THE WEEK

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24869, 8 May 1946, Page 9

THE WEEK

POISON FOR PORINA Further comment on the poison Ijait method of contrpl ol porina has been received from Mr L. Morrison, entomologist at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln. Mr Morrison says:— “The poison bait method of control is only applicable to insects which feed above ground, and especially in the case of locust, cutworm, and porina outbreaks. It is of no value in the case of soil-dwelling types which teed on roots. This point has always to be stressed by me when speaking at farmers’ meetings, because many farmers imagine the poison-bait method of control would be useful in the case of the grass-grub lOdontria) whereas it is quite useless in grass-grub control. Now the grass-grub feeds below ground on roots only but porina feeds ohly on top of the ground and leaves the roots of the plants untouched. Due to the different methods of feeding, porinadamaged pasture effects ultimately a much greater degree of recovery than grass-grub-damaged pasture, although in both cases the damage may appear extreme.” TRANSPORT CHARGES The decisions reached at the recent sittings of the Goods-service Charges Tribunal were advertised this week, and farmers will have noticed that the revised schedule of charges grants increases ranging from 5 per cent; to 2k per cent, on current rates, says an Otago Writer. These increases were not unexpected. The tribunal had to deal with the figures prepared by the committee of accountants, and on the figures it was difficult to see any other result.than an increase in operators’ fees. Unfortunately, the farmer who relies on road transport for the carriage of lime, fertilisers, and produce has to bear this expense. Cartage costs have always been a big item in the budget of those who live any distance from the railway, and these increases are going to make the problem of buying sufficient lime and fertilisers much more difficult. For example, farmers in the Wanaka and Lakes districts, living sometimes up to 40 miles from Cromwell, now buy lime at 14s to 15s a ton, pay extra railage over the 100mile limit, and are also required to pay almost 23s a ton to have it transported by road. Already the cost of transport is more than twite the cost of the product, and in future they will be required to pay an additional 5 per cent, on road haulage rates. Not every farmer will be able to afford the additional expense, and the inevitable result must be that some land will not receive the treatment necessary to maintain full production.

NEW POTATO HARVESTER Potato digging is in full swing in the Inch Clutha district. Some very good yields have been reported, though many of the crops • were patchy and were not up to the usual standards of this area. An implement which has been devised to assist in overcoming the shortage of labour is attracting considerable attention in the district. It is a combined digger, grader, and bagger. Whereas in normal times there might be 10 pickers alone en gaged in some of the crops this machine does all the work with four—one tractor-driver, two men to clear the shaws, and one working the bags. The machine was thought out by Mr L Bell, who made one to his own pattern., It was not altogether satisfactory, but a second one, which was made by a firm of implement manufacturers for Mr J. F. Bell, is reported to be performing very efficiently. PRODUCTION OF BROWN TOP A large acreage of brown ton will be cut for seed in Southland again this season, according to reports from that province. The 1943-44 acreage entered for certification in Western Southland was 4484 acres, but in the following season the total rose to 10,366 acres. More is expected to be entered for the 1945-46 season. Most of the Southland production is exported, mainly for use with Che wings’ fescue in the formation of lawns and such areas as aerodromes. A big sale of the seed was made to the United States before the war.

Brown top would appear to have a fairly assured future. The usual practice when establishing the grass is to use a heavy initial seeding, and to follow this with light surface sowings each year. In some areas in New Zealand it has been found useful in controlling young manuka in cleared areas. The seed is sown thickly and stock kept off to allow the grass to grow up well, seed, and dry off. The seedling manuka plants are of course all through it. but it will carry a fire that will dispose of the scrub.