Page 20 Advertisements Column 3

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21243, 15 August 1934, Page 20

AUCTIONS. H. MATSON AND CO. IMPROVING LIGHT PASTURES. THE VALUE OF SUBTERRANEAN In the districts of moderate rainfall, no other plant is capable of making such vigorous growth under so wide a range of soil conditions. For this reason subterranean clover provides a most useful link between the poor and good pastures, and enables the poorer ones to be greatly improved. This clover is now commonly found on the roadsides throughout southern Victoria, and has become established over a large area of pasture land. In some cases it has been sown, but it frequently happens that the seed brought in by grazing animals from the roadsides or neighbouring paddocks is sufficient to enable the plant to become established. On cropping land, the clover can be readily introduced by mixing a small quantity of seed with the superphosphate when sowing the last crop, and many very fine stands have been begun in this manner. An oat stubble paddock also provides an excellent opportunity for sowing the subterranean clover, if the seed and superphosphate are sown following a light surface cultivation of the ground. On land that has been cropped previously, but which has been allowed to "go out to grass," the clover can readily be established by "combining" or scarifying the surface soil early in the autumn, and then sowing the seed with superphosphate. From 2 to 41b of seed per acre is sufficient. On the light native pastures, the establishment of the subterranean clover is sometimes retarded by the extreme poverty of the soil, but this can be overcome by the use of superphosphate, which should be applied at the lime of seeding. On the loose, sandy soils its establishment is usually simple and rapid, but on the stiffer soils, particularly on the shallow, illdrained soils overlying basalt, it does not make such good headway. On pastures where there is a considerable amount of old dry feed present, this should be removed, either by heavy grazing or burning before sowing, and the ground surface should be lightly broken before broadcasting the seed. WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT THE FARMERS OF CANTERBURY HAVE NOT AWAKENED TO THE IMMENSE POSSIBILITIES OF SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER. ALL OUR NORTH CANTERBURY HILL COUNTRY WILL GROW IT, AND FARMERS BOTH ON THE HILL AND THE FLAT WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO TRY IT. PURE MOTHER SEED .. 2,'PER LB. OBTAINABLE FROM: H. MATSON & CO. TREATMENT OF I'ASTUHL Following its successful establishment, the young stand .should be grazed only lightly during the first spring in order to permit the plants to develop runners and set seed. For the first few years the paddock should receive autumn dressings of superphosphate in order to thicken up and develop the pasture. During this time the main object should be to develop the stand rather than to attempt to obtain heavy additional grazing from the area.

Once established, subterranean clover will withstand very heavy grazing, and providing it is occasionally top-dres.sed with superphosphate, it can readily be maintained in a productive condition. Light annual dressings should be given rather than heavier drcssiir',:. at irregular intervals. For the first few years after the establishment of subterranean clover on soils which favour its growth, it is usual to find it taking complete possession of the sward, but later on, as the clover builds up the soil fertility, the grasses begin to re-assert themselves, and the balance of the pasture is restored. OBJECTION NOT JUSTIFIED It is frequently said that subterranean clover crowds out the perennial grasses, and leaves the paddock with dry feed only during the summer months. While this dry feed is excellent fodder for sheep, it is hardly suitable for dairying, but the extra amount of feed available during its season of growth more than compensates for its complete cessation in the .dry summer months, for except in favoured areas, most of the perennial grasses dry off rapidly in the hot weather. In the past, many of the attempts at pasture improvement had as their basis the introduction of drought resistant plants into the sward. Although such plants were generally able to survive very dry periods, their growth usually ceased early in the summer, and they were unable to make satisfactory growth during the normal growing period of the pasture. The betterment of pastures by the use of subterranean clover does not aim at making growth when the weather is opposed to it, but rather to obtain extra growth at a period of the year when conditions are favourable. A pasture usually consists of a number of different types of grasses and clovers all competing against one another, and the question of their survival is largely decided by vigour and productiveness under the particular conditions obtaining. For this reason, if subterranean clover does crowd out the other species, it docs so usually because it is able to make better use of the existing conditions, and is more productive than the plants it replaces. While the ultimate aim may be to establish permanent pastures of perennial grasses, this is too ambitious an objective for m,ost of our light pasture land, and. at present, subterranean clover is the most valuable plant that can be grown on these soils. It provides a link between the poor and good pastures, and even where a perennial pasture is ultimately possible, subterranean clover will be found a most useful plant in preparing the way for the establishment of the better species. H. MATSON & CO.