FAMING IN THE NORTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18281, 23 December 1922, Page 9

FAMING IN THE NORTH

IMPROVEMENT IN METHODS.

INSTRUCTORS EXPERIENCE.

INFERIOR PASTURES REPLACED.

After giving a series of lectures and field demonstrations in tho Kaipara and Northern Wairoa districts, occupying about a fortnight, Mr. T. H. Patterson, local officer-in-chargo of the agricultural instruction branch of tho Department of Agriculture, has returned very much impressed by the advance made in methods and general farm practice in the districts visited. Tho stock, especially dairy cattle, is improving each year, he says, as the more progressive fanners have been introducing pedigree bulls of known record on the dairying side, and cows, some pedigreed, but all proved high producers. The Jersey and Shorthorn breeds are most favoured.

Mr. Patterson travelled as far north as tho Katui-Aranga district, and through tho dairying lands on both sides of tho Northern Wairoa, down to Maungaturoto, through Port Albert, Warkworth, Kaipara Flats, and on to Helensville. Value ol Paspalum. On the hilly country in tho Kattii district, where the mixed bush has been felled on the volcanic soils, the timber burnt, and tho land surface sown, paspalum, he says, is slowly, but surely, taking possession, and is providing good dairying pasture. On the ploughable areas may be seen good pastures, consisting of English grasses and clovers, which have been top-dressed with suitable phosphates, and arc in excellent heart, carrying dairy cows in good condition. On the ploughable areas, where paspalum has been sown in the mixturo it is throwing excellent feed where top-dressed. On one of the farms on the flats of the Northern Wairoa, near To Kopuru, a pasture of paspalum, white clover, and lotus major regularly top-dressed for a number of years and previously well-drained, was an object lesson of what improvement can be expected by good treatment and proper care. The green, healthy growth of wellbalanced feed provided by the grassclover mixturo formed ideal forage for dairy cows. One need hardly mention tho improvement, ho added, "which phosphatic fertilisers always make in the quality of feed. This is evidenced by tho rapidity with which beef cattle fatten on the improved pasture, and the increased milk and butter-fat yield of dairy cows. Development at Port Albert. Perhaps the Port" Albert district exhibits the greatest change during recent years, ,said Mr. Patterson. It is an orchard district and peopled mainly by orchardists, but an interesting transition is taking place on the areas outside the orchard belt. Most of the orchardists have land in addition to that occupied by fruit trees. Theso areas carried inferior grasses, such as ratstail, tall rescue, and danthonia, until these settlers looked to improved methods, so as to get tho best ; returns from dairying in a small way, and as an adjunct to fruitgrowing. Three yetfrs ago most of the pastures were quite unsuitable for dairying. To-day may bo seen the change referred to. The plough has been used in most casea, and on the heavy clay loams and the limestone alike good pastures of the better species of grasses combined with clovers, throwing excellent feed, have taken the place of the inferior species. In some cases burning and surface sowing, in addition to tho use of top-dressing, have brought about good results with very little cost. Supplementary fodders, like millet, turnips, and maize, are grown for summer feed, and swedes and hay for the winter. Around Kaipara Flats some young farmers from the South Island and others ; who have studied agriculture systematicI ally abroad, are setting a new face on j the country they have taken up, and the ! adjoining farmers are not slow to follow | suit. Right throughout the district | travelled, said Mr. Patterson, farmers are I growing special crops to supplement the I pastures. Millet, maize, sorghum, oats, j and roots are to be seen,

It was to be regretted, added Mr. Patterson, that farmers were sometimes given unsound advice regarding fertilisers and their action in the soil. Cases wero brought under his notice by farmers of approved standing in their respective districts, who wero told that water soluble phosphates, for example, were the only phosphates which crops could at all adequately use. Farmers, he said!, would do well, if in doubt, to consult an independent and acknowledged authority on the chemical properties of manures and their action on tho soil.