FOR THE FARMER

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4812, 19 July 1939, Page 3

FOR THE FARMER

AUGUST TOP-DRESSING.

A VALUABLE PRACTICE. BENEFITS OBTAINABLE. INSURANCE AGAINST LATE SPRING. The top-dressing of *one or two fields in August or September, if this be done merely as an insurance against a late spring, has been demonstrated at Ruakura to be a valuable policy. Mr. E. R. Marryatt, fields instructor at Ruakura, writing on this subject in the Journal of Agriculture, points out that except for special purposes on individual fields—i.e., before or after a silage or hay crop —top-dressing on dairy farms extends from the late summer to the early spring. This is largely due, he states, to the convenience of time to do the work and not because it does not matter when top-dressing is done, for it does matter.

Important Considerations

There are several considerations other than convenience. The first, and perhaps most important, is that except for direct application of nitrogenous fertilisers top-dressing is usually done to make clover grow. Superphosphate and potash are to some extent usable by clover immediately they become dissolved in soil moisture. The longer they are left unused in the soil the greater becomes the danger of more and more of them becoming “fixed” in a form unavailable to plants. Their efforts then become increasingly lost. Some soils are known to absorb potash so strongly that practically nothing is usable by the plant, as is the case in Denmark. Phosphatic fixation may also nullify the desired results. In order that the most may be obtained from expenditure on phosphates and potash it is imperative, therefore, that top-dressing should be done while the clover is growing and while there is yet probable a fairly long period of active growth. This means either late summer oxearly autumn top-dressing or else spring top-dressing. In a normal spring, however, clover grows luxuriantly without topdressing at that time, and it is therefore doubtful whether added fertiliser in the spring is always efficiently used. Further, one of the main aims of grassland management is to smooth out the unevenness of pasture production throughout the year. Usually spring top-dressing merely intensifies the natural differences in seasonal growth. In many districts trouble is caused by the natural flush of white clover causing feed flavour without accentuating it. Late summer and autumn topdressing, continues Mr. Marryatt, is, as a general rule, wisest because although in the long run total pastureproduction may not be generally affected whether the top-dressing be done in the autumn or in the spring, the time of’top-dressing greatly affects distribution of pasture producproduction. Although spring topdressing with phosphates should normally be restricted to hay and silage fields, it is not unwise to top-dress one or two other fields in August or or two other pastures in August or September when the clover begins to move away, provided it is done simply as an insurance against a late spring.

POINTERS ON TOP-DRESSING

FOURTEEN POINTS IN FAVOUR

Top-dressing grasslands increases yields.

It also increases the palatability and feeding value of the herbage produced.

And increases the health ot live stock.

It increases the growing period of grassland.

By increasing the surface fertility, changes old pastures into young ones and thickens the sward.

It decreases the amount of inferior grasses.

And helps to overcome the danger of weed invasion. It avoids the necessity for extensive supplementary crop growing.

Top-dressing appreciates the value all grassland, and is an assurance against deterioration. It materially increases stock carry-

ing capacity. Thereby lowering fixed overhead costs per head of stock.

Top-dressing decreases the danger of drought by encouraging deeper rooting and a denser sward. It increases the yield in seed production and improves the quality. CHILLED BEEF. IRREGULAR shipments. COMPLAINT BY RETAILERS. QUALITY AFFECTED BY DELAY. Retail butchers all over England have recently expressed keen dissatisfaction regarding the quality of most of the imported beef reaching- the market. They deplore the irregularity of the New Zealand shipments, declaring that until they are assured of regular weekly arrivals, they cannot maintain their interest in that commodity which its quality and condition frequently deserve.

Nor is the condition of the Dominion chilled beef reaching London always uniform, possibly due to delay in loading and protracted voyages. The quality of the Australan commodity, too, is inclined to be so indifferent as to impair seriously the chances of Empire chilled beef reaching parity with the Argentine article in the trade’s esteem.

South Africa Leads.

South Africa continues to lead the way in regard to the excellent quality and condition of chilled beef consignments from Empire sources, Kimberley being the latest district to essay the successful exploitation of the British market, but the shipments from the Union unfortunately constitute only a minor proportion of the total Empire arrivals. This position, farmers in New Zealand will agree, is particularly to be regretted at a time when the lead held for so long by the Argentine has been threatened by a series of complaints from butchers that the quota system has led to a deterioration in quality and that most of the South Amei-ican quarters cari’y too much finish and are wasteful.

ESTABLISHING PASTURE.

PLOUGHING AND RESOWING

FARM SCHOOL LECTURE. One of the most interesting lectures given at the Ruakura farm school was that delivered by Mr. P. S. Syme, of Warkworth, on pasture establishment. When existing pasture had run out, become sod-bound, weedy, thin or contained only poor producing species of grasses and clovers, said Mr. Syme, the farmer might choose between surface sowing or ploughing and resowing to restore the pasture.

Surface sowing, using heavy topdressing, feeding out on the land, and thus improving the fertility, a sowing allowed of cropping at low duced. This was sometimes practicable, and if the pasture contained an appreciable quantity of good grasses and clovers, remarkable success was some times achieved in this way at little cost. Ploughing and resowing allowed of iropping at low cost, provided an opportunity of cleaning the land and exposed a new surface of the soil containing fresh reserves of plant food. If the seed mixture were wisely selected, superior strains of grasses and clovers could replace the old commercial strains. The new strains were better producers and were longer lived.

Time of Sowing

In discussing spring and autumn sowing, M . Syme stated that the ad vantages of autumn sowing included freedom from weed competition and the fact that the pasture was available l'or feed earlier. Sowing in the autumn also allowed of good clover establishment in the first year. |>pring sowing was sometimes preferred on high country or where early frosts were followed by a cold winter.

The cultivation depended on the type of the soil and the previous crop, but it should be early and thorough. The farmer could skim plough first and follow with deep ploughing. Light soils should be consolidated, while packing or puddling of heavy soils should be avoided. Successful establishment of a pasture depended on: (1) A good wellprepared and properly consolidated seed bed: (2) early sowing; (3) a good mixture of good quality (certi-

fied) seeds; (4) the use of proper fertilisers to promote establishment; (5) good subsequent management.

Seed Bed Preparation,

The seed bed should have a fine tilth, free from big clods underneath, and the seeds should not be covered too deep. The seed should be sown in February or early March to allow for early establishment of the clovers before cold weather. The type of seed mixture depended on the class of country and the purpose of the pasture, but the mainstay was a mixture containing rye grass and clover. The land must have phosphate, while it might need lime and potash. In the subsequent management of the new pasture it was important that there should be only light grazing and that pugging should be avoided in the winter. The rye should not be allowed to choke out the cocksfoot and the clovers, while care must be taken not to let the pasture be grazed too closely in cold weather. It was as well to aim at good clover establishment in the first year and to give an additional application of phosphate in the spring.

DAIRY PRICE.

HIGHER INTEREST RATES. The internal loan floated by the Government a few weeks ago provides i. return of 4% per cent, to investors. This is in contrast to the previously declared rate of 3!4 per cent, as the recognised interest for State securities, says a writer in the “Dominion.” A year ago, when the now past season’s guaranteed price was worked out, the committe recommended', that £75 a cow was reasonbale capitalisation and 4 1 / 2 per cent, was reasonable interest thereon. An interest allowance of 3.375 d a lb butterfat was therefore made. By and large, no great departure was made from this estimate when the price was finally settled. But the interest rate of a year ago is no longer fair and reasonable. The Minister of Finance recognised that farmers were entitled to 1 per cent, above Government security rate.

So to-day farm capital must be entitled to that extra 1 per cent, above the 4% per cent, paid on a Government loan. Therefore 5% per cent, should be allowed for in the coming season’s guaranteed price. To provide this an added 0.5625 d a lb butterpayout would be required. The price requires increasing by something over ¥2 d alb of fat.

outside the theatre three times. As each announcement went up, fanatics in the street would scrawl ‘Nazi’ or some more abusive epithet opposite the names of various singers in the cast.

“Inside the auditorium the listeners were often preoccupied with political ideas rather than with the music. They made hostile demonstrations against singers who had convictions different from their own. Behind the scenes there were conflicts, too. “Another complication is the matter of opera broadcasts. The broadcasts from the Metropolitan over the National Broadcasting Company’s network bring a handsome revenue. In fact, they pay the Metropolitan’s deficit for the season. But the head of the National Broadcasting Company is a Jew, and that has given rise to high feeling.

“This sort of thing is all wrong. There is no real place for politics in music. In this country you are happy to have avoided such intrusions. You must try and keep your musical life free.”