Big Pasture Improvements In Mackenzie Country

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28513, 17 February 1958, Page 8

Big Pasture Improvements In Mackenzie Country

TIMARU, February 16 “To anyone who has any doubts •bout the future of the high country, a flight over the area would certainly convince the most sceptical of the terrific improvements that can take place, 4 ” said the Department of Agriculture’s agronomist in Timaru (Mr W. V. Hadfield) after his return from such a flight last week. Six of the department’s agricultural instructors in South Canterbury flew over the Mackenzie country in two Mount Cook Air Services aircraft and examined the results of tussock-land improvement programmes which run-holders in the area have been carrying out during recent years. The first station seen by the instructors was Grampians where a considerable area had been improved by cultivation methods resulting in first-class pastures. The party then touched down at Simons Hill station and discussed Mr R. Hoskin’s improvement programme with him. Mr Hadfield said the instructors had been very impressed with the Ribbonwood station, where high-produc-ing pastures had been created straight out of the tussock-land. Wherever aerial topdressing had been done clover growth stood out-markedly, he said, and was easily discernible from the air. The party flew on up the west side of Lake Pukaki and saw considerable pasture improvement work on Pukaki Downs, Top House, Dusky and Glentanner stations. Then they saw the Braemar, Tasman Downs and Guide Hill properties. “On all properties considerable improvement work was noticeable. some due to direct seeding and topdressing from the air and in other cases improvements had been effected by the subsurface introduction of grass and clover seeds by direct drilling. On better ground there had been considerable improvement by cultivation methods.” The Department of Agriculture was particularly interested in improvement work in the high country, said Mr Hadfield, and the first step was the establishment of suitable legumes on this country. Excellent results had been obtained from sub-surface introduction of clover with different types of drills, including the sodseeding type. In slightly higher rainfall areas there had been excellent results from seeding and topdressing from the air. He said he was impressed, however, by the very good results obtained in even the lower rainfall areas of the Mackenzie countrv. There were vast areas in the Mackenzie country that wonld respond to that tvpe of treatment, he added. Initial trials had been begun 10 vears ago by the denartment and the work had since been extended by Mr H. M. Sievwright, now of the Lands and Survey

(From Ow Own Reporter)

Department, while he was stationed at Tekapo. Those trials had been of assistance to runholders in beginning their improvement programmes. “What doubts there may have been ip the past about the ability of clovers to establish and persist in the high country have been dispersed by the results of work done by runholders during' the last few years,” said Mr Hadfield. “The department has trial areas in various parts of the South Island where investigations are being made Jjrto seed introduction methods, inoculation of clovers, plant introduction work and suitable fertilisers.”