RURAL RIDES

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22823, 23 September 1939, Page 10

RURAL RIDES

A “CLEAN” DISTRICT PROMISING WHEAT CROPS So much country in the vicinity of the foothills is becoming infested with gorse and broom that it is a relief to see the reverse, and that on quite an extensive scale. The clean appearance of the hills from the Weka Pass through the Hawarden fiats appeals very much to the visitor, and the writer this week saw an extension of this condition in the country from the pass down towards Mount Grey. Most of the flat land back towards the hills is rotationally farmed, and where white crops form part of the practice there is not the scope for the spread of gorse that exists on purely pasture lands. Weeds are frequently allowed to spread on the latter class of land until it is too costly, and also uneconomical, to clear it. Most of the hill country from the northern vicinity of Mount Grey to the pass is of a strong limestone character, and perhaps some of the immunity from gorse has to be attributed to this as well as to attention of the occupiers. The spring, as in most parts, of the province, is late in the districts referred to. The young wheat has not suffered to any extent by the heavy rains. The soil varies a good deal in character, but generally is medium land suitable for wheat on a rotational system. Some fields of wheat which the writer passed over during his visit were still soft and caked on '.the surface, making harrowing impossible for some time yet. Horses . would simply go down in it. Patches in paddocks with this clayey type of subsoil have been drowned out. but in the aggregate the area in this condition is infinitesimal. The wheat crop looks promising at the present time, and with the .drier conditions that the present winds are creating a general harrowing should prove most beneficial. Oats, on the other hand, arc not showing such a bold front. They were sown earlier than wheat, ana with the dry weather in the latter part of the autumn did -not make much headway. . . ~ ~ One exceptionally promising field of wheat had a rather interesting history, worth recording as indicating the benefit of a solid seed bed. At all events, this was the cause r, nt forward. The paddock was ploughed m January last year and worked for wheat, but the heavy rams made wheat impossible. As spring sown wheat is risky on this class of land, the field was planted in potatoes in the spring. "Wheat was sown this autumn and received the exceptional downpours of rain in July and August. At this. stage a mob of ewes broke into the paddock, which was so sou that the ewes were bogged and had to be assisted out. It looked then as if this was the end of the wheat, but it is now one of the best crops m the district. The tramping the sheep gave the wheat is the explanation given. It has long been proved that young grass crops show the best results where the tractor wheels have passed, or at the headlands, where the team turns. . ~ . „ The district is probably srowing more wheat this season than last, but as a well-defined rotation is necessary on this class of land it is difficult to increase the wheat area without clisturbine the rotation. Limine and fertilising are steadily bringing back much land which was robbed of us productive value by the over cropping of the early days, and there is a general increase coming about in most classes of crops. On one farm the writer was pointed out a paddock which threshed 64 bushels of ..Tuscan a year or two ago, while several others threshed 50 bushels and upwards Spring sowing, as stated, is uncertain on this class of land, where there are no nor’-west showers to depend on during the advanced stages of the crop. Nevertheless, one paddock sown last spring headed 52 bushels. Lambing is now well advanced, a number of flockowners having commenced the lambina late in July. Percentages of up to 120 oer cent, are recorded in some flocks, but others nave returned 100 per cent. These figures are lower than normal, but not unsatisfactorv considering the poor, season for feed and the rough winter. Lambing losses were heavier than usual on account of "the August storms. A Well Tilled Farm The wheat yields mentioned were secured on the farm of Mr G. D. Robertson, of Balcairn, who is getting the most out of his holding, of 234 ecres. and at the same time improving its productivity by systematic limmg and fertilising. Fifteen acres of the holding are more or.less waste but on the remainder there are being grown this season 50 a^ r€ ®. 0 w * I ® at ’ 12 acres of barley (for feed), 18 acres of oats, with 15 acres, of rape and 1J of turnips to be put m. The flock or 265 ewes with their lambs and 15 dry sheep are being grazed on 62 acres oi top-dressed pasture until the lambs go away. A small stand of lucerne should not be overlooked. Mr Robertson mentioned that although u was on a light and stony paddock it produced an extraordinary amount ,of hay. The area is to be largely m- ! creased this season, as the owner considers that there is no crop to equal it in weight and feeding value, and can, apparently, be grown on many classes of land. .In his own case he sowed the seed in January between seasons—as a “try-out. It may be mentioned that the productivity of oracticallv ah tho land in this district .is being steadily increased by the availability of lime. On the northern side' of Mount Grey one property is being steadily reclaimed from gorse and being brought back by lime and super to a good lamb-fatten-ing proposition.

Suffolk-Sonthdown Cross The writer saw on the property of Mr S. H. Gardiner, Pinegrove, Broomfields, a bunch of 23 ram hoggets of the new Suffolk-Southdown cross, which cross has been creating considerable interest in respect of its suitability for crossing with crossbred ewes for raising fat lamb and mutton. The hoggets are a most attractive lot. Most of them bear strongly towards the butfolk side, about 17 or 18 of the bunch being big-framed, well-grown, meaty types. The other half dozen throw towards the Southdown in size and type. Practically all of the mob retain very strongly the black face of the sire, with a lightening of colour in some of them. The tendency towards the lighter-col-oured face will doubtless increase with age. A slight variation in the wool may be noticed, but there is no doubt of the attractiveness of the type produced by the cross. Mr Gardiner is well pleased with the result of the innovation, and has already sold a few of the rams. He is of opinion that the reversal of the mating would be. preferable, as there was difficulty in some of the Southdown ewes lambing. The Southdown ram on the Suffolk ewe would overcome this, but the difficulty, of course, was that Suffolk ewes were not available. He will be using the cross ~ext season on his Corriedale ewes. A number of Suffolk cross lambs are now running with their Corriedale mothers, the percentage and early growth being most satisfactory.