CROPS AND PASTURES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 4 August 1926, Page 10

CROPS AND PASTURES.

EXPERIENCE AT STRATEOR D

DEMONSTRATION FARM WORK

MR. .1. W. DERM’S REVIEW

Crops and pastures, fertilisers and top-dressings, with particular reference to the results obtained last season at the Stratford Demonstration Farm, were subjects traversed by Mr. J. AY. Deem, ot the Department of Agriculture, in an interesting address delivered at the annual meeting; of the Demonstration harm Society on Tuesday. During and subsequent to the address, various questions wete raised, and, in the general discussion, further ventilation in helpful manner was given to various phases of the subjects dealt with.

In his opening remarks hr. Deem referred to the pastures of the Stratford farm. These, he said, continued to do well, and it was very interesting to see how the better types of grasses like ryegrass, timothy, and clovers were hanging ou and predominating where the top-dressing and grazing had been carried out under the best conditions, 'fill the other hand,” he continued,

“where the grazing has not been properly controlled, 'there is a tendency for cocksfoot and the rougher type ol glasses to gain the ascendancy. A good illustration of this is to be seen on the farm in fields 4 and 5, the former having been better grazed than the latter. Another very fine comparison is to be seen in field 12. where imported wild and colonial grown clovers are being tested against imported white. I'lie ordinary imported white has almost disappeared, ancl the pasture does not seem so palatable and is neglected by stock in comparison to the areas where the colonial and the imported wild white are grown. The result is that where the latter clovers were sown the field is beautifully grazed, but where the ordinary imported white was sown there is a tendency for the rougher grasses to get possession

"The permanency of imported wild and colonial white against ordinary imported is very marked, and it is worthy of note that the same results are reported from the Gore experimental area in Southland, where a similar trial was laid down the same year as the Stratford experiments.

RESULTS OF TOP-DRESSLN(

“Top-dressing continues to give good results. The experiments have been extended to cover comparisons between slag and Nauru phosphate, fields 5 and 4; slag and lime and super, field 1; slag, basic super, and rhenania phosphate, field 3; slag, half super half Nauru, blood and bone, steamed bone, super, and lime and super, fields S and 1.2; slag and basic super, field Id. [n addition to these phosphatic manures, potash top-dressing with kainit, 30 per cent, potash, and sulphate of potash is being tested in fields 4, d, and 12. “As has been the case in former years, slag continues to give the best results. Lime and super and basic super are also doing well, while the Nauru areas in fields d and 14 are givin very satisfactory results. Areas in fields 4 and 12 have been top-dressed for the past two years js'ltfi kainit at the rate of 2 cwt. per year. Ibis top-dressing crosses several pliosuhatie dressings in field 12 and slag in field 4. So far there has not been any definite noticeable improvement from the addition of kainit, nor is there any indication of stock showing any preference for the kainit treated areas. Field 4, which is getting slag at the rate of 3 cwt. per acre per year, half getting 3cwt. every year and half 6cwt. every second year, is still in splendid condition and shows no sign of deterioration. The area that got the G cwt. per acre last year was grazed rather better than the 3 cwt. area during the last season, but now that the latter area has been re-dressed it looks the best. Taking the grazing right through the period, there is not much difference: if anything, the results are slightly in favour of the annual dressing.

TESTING BOOT ( HOPS

“As usual, several new varieties of roots were tested against standard varieties. There consisted <rj? seven turnips, seven swedes, four carrots, and four mangolds. While some of these were quite good, iu no case did any of them stand out superior to standard varieties.

In soft turnips. lied Paragon (46 tons 1 cwt.) and Green Globe (39 tons 14 cwt.) again gave the best results. In swedes. Grandmaster (35 tons 13 cwt.) was best. In carrots, Matchless White (49 tons 6 cwt.) came first, with White Belgian (47 tons 11 cwt.) and Barriball (43 tons 1 cwt.) next. In mangolds. Prizewinner was best with 55 tons 7 cwt.. Giant Globe .second with 52 tons 11 cwt., and White Knight third with 51 tons o cwt. The average for all varieties was 51 tons 10 cwt. against 47 tons 8 cwt. last year.

‘•The manure used for the main soft turnip crop was 3 cut. basic super per acre. There was also a manure test with three plvosphatic manures as follows :

Basic super, 3 cwt. per acre. 39 tons 14 cwt. per acre. Two parts super, 1 part slag, 3 cwt. per acre, 43 tons 3 cwt. per acre. Two parts super, I part Nauru phosphate, 3 cwt. per acre. 41 tons 11 cwt. per acre.

‘ The crop looked even and the difference in weight is not significant, being in the radius of probable error in weighing. Basic super 3 cwt. per acre was also used for the swede crop. There was a fair amount of club root, tjut no appearance of dry rot in any of the plots, and this is in keeping with the observations while judging the field competitions. Fifty-one crops were examined and weighed, and in only two instances was dry rot found, and one of the affected crops was a second crop grown after a badly affected crop hist year. This is gratifying, and it would appear as if the swede crop was. to some extent, coming back.

“An analysis of the swed© crops grown in the> field competitions' show that the best average weight was got from 3 cwt of manure. Ten crops receiving 21 cwt per acre averaged l 39 tons 4 cwt; 15 crops receiving 3 cwt averaged l 47 tons 8 cwt; six receiving 4 cwt averaged 33 tons 15 cwt; and four receiving 5 cwt averaged 41 tons 8 per acre. The best crop was grown with basic super, 3 cwt per acre. Seven crops grown with super and bone averaged 41 tons 12 cwt; 23 grown with proprietary manures averaged 43 tons 6 cwt; and 13 grown with super, hone and potash averaged 37 tons 13 cwt. Evidently the reduction ‘of phosphatic manure' and the addition of potash was not beneficial.

VALUE OF SALT

“The manure used for the _ main mangold crops was three parts super, on© part bonezneal, and one part

Nauru phosphate at the rate l ol G cwt per acre, plus kainit 3 cwt per acre. A manorial test was made using the super, bonemeal and Nauru in the proportions and weight mentioned above, which we will call mixture No. 1. Tho variety of mangold used was Prizewinner. The results were as follows: (a) Mixture No. 1. plus 3 cwt kainit per acre, Go tons 7 cwt. (bl Mixture No. 1. plus 3 cwt salt, per acre, 1 cwt sulphate of potash per acre, 55 tons 6 cwt. (c) Mixture No. 1, plus 3 cwt salt per acre, 54 tons 14 cwt. (cl) Mixture No. 1, plus 1 cwt sulphate of potash per acre, 51 tons 5 cwt.

“These results again emphasise the value of salt in the Stratford district, confirming the finding of previous years, which have l shown that salt- is better than sulphate of potash, and. in fact, if salt is used, potash may be discarded. It is also interesting to note that Mr Hine’s splendid crop of 111 tons of mangolds was grown with a dressing of 10 cwt of salt- per acre and no potash. Further, an analysis of the mangolds grown in Taranaki and weighed in connection with the farmers’ field competitions .show that eight crops that had salt applied to the land 1 gave an average of 63 tons 2 cwt, while 23 crops that had potash on some form or other gave an- average of 56 tons 2 cwt. The deductions are: use salt for mangolds or a form of potassic top-dressing like kainit or 30 per cent potash, both of which contain large quantities' of salt. “The manure used for carrots was super three parts, bonemeal one part, and Nauru phosphate' onei part, at therate of 5 cwt per acre. Carrots seem to do fairly well with most mixtures of manures, and for this reason, it is frequently stated that it is not good practice *to give carrots a heavy manuring. This is not borne out by the results of the field competitions, which show that 24 crops receiving 4 cwt of manure per acre averaged 43 tons 10 cwt per acre, and l 11 receiving 5 cwt of manure averaged 53 tons 7 cwt. Position and variety would have some effect, but the figures are significant.

GREEN CROPS

“Oats and tares were again grown ror nay ana ensilage, tne- seeding being two bushels Algerian oats ana one oushel Scotch tares. The area for ensilage was sown on October 9 and harvested the first week in February. The manure used was basic super, 2 cwt per acre. The green crop was approximately 12 tons per acre. This was made into stack silage. “Chou mold tier was grown on land that iiad previously grown swedes, and showed a wonderful resistance to club root, although the. preceding crop of swedes was fairly bad with club root. Sowing was done about the middle of November, and the crop is still being fed. Small areas were also grown for feeding pigs during winter. The results have been good for stores over three months old and breeding sows, but- small pigs just weaned did no good on this crop. The special areas are now finished, but part of the main crop is being cut and fed, and the pigs continue to do well on it. Seeding was done at the rate of 1 lb per acre. Manure was 3 cwt basic super, but 4 cwt would be better. “The small trial area of lucerne sown on January 4, 1921, had become badly affected 1 with root fungus, and it has been ploughed up. A root crop will be taken off it, when it is proposed to resow in lucerne.

SMOTHERING WEEDS

“When taken over, most of the farm was badly infested with ragwort, blackberry, and ox-eyed daisy. The ■system of cultivation followed on the farm practically cleans these weed's out in two years. The land is stumped and ploughed and sown in root crops, mostly soft turnips and' swedes. Then, as these are feci off, the landi is replonghed and sown in oats or oats and tares or peas. As soon as these are harvested the land is again ploughed and another crop of oats or oats and tares or peas are sown, the oats and tares or peas for preference. “The object is to get two smother crops in the one year, and, if the second ploughing and sowing takes place some time in February or'.early in March, weeds have no chance of seeding and blackberry gets knocked about before it has a chance to dip in. Heavy crops are required for smothering; the manuring should, therefor© be liberal. We use 2 cwt basic super or super per acre.

“Swedes are one of the worst crops for controlling blackberry owing to the length of time they- are in the ground, but on the other hand they are a. very useful crop on new land, and most farmers will prefer to grow them and do the smothering the following year.” On the conclusion of the address !>nd discussion a vote of thanks to Mr Deem, in appreciation of the beneficial information afforded., was carried hy acclamation. .