Cropping for Increased Production

Franklin Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 17, 14 February 1940, Page 5

Cropping for Increased Production

TOPDRESSING PRACTICE ARTIFICIAL FERTILISERS USE ON GHASSLANDS An alternative or complementary method to cropping for increasing farm production is to increase the use of artificial fertilisers on grassland. Topdressing, however, does not eliminate the advisability of growing crops but at times rather accentuates it, states the National Council of Primary Production in a bulletin.

In I lie Auckland Province there is a general phosphate response, occasionally with lime. Lime gives very varying results on Auckland soils ranging from marked responses to no visible response at all. Where lime gives a response there should be a dressing of one ton of lime per acre previous lo laying down pasture and subsequent lighter dressings as required.

w Superphosphate Superphosphate is the main phosphate used in the Auckland Province, but in North Auckland basic slag gives good results as do North African phosphates. The amount of phosphatic fertiliser applied varies from .1 i to <5 cwt. per acre. Generally 2 cwt. of superphosphate on sheep farms and 3 or 4 cwt. on dairy farms gives satisfactory returns. The main period of application is in the autumn from the end of February to the end of May with a secondary peak period of use in ,luly and August. Certain pumice soils radiating from the central plateau of the North Island, the volcanic soils in t.he Mairoa district wesj, of Te Kuiti, and some volcanic soils in parts of North Auckland, are deficient in cobalt. Therefore where lopdressing is being carried out or. such areas, use should be made of •cobaltised superphosphate in preference to ordinary superphosphate. Potash gives a response al Waihi and on some peat soils and sands and sandy loams of Uie Waikato and North Auckland. Applications of 2 ewl. of SO per cent potash salts should be given there in addition lo any lime or phosphate required. For ,out-of-season growlh on dairy farms in late autumn, winter and early spring, an application of ammoniated superphosphate, usually al Ihe rate of 3. cwt. to the acre, or of sulphate of ammonia at 1 ewl. per acre may prove useful if made several weeks before results are required. Only good paddocks which are to he used for winter and early spring feeding should he treated. Such Helds should previously have been liberally treated with lime and phosphate. The general use of nitrogenous fertilisers is nol advocated.

Surface Sowing In addition lo I lie grass and clover seed which is sown on areas after the preparation of a seed bed by cultivation, there are large quantities surface sown after burns. Much seed is also sown on the soil after surface cultivation and much without any tivation. Results in general show* that the last practice should only be employed where there is no trace of clover in the pasture and where cultivation is impossible. The chance of successful establishment of grass and clover seed is great or small according to the seed bed. The better the seed bed the more certain the farmer is that the establishment will be satisfactory. Surface cultivation for seed establishment may consist in a slight scratching to a thorough working up covering several months using discs, harrows, and other implements. The percentage of seed which establishes where the cultivation is poor or no cultivation is practised is very low. On burns tire seed bed is formed by the ash left after the fire has gone. "Where the growth is large and the ash consequently plentiful a good pasture establishment should be expected, but when the ash covering is thin then the resultant pasture will probably lie poor. Contrary to common practice cheap seed mixtures should not be sown. The quantity sown can be lessened but never the quality of the seed. The following mixture, which can be varied lo suit local conditions is suitable for secondary burns:--Certified perennial rye. 1 21 b.: browntop. 21b.: crested dogstail. Mb.: certified white clover.- 11b.: loins major, lib: dantbonia pilosa, Mb: subterranean clover lib: 2:11b. per acre. When to Cut Manuka On secondary growth country manuka should he cut in the late spring and summer so as lo he ready for burning in the early autumn. Where rain may he expected in February, burning and sowing of seed in January gives good results. Where autumn rains are doubtful, burning and sowing in late, autumn will give best results, but sowing should not be too late to allow clover establishment. Bracken fern grows mainly from October to February, so it should not be burnt, till March. Spraying of hard fern with arsenic pentoxide solution should be done at any time from November to March bul preferably in January. The area may Ihen be burnt, and sown in early or late autumn whenever weather conditions are suitable. All seed mixtures

for secondary growth burns should contain 1 to 21b. of certified white clover- as well as either lotus major in wet, areas or subterranean clover in drier districts.