FARM EXTENSION SERVICE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 291, 6 November 1934, Page 5

FARM EXTENSION SERVICE

SUMMER WORK RELATIVE TO .RESERVES OF FEED. (Contributed by Fields Division and Plant Research Station.) . (Continued). At this season \nore and better work should be carried out in respect to such important supplementary crops as mangels, swedes, turnips, lucerne, cliou moellier, and carrots. Topdressing, ensilage, systematic grazing—all are of great known value—but for maximum success it is frequently necessary to re- . inforee them by judicious forage cropping. It is often asked to ivhat extent should the plough be used on farms on which grass is the dominant crop. ORelntive to- this matter, detailed guidance capable of general application cannot be given with any measure, of safety, but as a rule arable cropping should be given a place when two commonly occurring circumstances are presen L. In the first place, generally it will prove advisable when some of the pastures on a farm could be improved economically by ploughing up, growing intermediate crops, and eventually resowing to pasture. In the second place it is generally advisable to grow arable crops such as mangels, cliou moellier, etc., when this can be done without necessitating a substantial direct outlay in equipment or labour. And this will apply as a rule even to farms the pastures of which are not badly in need of improvement by means of renewal. In short, if the work involved can be done without deterimentally affecting the routine farm work and without necessitating the employment of additional labour then almost certainly cropping should be carried out. Many farmers err, not by omitting supplementary cropping altogether, but by not doing enough to meet properly the feed requirements of the stock during periods of shortage of feed from pastures. Despite the fact that the value of cultivation has been stressed through the centuries from classical times, poor cultivation is probably the most potent underlying cause of unnecessarily and unprofitably low yields. Expenditure on good seed and suitable fertiliser is at times at least piirtially ineffective because of lack of cultivation. Preparatory cultivation, which is of prime current importance, should provide for most arable crops a layer of sod, fine, firm, and mellow to the full depth disturbed by the plough. Only bj beginning the preparatory cultivation in good time can this be obtained economically To some extent potatoes are an exception in that they are favoured by a loose condition of the soil. The ?aving of a few shillings, and even a few pence, an acre on seed sometimes is welcomed ; almost always it really is parsimony instead of economy. Usually the small saving is associated with one or all of the following: Poor germination, low vigour, poor typo of strain. Complete or partial failures of crops, which it is customary to attribute to unfavourable weather or to attacks of pests, have been traced to low germination or to impaired vitality' leading to puny seedlings which succumb under adverse conditions that strong seedlings would withstand. It may be taken as a practical rule in cropping that high production is dependent on high fertility and, consequently, that liberal manuring is frequently advisable—in general, while the over-manuring of forage crops is practically unknown, the under-manur-ing of. them is commonplace. Probably manuring of forage crops would generally be more liberal were it more widely realised that the value of one ton of even the least nutritious of ordinary forage crops is more than the cost of lewt. of the fertiliser commonly used with them, and the response to fertiliser is certainly abnormally meagre if it does not lead to an increase in yield in excess of 1 ton an acre. The .mangel is especially reliable, because it can withstand a period of dry j weather relatively well, and because it is net subject as yet in New Zealand : to any serious disease or pest. Over ; wide areas as the result of suitable ’ treatment crops of 60 tons or more an '' acre are frequently grown. Good treat- 11 ment for the mangel is particularly J desirable and thorough preparatory cultivation to produce a fine, firm seed bed 1 is as important feature of such treat- < ment.

As the result of yields noted in the field the- variety Prize-winner Yellow Globe deserves its outstanding popularity. Other varieties of known value are Red Intermediate, White Sugar, and Jersey Queen. Current practice which generally gives good results is to sow about 6!bs of seed an acre in rows 26 to 28 inches apart. Over wide acreas November sowing is suitable. In wet, cold conditions which tend to cause loss or stunting of seedlings sowing should be. deferred until warm conditions obtain. Though knowledge of the manurial requirements of the mangel is imperfect, it has been established that as a rule good results may be expected from a dressing of 5 to 6cwt an acre of a mixture consisting of equal parts of superphosphate and blood-and-bone, or 3 parts of superphosphate to 2 parts* of blood-and-bone. It is significant that in farmers’ field competitions outstanding yields are so frequently linked with very rich soils, c.g., old pig yards, etc. On free-working loams the field carrot, given good cultivation, is capable of heavy yields—yields of approximately 70 tons an acre have been recorded. It is usually profitable to apply 3 to scwt. an acre of a fertiliser mixture consisting of 2 parts of superphosphate to 1 part ot blood-and-bone. Varieties which have been consistently popular are Matchless White, Barribalt, White Belgian, and Guerande. Guerande, which is a very suitable variety for sheep is grown successfully without thinning in rows 21 to 26 inches apart, ljlb of seed per acre being used. With other varieties good results aro commonly obtained by hand, thinning and cultivating crops sown in drills 21 to 26 inches apart, but sowing in drills. 14 inches apart also gives heavy yields. Bowing 1 to lslb of seed an acre in November usually gives good results. Rapid and vigorous growth of lucerne seedlings is desirable and is favoured by warmth. Because of this best results are usually obtained by sowing during the latter part of November or in early December. It is good practice to sow through every coulter of the grain drill 12 to 18Ibs an acre of Marlborough seed. Alternatively the seed may be broadcast and covered by light harrowing. A fine, firm seed bed is required for full success with this valuable crop. As a rule lime may be applied advantageously before the final cultivation preceding seed-growing. Treatment of the seed with suitable cultures is advisable.