SWAMP LANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1926, Page 14

SWAMP LANDS.

■ 1,11 -I. , —♦ ■ , WORK AT HUNOAHUNGA. SCCCESSFUL CULTIVATION. I (From Our Own Correspondent.) | TE AROHA, Saturday. I The far end of Ngarua, that is to say, the land lying on either side of the 1 diagonal road which runs between NgaI rua and Alexander, forms practically the centre of the great Hungahunga swamp. Some 14 or 15 years ago, it was a waterlogged waste of swamp, the haunt of wild ducks, and apparently no use to either man or beast. Fourteen years ago the main Hungahunga drain was j put down through the centre of this waste, and the land on either side of jit was taken-up in large tracts by the j early settlers. Those farms which lie lon either side of the diagonal road are I subdivisions of an estate of 11,000 acres. ! The majority of these farms vary from 100 to 100 acres in area, and were taken jup about seven years ago. At that ! time there were a few main drains and fewer surface drains, but the land was still in a swampy condition and had to be sub-drained aud fenced before anything could be done towards cultivation. A difference of opinion has always ! existed with regard to the breaking in of the land, and, while some have merely swamp-harrowed and stumped the land, others have followed up the process by ploughing also. The harrowing merely works and levels the peat, whereas the ploughing works up the subsoil, serves to kill off the native grasses and weeds, and also facilitates the drainage. Tho efficacy of the ploughing is amply demonstrated by the fact that many of those who contented themselves with swamp-harrowing are now either ploughing or considering seriously the advisability of doing so. Where there arc no big stumps, but merely ti-tree and bracken the swamp plough is used, but where stumps and heavy timber exist the disc plough is more favoured. Before ploughing, many of the settlers were faced with the problem of getting the stumps out, and in many cases this job was let on contract. The burning of these stumps is a matter that calls for the exercise of great caution, for if the peat became well alight, it would burn down for three or four feet in depth and follow a route underground for a. distance of several feet. Once the peat has been worked, however, it is no longer inflammable. Underneath the peat there is a subsoil of hard, white clay, the depth of the peat varying from six inches to three feet. In cases where the peat has burnt down to this clay, and this clay itself has been worked, it has been found that the latter will grow as good feed as j the peat. When the land is first broken, a crop of turnips is usually sown. These ' are fed off until the land becomes too wet, and the cows are turned loose on it. It is the opinion of many farmers that under these conditions cattle ftre the best cultivators. The second year the land is sown in English grasses, and ig annually dressed with a mixture of, super, blood and Iwne, and slag. Pfispalum is not favoured in this country, as it has a tendency to become rank, and cannot easily be got out. ! One farm in the district may serve as an example of the results to be obtained in this reclaimed swamp land. Ktartfcig off seven years ago, with not half broken in, this settler commenced with a herd of 25 cows. Only about 40 acres were broken in, and most of i the feed was such as to be got from tho swamp, but an average of 2001b of butterfat was obtained under these conditions. The herd now numbers 85) head, i and averaged last year 3301b of fat ! per cow. It is anticipated that this . country will soon run ft cow to an acre and a half, and that the average yield per cow will be substantially increased.

- j The majority of the herds are grade I. Jerseys, and it is considered that for J | production and butterfat this breed caub j not be bettered on this country. -Most ; of the settlers have pedigree bulls, and .(by this means the herds are improving - yearly. - J The foregoing goes to show the splen- ; did resources of the vast swamp areas, i Cben tinder cultivation as dairying