SCIENTIFIC FARMING.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19646, 15 June 1929, Page 17

SCIENTIFIC FARMING.

A STAVELEY MOVEMENT. From the farmer's viewpoint the autumn and the winter to daw have been very good so that farm work is well up to schedule and stock is in good order (writes our local correspondent). This along with the good season just past. finds farmers looking forward with greater confidence tuan has been the case tor some time And in this connexion it is interesting to note a distinct movement towards more scientific farming and the movement is spreading, while those who at first tried to improve their methods, are exploiting the tried ways and also exploring new avenues. In the Staveley and surrounding districts, previous to last year it was only an odd farmer who was reaching out towards a better utilisation of the land at his disposal, but last year saw <» fair proportion of farmers taku up the matter of top-dressing pastures with fertilisers Apart from the need of augmenting income, new methods were brought prominently under the notioe of farmers by the great strides towards greater production in such districts as the vvaikato and Southland, and more particularly by a lecture on "Top-Dressing'' by Mr R. McGilHvray, and the experimental plots laid down by Mr E. M. Bates, instructor in agriculture at Ashburton. Though of course not miraculous the results from top-dressing at the end of the first season are quite up to expectations. Superphosphates at the rate of about 2 cwt. per acre and time up to 10 cwt have been tho most widely used, and where these, especially the former, have been applied, tnere has been a pronounced growth of clover, while stock, particularly dairy cows, have shown a great relish for the top-dressed areas as against the untreated parts'. One local dairy farmer for instance states that the only way in which he could keep his herd off the treated pastures was to shut them off. Previously, he had noticed in his herd the "depraved taste" of bone chewing. But the most outstanding fact in connexion with his year's experience has been the increase in his milk supply His hero was substantially the same as for the previous vear, yet his highest supply for one day went up from 15001b in 1927-28. to" 20001b this year, and this while many neighbours were experiencing a decrease. The most noticeable result from topdressing that the writer has seen was in a neighbouring foothills district. Here the farmer had last August topdressed with one and three-quarter cwt of superphosphate a pasture—his cow paddock—that was in its fourth year and just about exhausted. He left two control strips which at present show a rank growth of uneaten grass of poor quality. Wherever the fertiliser has fallen is well grazed, succulent feed. The paddock was drilled round and round so that small patches were missed at the turnings and even these are plainly marked. Sheep also show the nice discrimination and sheep-farmers seem satisfied with the years experience. So topdressing is being used as a stepping stone towards a general improvement in production. So far rotational graa ing has not been carried out to any extent, but last season at least one dairy farmer kept rank growth mown off his pastures. As yet sulphate ol ammonia is being used only in experiments, but it is possible that though a costly fertiliser it may be used foi starting spring growth earlier, for in the foothills districts there is often a gap between the time the turnips are done or become unpalatable, and the time the spring growth begins. One •A the matters which the district Reems backward in is herd-testing, but on the other hand several sheep-farm ers are taking up the breeding of their own flocks The problems befor* tho fanning community are great, problems not only of increasing production but also of better utilisation of work and ot generally putting the production of raw materials on a business or industrial footing. The problems are sufficientlv great and the potential re wards laree enoneh to inspire »eai. so in the immediate future it is hardly hoping too ranch to see a great develonment in the methods of primary production.