FIELD NOTES FOR MARCH, 1925
(Bv •). W. Deem, instructor in Agriculture, Department of Agriculture.)
March is >one of the best months for sowing pastures,' both temporary and permanent, on the lower lying country. A lien von get tip to 1000 feet and over better ' results are generally obtained by late spring sowing. The main point to watch is to sow at a time when clovers will get- well established before severe frost sets in. In sowing down pastures, particularly permanent ones, there is a. great diversity of opinion as to whether some cereal should be sown with it to afford shelter. In the majority of cases the grass is best sown bv itself, as the cereal is a keen competitor and generally results m the grass stand being weaker than if sown alone. There are certain exemptions. For instance, in very exposed situations one bushel of oats or barley may be used for shelter to advantage, and again., if the sewing is late, say end oi April or May, but in no case more than i bushel, of cereal per acre be sown with a permanent grass mixture, in deciding on a guess mixture, great eare is necessary to see that grasses suitab.e to the land are chosen, and that a pioper balance between grasses and clovers is maintained. If this is not done it cannot be expected that the resultant pasture will be properly balanced, hor first-class free lands the following permanent mixture is a good basis to work on: Cocksfoot 12Lbs: perennial rye lb lbs, Italian rve 4lbs, Timothy Mbs, crested dogstail Mbs, red clover Mbs, white clover 21bs, total 451bs per acre. Where the land is stiffer and wetter the following is suggested: Cocksfoot 61bs, perennial rye 201bs, Timothy 4lbs, meadow fescue 41bs, meadow foxtail 21bs,, Alsvke 21bs, red clover 21bs, white clover 21bs. total 421bs per acre. H the land lies warm lOlbs prairie grass may be added to the former mixture. Temporary Pastures. —These consist of (1) a truly temporary pasture to last one year onlv, and (2) a temporary pasture that with care may be carried on from two to four years. -For former a sowing of 2olbs Italian or Western Wolths rye grass and gibs red clover is suitable and for the latter 1 Gibs perennial, rye. 12lbs Italian rye. 4lbs red clover and.2lbs white clover is recommended, and if the land is tree and warm 101 b prairie grass could he added with advantage. If the lastmentioned mixture is judiciously topdressed it will remain good tor three or four years. In preparing the land for pasture, care must be taken to provide a fine firm tilth. If the land is not well consolidated a great deal of the seed is buried too deeply and tails to germinate. The ideal condition is to get the seed buried about half an rnt u dc'QV). If the '.seed bed has been wo 11 consolidated, light tine harrows give good results. If not too well consolidated, chain or brush harrows are the best. The question of rolling alter ’sowing at this time of the yeai nius« he left to the farmer's judgment No-hard and fast rule can be laid down. If the land is dry and the weather is inclined to be line, rolling should he done. If, on the other hand, the land is at all wet and ram frequent it is better not to roll. Good manures for putting in with pastures are basic super, basic slag, 2cwt per acre, m mixtures of 2cwt super, 2eWt carbonate of lime per acre. If it is considered that the land is weak in plant food and heavier dressings are desirable the extra dressing is" hotter applied in the carl v spring. Forage Crops.—The sowing of cereal crops for winter and early spring should he pushed along. If the crop is to be crazed during winter and early spring and the land then turned over Algerian oats at the rate of 3 to 4 bushels per acre are the best for general purposes, or a mixture of 2 bushels Algerian oats and 1 bushel Western Wolths. Black skinless barley. 2.) bushels per acre, also gives very fine results, and if quick feed is desired it is the best, as it is usually ready to feed two or three weeks before any other cereal. When the land is inclined,to be sour a mixture of Algerian oats and rye corn, half and half, 3 to 4 bushels per acre, is recommended. If the crop is to be fed during the winter and carried on for hay or ensilage, a mixture ot 2,,bushels Algerian oats and 1 bushel gray tares is advised, as the mixture makes better ensilage than oats alone. Sometimes tares are sown with oats where it is” intended to prepare the land for another crop in the spring Where this is the case it is doubtful it sutticient fodder is obtained from the tares to warrant their inclusion. Unless the land is very rich, this type of crop is liberallv manured. Two. hundredweight super or basic super are suitable manures.
■i Lucerne. —Young spring sown crop* should bo ready for a second cutting during this month, and as the weather is usually dry it is a good time to giro them a. 'light cultivation. The tide harrows are, as a rule, heavy enough for this* operation. The object is to destroy ia>ny grass or permanent weeds that are getting established and leave the surface of the land free ,to, go into the winter. If a good lucerne field is desired all: growths of lucerne from now on. should be allowed to .stand through the winter. This is also a. good month to clear up old stands, as the weather being dry a good opportunity is provided for destroying grass, etc. A good cultivation; with lucerne teeth does the best work, but if the land is hard and the grass, thick it may be necessary to give it one or more cuts with the disc to cut up the sods, then follow with the cultivator and tine harrows. Old stands that are getting thin can have their usefulness considerably extended by sowing Italian rye on them after this cultivation... The rye fills up all bare ground and provides a. heavy crop in the spring. In some districts the practice of sowing two biishels of Algerian oats on lucerne stands in March and April has become fairly common, the idea being to fill up all bare ground, crowd out. weed.s during the winter months and provide a heavy storing crop for green, feed or ensilage. Experience has not been long enough for one to come to a definite opinion as to, whether the practice is beneficial or not to the lucerne stand. If certainly keeps out a lot of undesirable growths and provides a. heavy spring cutting. So far observations indicate that where the oat c-rop is cut fairly early no harm has been done, but where the oafs have been allowed In get well out in ear there arc indications that the- subsefniont growth of lucerne has been slightly stunted. TTouv erer. as previously stated, we have riot sufficient., evidence' to warrant ns in coming to definite conclusions. Yourm stands of luiori'.e should not be grazed tire first season, but established’ stands, Tiiiay he graved from, now on: to the spring provided the grazing is not done ton, closely.:
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Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 5 March 1925, Page 6
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1,241FIELD NOTES FOR MARCH, 1925 Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 5 March 1925, Page 6
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