Consolidation urged

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32660, 16 July 1971, Page 13

Consolidation urged

Mid-Canterbury farmers who have been putting in more lucerne with a view to supplying the processing plant at Winslow, have not been paying enough attention to good consolidation at time of sowing. Mr J. S. Whitelaw, of Fletcher Industries, who was a speaker at the Geraldine conference on lucerne last week, said inadequate consolidation had been the cause of a number of poor strikes. This had been demonstrated by the fact that in some paddocks there had been a good strike in the gate-ways, through which all the machinery and implements passed, whereas further out the strike was much lighter. In contrast with other speakers, Mr Whitelaw said his firm had been advocating a sowing rate of 151 b

to the acre for high initial production. He expressed reservations about sowing with cover crops, saying he had seen lucerne adversely affected because barley had lodged. He advocated sowing down with molybdenum reverted super, or molybdenum serpentine super, at the rate of 2cwt an acre, with also a double inoculation of the seed. Mr Whitelaw put the establishment cost of lucerne at $4 an acre over a fiveyear life. This was made up of cultivation $3, lime $5, two cwt of molybdenum reverted super $3, and seed and inoculant $B. Estimated annual maintenance was $l7 an acre, which included $ll for fertiliser. Two hundredweight of potash was recommended after the cut.

A stand yielding four tons would produce $4B gross, less $l7 maintenance, a net return of $3l. On the same basis, a five-toh crop would net $43, and a sixton crop, $55. Mr Whitelaw said he knew of farmers who had obtained $3B from their first two cuts, before saving the next cut for their own requirements. One of the benefits of regular cutting for processing had been the elimination of nodding thistles. Mr Whitelaw said the processing plant at Winslow would be able to take lucerne from the Geraldine County, as it was no further, than, say, Methven. If a farmer growing lucerne for processing found he needed a cut for his own needs, the company was agreeable.