RURAL RIDES.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20412, 5 December 1931, Page 20

RURAL RIDES.

RYEGRASS EXPERIMENTS. J MANY LIGHT GRAIN CROPS.

(By H.A.M.)

(No. LVIII.) Reference has been made in previous"' articles to the ryegrass experiments b«Sng conducted in various parts of Canterbury by the Fields Division of the Agricultural Department. Most of these trial areas were down in April, 1930, and, ordinarily, would "ie in a position to demonstrate definite results. They have done so, as a matter of fact, but they would have done "more so" had there been anything like a normal supply of rain. This fact was obvious to a party of 20 odd farmers <jvho assembled on the farm of Mr A. R. Hislop (Amberley) on Tuesday, to inspect an area laid down on his property. On account o£ shearing and the election l next day a number of farmers sent apologies for non-attendance. The season has • been one of the driest in the Ambcrley district for years, beyond the capacity of any grass, no matter how superior, to overcome. However, enough evidence was available to provide a Useful lesson to those presont. Mr R. McGillivray, Fields Superintendent for the Department, explained the programme followed ifl the trials and pointed out details in connexion with them. Nine acres are comprised in the area —three in Hawke's Bay ryegrass, three in Canterbury commercial ryegrass and three in sti replieated plots of all the types of ryegrass In use—Hawke's Bay, Poverty Bay, Sandon, Canterbury, Marlborough, South Canterbury, Central Otago. and Southland. The seed, except the BCawke's Bay which was certificated, was the ordinary commercial type supplied to farmers. The land had been previously limed and 2cwt of super was sown With the seed. A Superior Type. ' | In spite of the slow growth generally, i one type stood out—Hawke's Bay.. It

had "dug in" better, covered the ground without misses, was finer and greener in the leaf and obviously would give more feed than any of the others. Next to Hawke's Bay, Sandon and Poverty Bay types showed the most aggressiveness. The Canterbury plots were varied —one or two types quite as good as any of the others, excepting Hawke's Bay, but considerable variation. With one exception, the South Canterbury plots were poor,. as bare as the proverbial .cricket patch. In some of the Marlborough plots the plants had gone right out, arid in the South Canterbury ones the same fate was only a matter of a comparatively short time. Mr McGillivray' stressed the point that there were several excellent Canterbury stands of ryegrass, worthy of certification* as mother seed. One such —how down over 40 years—was at Flaxton, another at Spotswood, and a third at Irwell. Seed from such fields ' ' '< ; ' 'v. ' ? /' ''

■was of the highest grade, but unfortunately they were the exception in the province. In four extra plots cocksfoot and red and white clov.er were sown with the ryegrass, and in another, Montgomeryshire red clover. The dry weather delayed the appearance of the clover, but the Montgomeryshire was more persistent, and grew well down. Other types being tried were the English late red and the Kentish white, which were showing distinctly above ground, and were only awaiting the arrival of moisture to send them along. Grazing Results. Accurate grazing results have been kept by Mr Hislop, but on account of the dry weather the publication will be delayed until laterj when they will be more definite. However, on the Canterbury threo acre area (seeded with 12 lines to provide an average) the earlier feeding was greater than on the Hawke's Bay, and it appeared more palatable. Later the Hawke's Bay three acres provided much more grazing, and the roots were deeper and the stand healthier, bare patches being absent. Confirmatory Experience.* ■Mr Colin Mcintosh said his experience was identical with what they had seen that day. Canterbury seed generally went out the second year, whilst the Hawke's Bay provided a good mat. There was no need for further experimentation —they should just go on. In regard to palatability, it did look as if the earlier shorter-lived Canterbury type was the better, but where sheep had been put on to Hawke.'s Bay ryegrass entirely they showed no disinclination to eat it; Mr McGiUivray strongly urged farmers when buying to secure a guaranteed germination with the seed. Ho heard of one farmer who did.not get a j guarantee, and from the balance of his ! seed not sown the test went only seven 'for cent. If farfners were in any doubt ( as. to the germination, the Department in Christchurch would test samples free ! of charge if they were forwarded. Ail Outside Martlet. Mr McGillivray mentioned that there would be 800 acres of certiflcSled seed i this season in Canterbury, but, unforj tunately, 500 acres of it would go out ! of the country. His information was j thaV there was a very strong from abroad"for New Zealand seed. A j long-lived ryegrass seed with some his- | tory behind it was wanted, so there was a great opportunity for New Zealand growers. The export was sure to expand, and it was from Canterbury that they had to look for tbe production of the seed. .' ' - A number of other aspects of manuring and pasture treatment were discussed, reference to which will be made in due course, and a vote of thanks was carried to Mr Hislop and My McGilt livray for the very practical lesson provided. The Dry Spell. Few districts in North Canterbury have been struck harder by i the • dry spell than Amberley.. There was a light shower or two early this week, but little benefit aceured. A thorough soaking of the countryside is required to save crops from failure. Oats are now • well/in ear, and are very short and irregular. On some of the lighter land, they are Kttle over a foot high/ and changing colour, and there can be no weight in them. A pogd deal of wheat is in ear, and very few crops, of averdge yield possibilities arp to be seen. The wheat js-hanging in the shot blade, and the tendency, .under this arresting of its development is for the head to fail in filling. What to Grow. , The problem of What to* put in lor autumn feed for stock is acute. Rape, turnips, and mangels have little chance

of germinating under the arid conditions of the soil. Black barley is a possible alternative, but the risk of putting it in early is that it goes to" seed. At the field day on Tuesday, the' question was discussed by those present, and one _ farmer mentioned lucerne in seas®ns of climatic adversity like tbis. But when a good rain comes along and saves the position, the value of lucerne is forgotten. Lucerne may not have the fattening virtue of rape, but there is more feeding in it in a season than there is in rape, and it takes something more than a Canterbury drought to knock it out. It is a good few rears since the writer first realised the benefit ,of. acres or so of lucerne on a farm to meet conditions such as are prevailing to-day, and he is prepared to assert that there is little of the Anjberley type of country that will not grow it, provided that there is no near-at-hand pair in the _ subsoil. The matter of water i» three feet or thirty-

three feet _ away need not worry anybody, provided the soil is kept stirred up and aerated. The pressing anxiety at the moment; however, is ram. Not alone in Amberley, but on all the lighter country, the position varies from disquieting to serious.