TOO DRY FOR PLOUGHING

Evening Star, Issue 26103, 17 May 1947, Page 11

TOO DRY FOR PLOUGHING

. OTAGO FARMING CONDITIONS BENEFITS OF HEAVY LIMING With all harvesting work safely completed in the driest autumn experienced in this province for sonic years, Otago farmers are now turning their attention to preparations for the next productive season. With the continued absence of rain to soften the ground, it is still not possible to begin ploughing for spring-sown crops, but liming and top-dressing are being undertaken. A fairly large area of autumn-sown wheat has been planted in North Otago in readiness for next season, but very few such sowings' have been made in the Taieri, South Otago, or Southland districts. It is expected that if the winter is at all favourable a considerable area will be sown down in wheat in the spring. In the last few years, however, spring conditions have been unfavourable, and if wheat production in the south is to be maintained it may be necessary for farmers to consider seriously adopting the autumn for sowings of this crop. Since supplies of phosphate have been restricted in the last seven years, the use of lime in Otago and Southland has doubled, and the land is in a much sweeter condition than it was previously. The use of lime continues to be heavy, but it may be reduced in the next year or two if it is possible to increase supplies of phosphatio fertilisers. No announcement has yet been made of larger allocations of superphosphate, but recent importations have been considerably higher than in recent years, and there is a reasonable prospect that it may soon be possible to release larger quantities. As a result of the heavy liming in recent years, the soil is in a better condition to respond t 6 top-dressing, and farmers may find that carrying capacity has greatly increased when sufficient manures are available. The forced reliance on lime in place of superphosphate will probably prove to have had a beneficial effect on farming in Otago. Consumption in this province was not so high as in Southland, where remarkable results had been achieved from heavy liming, bnt the recent experience has convinced many Otago farmers that the best results from superphosphate can be obtained only when successive applications of lime have sweetened the soil to such an extent that superphosphate does not lead to an acid condition. Grasses grow much more strongly after years of liming and the stock-fattening properties are much improved. Turnip and swede crops throughout Otago promise to be lighter than usual as a result of the continued dry weather. A good downpour of rain will assist in recovery, and some frosts are needed to check the aphis growth, which is troublesome in some areas. It is hoped, however, that the frosts will not be severe for some time, as they would check growth altogether. Only mild frosts have so far been experienced in most parts of Otago.