FARM EXTENSION SERVICE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 210, 4 August 1934, Page 5

FARM EXTENSION SERVICE

(Contributed by the Fields Division and Plant Research Station). PASTURE MANAGEMENT AND GENERAL CROPPING WORK. Harrowing of pastures is advisable widely in August, and if not carried out on fields on which animal manure is plentiful the spring pasture growth will be very uneven on account of the development of patches of rank herbage in the vicinity of where droppings have been undisturbed for any considerable period. As it is not at ail easy to deal satisfactorily with rank patches of grass growth on farms supporting principally “wet” stock, it is desirable to obviate the appearance of such patches by timely use of the grass harrows to distribute the droppings before the bulk of their fertilising ingredients have been washed into the soil beneath. Top-dressing of sod-bound and weedy pastures is almost certain to prove much more effective when accompanied by relatively severe harrowing. The harrowing should be severe enough to open up the turf and thereby give a • chance to plants of better species, the greater growth of which is made possible by the increased fertility, _ to develop more vigorously. This brings about the pasture rejuvenation which is so advisable on many old established permanent pastures that cannot be renewed economically by putting the land under the plough GENERAL CROPPING WORK. In the main grain growing districts the ploughing of land intended for cereals should now receive attention ahead of almost all other tillage work. From experience it has become the practice to sow the greater part of the spring wheat crop in August, and early September. In some districts good crops may be obtained from later sowings, but as a rule in the main, grain growing districts the yields are not so heavy from such sowings. The sowing of oats ordinarily should follow the sowing of wheat as opportunity offers. It often proves advantageous to sow black skinless barley in August. A heavier amount of seed should be used with spring sown cereal crops, e.g., in the main South Island wheat-growing districts, while 1J to 1J bushels of Tuscan seed is accepted as suitable for autumn sowing, 2 bushels or more is used for spring sowing. Spring sown cereals generally benefit from the rolling of the ground after sowing, but except in the case of light land, the rolling, instead of being done immediately after the drilling, should be deferred until September of October. Treatment of cereal seed for the control of disease should not ho omitted in spring sowings. It seems at times to be overlooked that smut is decidedly detrimental in an oat crop which is to be chaffed, and also tnat the Algerian oat is subject to smut and hence that there is just as much need to treat seed of Algerian as seed of the other varieties. Improper methods of treatment may give not merely ineffective, but injurious results. When it is intended to produce chaff or grain from autumn sown cereals, the final feeding off should take place generafly towards the end of August, an exception to this being crops on such rich ground that “lodging” may be expected. It is often of assistance in avoiding “lodging” to arrange the final feeding off of such crops to take place in September. Ordinarily, after the final feeding off the crop benefits from a stroke or two of the tine harrows for the purpose of loosening the trampled surface soil anil of scattering stock droppings. Spring feeding off of cereals should be done by stocking heavily for a short period at a time when the ground is not too wet.

Italian ryegrass or Western Wolths, which often can be sown successfully at the end of August, may be looked upon as a special forage crop capable of providing bay or silage if necessary. Artichokes, which may be sown from late August or September, according to the earliness of the locality, thrive on land naturally suited to potatoes; but they will also yield well on comparativeliy poor, light soils, provided they are well manured. The crop succeeds when the seed is sown in rows about 3 feet apart with about 2 feet between the tubers in the rows; 8 to 10 cwt. of seed an acre is required. Generally, a complete mixture is favoured for artichokes. The ground for artichokes requires to be well worked before the sowing of the crop. MANAGEMENT OF LUCERNE. If possible, grazing of established

lucerne during winter and early spring in particular should be avoided. Grazing, by causing consolidation, favours the invasion of the lucerne by ryegrass and poa annua, two of its worst and most common invaders over wide areas. Further, grazing keeps the growth short, which favours white clover, at times a serious weed in lucerne areas. Harrowing of established weedy lucerne occasionally may be advisable at this season, but generally it is inadvisable unless the conditions allow one to lessen substantially the number or vigour of the invading weeds without unduly injuring the lucerne itself. Especially in the main grass farming districts, the only harrowing that as a rule gives this result is one carried out about January or February, . when the dry conditions and the rapidity in growth of the lucerne combine to suppress weeds disturbed by cultivation. Some cultivate lucerne as a routine measure and without due thought, and often do as much harm as good or even more —any .cultivation drastic enough to thin the weeds is practically certain also to thin the lucerne. Lucerne which is heavily invaded by grass should be topdressed, not in the early spring while it is still somewhat dormant but later on, perhaps after the first cut, when it can out-grow the grass. To top-dress in the early spring would lead to relatively greater stimulation of the grass which would intensify its smothering effect —just what should be avoided. MISCELLANEOUS.

The late July-August period is a critical one in the feeding of stock. While it may be economically sound at times to allow store cattle and sheep to fall off in condition at this period it is often a costly matter to allow milking cows and breeding ewes to do so. In both these types of stock production is likely tQ be lessened, and, in addition, ravages of disease . often originate from weakened vitality which arises at this stage. Yet farmers with stock unduly low in condition at this period at times carry over reserves of feed; they would probably be wiser to use such feed as it is required and allow the future to take care of itself.

During wet weather time may often he spent profitably in overhauling equipment in preparation for the busy season and in the picking over of stored potatoes. In dry -weather matters to which attention often may well be given are improved farm subdivision and the construction of pits or trenches for ensilage.