ABUNDANT AUTUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19953, 23 May 1928, Page 12

ABUNDANT AUTUMN.

KEMARKABLE RECOVERY. SURPLUS OF GRASS. WELL-FAVOURED AUCKLAND. NEGLECTED OPPORTUNITIES. The warm rains of a mild autumn, following the prolonged dry spell of summer, havo worked magic in the Auckland Province. . Frosts and cold weather may not bo far away—indeed, there were indications ot a light frost on the Tajnaki isthmus on Monday night—but what is happening is more than an Indian summer; it is a true spring. Tho burnt-up pastures hav revived in a wonderful manner. Certainly some grass perished and weeds have taken its place, but on the aver go the plants, having had a rest of two or three months, have released with the warm rains pent-up vigour that has produced so much growth that it is possible some farmers may cut their surplus grass tor ensilage. A second reason for what an authority calls the "astounding growth" is that the summer grass, quickly running up to seed, dvopped it under ideal conditions for germination, and in consequence, new grass is flourishing in old pasture. Tremendous Value. The climate has come to the rescue of tho province once again, and there is every reason for jubilation. Each inch of new graso means so many thousands of pounds to the country, a fact that Queen Street should bear in mind. Tho growth, which still continues, is changing the winter prospect of very lean times on the farms to conditions of comparative plenty. The full effect will not be realised until the dairy herds come into profit again. Thanks to the autumn growth, hundreds upon hundreds of herds, which would otherwise have experienced a hungry winter, will como into milk in a condition which could not have been dreamed of two months ago. The reward will be measured in the cream cans in the spring. As tc the whole milk supply of the city, people are beginning to wonder when autumn's bounty will be reflected to .consumers in lower prices. Fodder Crops. Some extraordinary results in fodder production are reported Toward the end of the dry spell one small farmer, concerned about the feeding of his animals during the winter, chanced a sowing cf maize. The seed sprouted and began to languish in tho heat, but tho rain came in time, and to-day the crop is 2ft. 6in. high, and the plants are strong and lush. Frost, of course, would stop their growth, but already the return has justified the risk. On the same farm, forage oats planted just before the first rams aie flourishing, and both crops prove in striking manner tho exceptional possibilities of tho Auckland soil and climate. More remarkable has been the recovery of forage crops which were believed to have failed. One farmer in Central W'aikato, where no frost has yet been experienced, sowed swede turnips in December and, not doubting tho plain evidence of his eyes, he drilled in on the same ground,' in March Italian rye and Western Wolthj. When the rain came he was amazed to observe the swede crop coming away. Tho seed had not perished, but had simply lain dormant, and to-day the crop is one of the finest in tho district. Similar results have been obtained with marigolds. In ordinary seasons frost would already have har-, dened off these roots, but liberal compensation has been provided for the summer dryness. Probably no other land m New Zealand has such power of recovery under favourable climatic conditions. Contrast With Last Autumn. The authority already quoted states that last autumn hay was being fed to cattle six weeks before now. This year, speaking generally, hay remains in the stacks and the cows are literally living in clover and the prospect is that, in spite of the bad summer outlook, less hay will bo used this winter than ever before. It is too late, of course, for the feed to be transformed into butter-fat, but when the wellwintered cows come into milk again extraordinary production is anticipated. On account of the abundance of feed there is great demand for stock of all kinds, and prices have increased in consequence. "As a matter of fact." said tho farmer in question, " while the summer for the average dairy farmer was very lean, the great aggregate yield being accounted for by a larger provincial herd, tho present prospect is most cheering. A few weeks have completely changed the outlook. Garden Produce. City seedsmen who specialise in flower plants and flowers report that in favourable places narcissi and paper whites are flowering freely, and that anemones are beginning to flower, which is exceptionally early. Iceland poppies planted at 'a time when they had to struggle for existence havo made rapid growth, and are now flowering profusely. There is a strong demand for plants to replenish gardens, which suffered severely in the dry spell, and there is great sowing of vegetables. ..... ; In favourable places where thero is good shelter combined with natural drainage the sowing of early potatoes, peas, and even dwarf string beans, is proceeding. One man in a good situation in Onehunga has peas in flower at the present time. Tho crop has simply leaped toward maturity. An instanco of rapid growth of beans is given by a Renuiera resident, who planted Canadian Wonder seed on March 1 and obtained his first picking in the second week in April. " Auckland has not yet begun to exploit its frost-free zones," remarked a seedsman. ".This year's conditions may be above (he average, but in any season there is opportunity for producing quantifies of early garden produce for which the rest of tho Dominion has a market. Wo rlo, not yet appreciate our heritage. There are places which for certain crops are able to forestall hothouso production in the South. Shelter is an essential that is not given sufficient attention, but. in tho main we are lacking in the enterprise to make full use of favourable land."