AERIAL SOWING OF PASTURE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25609, 25 September 1948, Page 6

AERIAL SOWING OF PASTURE

EXPERIMENT NEAR OMARAMA

PREVENTION OF EROSION IN HIGH COUNTRY From Our Own Reporter OAMARU, September 24. An experiment in the aerial sowing of eroded high-country pastures, organised by the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, was carried out at “Tara Hills,” Omarama, this afternoon when a Public Works Department aeroplane distributed 10001 b of mixed grass seed over 100 acres.

Conditions for aerial sowing were very good. There was almost no wind and it was found possible to sow the area in strips. The aeroplane flew at a low altitude. . The property, which was acquired earlier by the council for use as ah experimental station, is about 1300 feet above sea level, and is situated between the big Omarama and Berwen stations, three miles from Omarama township- The country in this locality is severely eroded and the success of the experiment will be awaited with keen interest by runholders in the upper Waitaki and the Mackenzie Country. , The operations in the air and on the ground were under the control of the Conservator of the Waitaki Conservation Area (Mr G. Calder) of the Public Works Department, Dunedin, who was assisted by Mr Ross Maxwell, secretary of the Waitaki Soil Conservation ; Committee. The ground party included an aircraft engineer to service the aeroplane, a radio expert, and a staff to lay visual indicators to aid the pilot when making his sowing ruris. The aircraft, for which a special landing strip had to be laid out, was in two-way radio communication with the ground party and it was possible to obtain extremely accurate sowings on a section of the low hills on the property. The sowing operation was accomplished vety quickly. The seed comprised a mixture of cocksfoot, browntop, sub-clover, and yarrow and the rate of distribution. was 101 b to the acre. The area sown was very barren, bare rocks showing in many places, and to the layman it appeared unlikely that grass would ever grow there. The experts, however, were very pleased with the effective distribution and consider that the experiment may well prove to be’the most successful yet conducted.

Speaking to the Oamarui representative of “The Press,” Mr Maxwell said the success of the operation would be known within six weeks. The district, he said, had a very low rainfall and was exposed to strong north-west winds. The hot summers did not encourage the growth of pasture. If the experiment proved successful it was possible that a great deal could be done from the point of view of soil conservation m the high country of the upper Waitaki area.