PASTURES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 12 March 1927, Page 16

PASTURES.

FARMERS’ QUESTIONS ANSWERED In ansAvering points raised by farmers present, at a meeting at Auroa on Wednesday night Mr. J. W. Deem, Agriculture Instructor, said that the crested dogs tail did not as a rule appear on top-dressed land, Avhere the clovers generally cariie up. But, he added, cattle liked it and thrived on it, and a small portion Avas often included to keep out the rubbish. Referring to the Maniatoto rye, he said it. did not last, many years and Avould not. be perennial. It was a fallacy to buy heavy grasses AA’here only a temporary pasture was being .put dOAvn.

Subterranean clover, he Would not advise using in good’- country, for ho feared it would squeeze out the better cloA’ers, but on poor .country it A\ _ as good all the. time.

Crimson cloA*or, too, he considered not worth Avhile, because it was not good feeding, it came One year and then often- disappeared. Lotus Major Avas, in his opinion, good for stock and lasting. In this connection he quoted a case on the Stratford farm, Avhere a half pound Avas put doAvn fiA’e years ago and Avhen two years ago the paddock Avas shut up for pigs, it Avas found there Avas a strong sole of the Lotus Major.

Referring .to rneadoAA' foxtail, he shid it Avas good for’ Avet places on the farm, and as for paspalum, he did not advise its use except in districts ■where the climate Avas very dry and hot. Where it had been used on banks and creeks, it was found the paspalurh got into' the best paddocks. It could bo tried round cowsheds and similar places. Mr. Deem referred to experiments made at Waimate West to get grass .straight after ploughing by using the side-cut in the plough. An experiment tried at Waimate West farm had proved ,verv successful.

Cocksfoot, he said Avould ahvays come if a paddock Avere shut up, but heavy grazing Avould keep it dOAvn. Tailfescue he Avould not advise for coaVs, but it Avas first-class for sheep country, and it could be kept doAvn by top-dress-ing. , iMr. Deem spoke of the prevalence of club-root, and said it Avas rife among the sAvedesj but that chou moellier AvaS practically free. He advised sowing oats tAvo years running in infested land; throwing the land open to the sun sO as to kill the spores.

Gorse Avould disappear if the land troubled Avas pxlt doAvn in a temporary pasture and manured heavily and especially if sheep Avere grazed.

Choii moellier, Avhen it, started to send up shoots should be cut and alloAved to lie arid dry. It was, however, ideal for Avintering pigs.

Referring to SAvedes he said there Avas no crop better Zor milk production and heavy crops could, be got much heaA-ier than chou moellier. But the club-root often spoilt its "being used.