ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 47, 25 February 1927, Page 12

ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES.

Phosphate of Lime—an Tnquirv Answered.—"S. A.M." writes: "With repaid to top-dressing for pastures with phosphate of lime—is this a suitable time to apply it. where is it obtainable, and how much should be allowed to the acre? The cows running here are frequently seen chewing a bone, and, having read your article on the subject in last Friday's issue, I have concluded that there must be an insufficiency of lime phosphate in the soil. About what would the cost be per acre?"— The present is a suitable time for top-dressing pastures. A very usual application is 3cwt to the acre. Phosphate of liine (usual!}known as superphosphate) is obtainable from all merchants of standing handlins manures. The cost per acre of the manure would work out at about 12/. The chewing of bones by the cows in an indication of the deficiency of minerals in the soil. The use is recommended of, say, a ton of ground limestone and 3cwt of superphosphate. The lime is better applied some time before the manure and seed are sown.

Drugs never take the place of proper sanitation and feeding methods, ar ' an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The first step to raising healthy calves is to have healthy cows.

Just as all animals derive their food from the assembled food of plants, so, it seems, all plants derive their food from that prepared in the soil by other and lower forms of life.

Modern farming, in every branch, to be a success, must be up-to-date. Nothing is gained by working on chance systems or in clinging to old practices.