorkshire fog 151b, cocksfoot 81b, timothy 31b, lotus major 31b. A cheaper mixture would be: Yorkshire fog 141b, lotus major 21b.

The grasses will establish when the surface has been consolidated by the beasts' feet marks. The lotus major and fosr will spread rapidly and provide a fair amount of feed. A manuka succescession usually takes place, which should be cut and permanent grasses, such as cocksfoot, should be surface sown. When the peat is well consolidated an attempt should be made to get the land inta permanent pasture by sowing the following mixture: Cocksfoot 151b, perennial rye 81b, timothy 41b, crested dogstnil lib. Italian rye 31b, alsyke clover 31b, red clover 21b, white .clover lib, lotus major lib; total. 381b per acre.