DEMONSTRATION FARMING

Hawera Star, Volume L, 13 February 1931, Page 10

DEMONSTRATION FARMING

WAIAIATE WEST AREA

THE MONTH’S WORK

There were present at the monthly meeting of the Waimate TVest Demonstration Farm Committee yesterday at the farm Alessrs J. Al. Smith (chair),E. Long, S. H. Le Fleming, E. J. Betts, F. Mourie, J. W. Palmer and the manager (Air A. Paterson). Apologies were received from Alessrs J. Leslie, H. H. Buxton and J. S. McKay. The chairman reported: 1 ‘Pastures continue to make fairly good growth for this time of the year and white clover is very strong. Fields El to E 8 have been topped and 5C to B, totalling eight acres, have been ploughed and are now being worked up preparatory to being worked up into a permanent pasture. A suggested pasture trial is being submitted to- tlie meeting. The third cut of lucerne is just approaching maturity and will be made into hay if weather conditions are favourable, as it will not be; required for green fodder. The crop of soft turnips has done well and will soon be ready for use. In all 54 cows are going through the sheds, the milk to-day being 11501 b with a 3.8 test, I.oolb less than six weeks ago. The butter-fat for December was 18121 b, a total of 94451 b for the season to date, and 14451 b ahead -of last year. The fat for December, 1929, was 16751 b. Tlie clumps of ragwort on the farm have been sprayed with sodium chlorate with satisfactory results.”

GENERAL. It was decided to send away eight pigs of porker weight, to he sold to the butcher, or if this could not he arranged to Patea. Tlie chairman said that there were 11 heifers, 15 calves and three cull cows, and it was proposed to get rid of five cows. He added that there was no doubt’ the farm was understocked. Feed, however, was going to be scarce from now onwards and they should not carry over any stock they were not- going to milk. A paddock, formerly a lucerne section. was carrying a crop of soft turnips and it was resolved to put. it down in green oats after the turnips wore over. These would ho ready for feeding in a short time. The- chairman said that the details of the pasture trial proposal were that there should he an aero each of an eight acre paddock, each with a different mixture of 431 b.

Air Long approved, saying that it was this class of work for which the farm was intended. The particulars were as follow : No. 1. nerennial rye 151 b. cocksfoot S, Italian rye 8. dogstail 2, timothy 4. white clover 3. red clover 3. total 43!b: No. 2. 20, 8, 3. 2. 4. 3, 3—43: No. 3, 20. 3. 8. 2. 4. 3. 3—43; No. 4. 15. 6. 6,2, 8. 3. 3—43: No. 5. 15. 12, 4. 2,4, 3. 3—43: No. 6. 10. 10. 8. 3. 6, 3. 3—43: No. 7. 16. 9, 8. 0. 4. 3, 3 —43; No. 8. 15. 6. 6. 2,4, 4, 5 and lib of subterranean clover —43.

Description of plots.—(l) Standard mixture: (2) increased perennial rye, decreased Italian ; (3) increased nerennial rve. decreased cocksfoot; (41 increased timothy; (51 increased cocksfoot: (6) increased cocksfoot and timothy, decreased perennial rye; (7) no dogstail; (8) increased clovers, including -subterranean. The chairman said that if desired cross trials could also he made.

GENERAL. Permission was given the manager to run eight lambs on his own account. Accounts totalling £34 10s lid were passed for payment. Air Long referred subsequently to the ouestion of the locale of meetings and it was agreed that the meetings in future ho mainly at Afnuain in the county office, and at tlie farm at the discretion of the chairman and manager.