Grass Grub And Porina

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31441, 7 August 1967, Page 8

Grass Grub And Porina

Sir,—The scientists make it sound so easy! Use organophosphorus; it is slightly dearer and you may have to do it twice, says Dr. J. M. Hoy. I decided to do half of my 1000 porina-infested acres, and bought the recommended 1000 lbs of an organo-phosphorus pellet at 16s per lb—cost £800; plane for two hours at £25 an hour, total £B5O. It was applied on May 23,1966. Two days later we had had 4.17 inches of rain, which apparently washed out insecticides but not porinas. I repeated next month, raising the cost to £l7OO. Not very successful again, and according to Dr. Hoy, I should do it once again. Unfortunately I am only a hill-country farmer, whose clip averaged 29d last season, so I can not afford to throw so much money at the porina. We have had porina here for 15 years, and get 100 inches of rain a year, averaging 8 inches a month, which perhaps explains why any short-lived chemical is not much help to us.— GRASS-ROOTS FARMER. August 4, 1967. Sir, —As the porina grubs feed on the surface of the ground during the night, it has been suggested that farmers concerned should get up very early and go over the affected area with tractor and heavy roller. I remember grandparents of the present generation rising at 3 am. to save their ripened oats crop in a nor’-wester.—Yours, etc;, HOW ABOUT IT? August 4, 1967.