FARMING IN DISTRICT

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30803, 15 July 1965, Page 21

FARMING IN DISTRICT

(By

C. P. WHATMAN,

Senior Farm Advisory Officer, Department of Agriculture. Ashburton.)

Chertsey, the venue of this year’s ploughing match for the Atlantic Silver Plough, is a district with a long history of cultivation going back into the early days of Canterbury. T ts flat open land, its easily worked soil and its virtual freedom from stones led to its exploitation for grain growing during the extensive wheat era of last century. Of more recent years its capacity, with modern techniques, to produce good pasture has given the area a reputation for sound mixed farming.

The soil type on the actual area to be ploughed, Chertsey silt loam, takes its name from the district. It is a greywacke brought down by the rivers from the main mountain chain. On top of the water-deposited material is a thin layer of wind-blown loess. In general, the soil consists of 10 inches of brownish-grey silt loam on 12 inches of

yellowish-brown silt loam on stones. Belonging to the older, the more weathered and leached of our soils, Chertsey silt loam is only medium in natural fertility. It is low in lime and highly responsive to both phosphorus and sulphur. It is only since liming and topdressing have become standard practice that these soils have held pasture for more than a year or two. Before the days, too, of the control of grass grub by insecticides, these light friable soils were particularly subject to grass grub attack and it is probable that this fact contributed largely to the inability of the soils to maintain pasture.

Farms in this area,, in company of course with farms on other soil types, have increased spectacularly in production of recent years. Three ewes per acre are well within the capacity of most farms and some are

carrying up to four with, in addition, a small amount of cash cropping and small seeds. This soil is most suitable for lucerne and large and increasing areas of this plant are helping to maintain feed supplies in times of drought, one of the problems of this country with its shallow, free draining soil and irregular summer rainfall. On the cropping side, though yields are not normally high, cultivation is cheap and easy, harvesting conditions are generally good and consequently the profit margin from crops is satisfactory. Wheat is the main cash crop, both Hilgendorf and Aotea being grown, with barley as an important spring crop. Of recent years, a common practice has been the growing of autumn-sown partridge peas, a crop which suits the district. Small seeds growing, though not as extensive as on the deeper, more retentive soils, contributes to the productivity of the Chertsey area. High quality ryegrass is grown though yields are somewhat variable owing to the uncertain summer rainfall, and the tendency of the soil to dry out at the crucial time. White clover seed, too, plays its part and exceptionally good crops can be obtained in a Suitable season. In the early stages of development, the blue lupin was a plant which played an important part. Chertsey was the district in which lupins were first used extensively both as a winter feed crop for sheep and, incidently, as a soil improver. To them must be given some of the credit for the improvement that has taken place but. with rising fertility, they have now almost entirely given place to more productive crops. Subterranean clover, too, has been a great pioneer on this country and, though it is now giving place to white and red clover, it has done a wonderful job in raising carrying capacity. With more lucerne for both hay and grazing, with good permanent pasture given increased quantities of fertiliser, one can see production still rising in the Chertsey area. The mixed farming pattern is suited to it bpt the carrying of maximum stock, particularly in the winter and spring, is the key.