PATTERN FOR DEVELOPMENT

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28890, 9 May 1959, Page 8

PATTERN FOR DEVELOPMENT

Proposals For Peninsula

Topdressing, oversowing and subdivisional fencing are integral parts of a pattern for development of Banks Peninsula country outlined by Mr P. R. Barrer, an instructor of the Department of Agriculture in Christchurch, at a field day at Paua Bay last week. On the loess soils of about fourfifths of the peninsula (the Summit, Bossu, Pawson, Akaroa, Takahe and Kiwi soils), Mr Barrer said that the main deficiency was phosphate and experiments in recent years had shown that molybdenum gave a response on at least 50 per cent, of these soils. It was therefore recommended that there should be an initial dressing of 3cwt of molybdic super followed by two further dressings of 2 to 3cwt of ordinary super and thereafter an application of 3cwt of super every four years. Molybdenum would need to be applied again only if clovers started to go back and looked yellow or unhealthy. It seemed to be sound practice to incorporate DDT at some stage in the topdressing programme to give at least partial control of grass grub and subterranean caterpillar. On the volcanic soils—Stewart and French—there were only slight responses to phosphates and no response to molybdenum and where these soils were topdressed straight phosphates (either basic slag or super) would be preferred.

Oversowing was necessary on dry faces with subterranean clover, and certified white clover and on wet faces with certified Montgomery red clover and certified white clover at the rate of 2 to 31b of subterranean clover (half Tallarook and half Mount Barker), 1 to 21b of white clover and 2 to 31b of Montgomery red clover.

Subdivision as practised on the Paua Bay demonstration farm was considered essential for the success of any topdressing programme. In some cases little fencing might be necessary but in others considerable fencing might be required before topdressing could be undertaken.

Where it was economically possible to apply lime by ground methods a further response to one ton could be expected on all loess soils.

There had been no response to sulphur on the Peninsula and in fact in some cases it appeared to cause a depression of growth. In pasture topdressing trials there had been no recognisable responses to trace elements, apart from molybdenum. As had been the case in 1956 there had been a reinfestation of much dry country this year with variegated, winged and Scotch thistles. By the spring in some areas it was likely that the thistles would almost completely cover the ground. The time to spray for these thistles was now while they were still small and al the rosette stage. Where variegated thistle was the only, or main variety that had to be contended with, M.C.P.A. might be used; otherwise the amines or esters of 2-4-D were generally preferred. M.C.P.A. caused less damage to clovers.