RICH DAIRYING LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19291, 1 April 1926, Page 14

RICH DAIRYING LAND.

THE NGARUA DISTRICT. Our Thames Valley correspondent writes:—One of the most promising districts in the Waikato and which has been reclaimed from the swamp during the last few years is Ngarua, a few miles from Te Aroha. This district always presents ii green and verdant appearance, even when less fortunate districts are showing signs of drought. This is due no doubt to the fact that there is always a certain amount of moisture at no great depth from tho surface. The feed keeps up much later into the winter, and in the majority of cases the milk supply is kept np without autumn feeding. The majority of fne farms, are from 100 to 200 acres. The carrying capacity of many of these farms is a cow to an acre and a-half all the year round, besides pther stock. The settlers realise that manure plays a very important part in increasing the productivity of their land, and most of the farms receive a top-dressing of from 2cwt. to 3cwt. per acre. Most favour the 44-46 super, but others add a percentage of blood and bone and Nauru phosphate. .-weii veais ago the average butter-fat per cow in the district was 2001b., to-day the yield per cow is 3001b. throughout the whole district, and in some cases nj# to i5501b. One farm of 150 acres that seven years ago was carrying only 50 cows, without •ny other stock, to-day is carrying 70 cows, 15 heifers in calf, 14 weaners, 3 horses, 3 bulls, and 200 sheep. One farmer last season took 22,0001b. ox fat off 106 acres.