RURAL RIDES

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22201, 18 September 1937, Page 11

RURAL RIDES

MID-CANTERBURY (By H.A.M.) From the sea coast near Dorie, in the Ashburton County, to the foot of the ranges embraces a belt of country on which practically every branch of farming is carried on. This fad is impressed on the traveller who is interested in production. All these diversified branches, moreover, are carried on to the fullest extent, for there is little idle land in this extensive belt. At present the spring growth is making the countryside look very attractive. Lambing is at its peak or is well on the way. Though there is no approach to the prolificacy of the Dunsandcl ewe, which produced seven lambs last week, there are many twins to be seen, and only in one case was the writer told during a tour on Thursday that the percentage was less than that of a year ago. In this case the fanner frankly admitted that he know' the cause. He reserved for some young stock he had bought feed which should have been reserved for the ewes. In one case, near the hills, where tailing was in progress, the percentage was turning out about 130. which was the best on this farm for some yeais, and more than 350 lambs had been tailed. Another instance was a shade better than this. Although feed in some districts was not as plentiful early in the season as could have been desired, there has rarely been a less exacting winter, rough bursts being very tew. and the same satisfactory state of affairs has ruled In the lambing. The severer snows in the high country in North Canterbury did not extend so far south, and on the whole the high country in Mid-Canterbury should contribute the standard quota of lamw to the season’s crop. Subterranean Clover There are numerous growers in MidCanterbury uf subterranean clever, but the number is to be greatly exceeded this season. One holder of an extensive area of silty river flat told the writer that he intended sowing ~90 acres in the autumn, and another extensive property owner near the hills proposed to sow 100 acres at his homestead, and about the same area cn hi? hill block. The frosts, which it was thought at one time would oe too severe for the plant on T? higher country, are not now considered a disability' More information is now available about the capacity of the plant in this respect. On the sea coast near Done, the writer saw a good stand of the plant on the farm of Mr W. Carruthors, who has an area of about 100 acres, the oldest stand being planted seven years ago, Mr Carruthers made a practice ol sowing the seed in the spring--more recently about 41b to trie acre--anrt in iho paddock the writer saw it was mixed with a bushel of certified Hawke’s Bay ryegrass and a pound of white clover. The soil was sandy loam and if fallowed and subjected m frosts was inclined to “blow.” However, it now bears a heavy sole of subterranean and ryegrass, and the stock hare just been taken off it after having been grazed all the winter. Mr Carruthers s observations had not supported the general experience that the fertility created by the clover stimulated the rvegrass growth. His experience was that the ryegrass was no more than holding its own. In the case of the particular paddock under notice, however. the sward was a little better than •50-30” subterranean with the rye and other clover. One field which had been allowed to grow very rank had been devoured by the grub—to the point of extinction. it seemed, some time ago. However, it was coming back strongly, and in the autumn it would probably be little the worse. There was a similar experience on the opposite side of the Rakaia river, which is regarded as the ideal country for subterranean. A stand here, which had apparently succumbed to the grub, is reviving with I the spring. It is perhaps not un--1 natural that the long, thick mat of subterranean should create conditions suitable for the development of the grub. This aspect is worth remembering. Restoring Fertility Much of the land in the Methvcn district has been rotationally cropped with wheat for many years, and it is not unnatural that the question of fertility should present itself, particularly as the establishment of good pastures is more necessary now that lamb fattening is assuming an Increasing place on the average Canterbury farm. In one respect there is striking evidence of this fact being realised. In Mid-Canterhjiry last season, for instance, 10,000 tons of lime were carried

on the railways, as against 5000 tons the preceding year. These figures are up to the end of March, since when there has been a further increase. The fertiliser figures to hand t -> not show anything like this advan e, and it would be as well for lime users to adopt the Southland practk.3—where conditions in the matter of rainfall and the class of the soil are not dissimilar to those about Methven—of applying super with or subsequent to the lime. Lime is not a substitute for fertiliser. One is an adjunct to the other, and to get the best results, particularly where cropping is an important activity, is to use the both. Evidence is accumulating that where from 2cwt to 2£cwt of super is used on wheat crops, the yield, almost invariably shows much more than a cost increase. The Wheat Damage Although the writer heard no reports of slug damage in the area visited, crops in other parts of Mid-Canterbury have been affected by poor germination, eel worm, and other pests. Some time ago Jesuits were published en this page of the success on an Aylesbury farm of cross drilling fertiliser in the spring on wheat. The advice tendered by Mr McGillivray, of the Agricultural

Department, for dealing with the slug pest, recommends ea dressing of sulphate of ammonia or superphosphate and sulphate of ammonia mixed, followed by rolling. In the cases of cross drilling in the'spring, mentioned some time ago. the application of ammoniated super was advised for the improvement of the yield, IJcwt of this fertiliser, apart from the application given with the seed, securing an increase of six bushels to the acre. With the added benefit to be secured in destroying the grub, farmers whose crops so far have apparently escaped the pest should consider the likely benefit of spring fertilising. Brown Heart in Swedes Brown heart in swedes has been verv prevalent this season in the Methven district. One field the writer was shown had not an unaffected tuber in 20 or 30 cut open in a 10-acre paddock of an otherwise good crop. There was a proportion of dry rot, but the brown heart was present throughout, either in a slight or advanced degree. The trouble has been developing for the last few years, but this season to a much more pronounced degree, probably on account of the heavier rainfall. As the swede-sowing season is not far away, some preventive means should be adopted, as the bitter taste of affected tubers makes them mest unpalatable for sheep. Investigation has shown that the application of 12 to 151 b of borax to the acre mixed with fertiliser, such as super, either before cr after the crop, and broadcast, is the most effective remedy. The object should be to keep the mixture from coming into contact with the seed, which would affect germination, so broadcasting after the sowing is preferable. The cause of the disease is a mineral deficiency in the soil. The foregoing advice was tendered by a fanner whose crop had been affected.