FARMING IN ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20365, 20 September 1929, Page 7

FARMING IN ENGLAND.

LESSONS' OF THE DROUGHT.

ARABLE LAND AND PASTURE.

A DIFFICULT ALTERNATIVE

The English point of view on the relative merits of arable and grassland farming is expressed in an article published in a Home paper. The treatise is particularly written about the circumstances arising out of the drought experienced in Britain during the summer. "The rainless season has not made it easier to decide on an alternative to the systems of arable farming that have so ill remunerated farmers in recent years," states this agricultural expert. , "Tho usual suggestion is to 'put the land away to grass,' this course being advised as if it wero an infallible cure for the troubles and losses of rotation husbandry. Farmers experienced in both tillage and grass farming have not been confident that permanent grass in any circumstances is an effective substitute for arable farming and in many cases they are extremely doubtful whether results would justify abandonment of the plough. Ihe present season has thrown light on the relative claims of grass and tillage and it would bo wise to survey the position carefully before looking to grass for relief from tho exacting and precarious naturo of arable farming. Crop ( S Stand Drought Better. "The general experience this year is that cultivated crops, if they have suffered at all, have suffered much less from the prolonged and severe' drought than the grassland. The real victims of the drought, so far as production is concerned, have been the grassland farmers. "From the farming records of the present year no evidence can be gathered to warrant tho substitution of grass as a means of escaping from the trials of mixed or tillage farming. On the contrary, the arable farm —markets and prices excluded from the survey for the moment presents a more hopeful prospect than does the wholly grass holding. England normally grows the finest pasture herbage to be seen anywhere, but her pastures abd meadows have failed sadly this year, and those who depend largely on permanent grass for their system of farming find th ein " selves in pitiful plight. •• "Whatever the next few weeks may do to relieve the situation, grass this year has done much to shake tho farmers' confidence in its future. "The circumstances that have acted so differently on grass and rotation crops are being eagerly discussed. It is interesting to note the prominence that is assigned to' the severe winter as favouring the tilled "fields. The intense frost, which broke up the land- as seldom happens in a life's experience, is believed to explain the responsive qualities of the cultivated soils. The seed-bed was so friable and easily pentrated by the young roots that they made vigorous headway with a limited amount of moisture and, as it were, had tho whole reserve of plant food that was stored up an the land made accessible to them. Nature dominates the productive side of farming, and last winter demonstrated the virtues of frost, as several summers have demonstrated tne qualities of sun, in regulating vegetations and the healthy and effective relationship of land and plants. Position of Grassland Farmer. "Permanent grassland is not so susceptible to tho influences of frost and sun. Rain in abundance and in regulated quantities is- necessary for the vigorous growth of old pastures, and its absence cannot bo balanced so efficiently by meteorological conditions of tho type that pulverised the laud of England last winter and prepared the way for the surprising independence of current rainfall. "On purely financial grounds the grassland farmer is not to be envied. Generally the system of farming which perrnanent grass enforces is not favoured by modern conditions in markets any more than in production. In many cases the grassland farmer buys stock in the spring ■when store animals are dear and sells in the autumn when fat stock are plentiful and cheap. ..... • "Tho practice operated satisfactorily in the past, but with supplies coming in from all parts of the world to disorganise trade in our markets the system no longer rewards fairly those who adopt it. Tho grassland farmer has difficulties to | encounter that may well induced those who seek to solve their troubles by emulating ! him to hesitate before laying land down to grass wholesale, especially wlyice the rainfall and water supplies are precarious and new fencing has ta bo provided." The article concludes" with a brief roview o,f the market prospects in futuro years for tho products of tilled land. It is stated that, all tilings considered, tho outlook for the futuro of tillage land and tillage methods is not reassuring. At the same time the writer says it is questionable whether appreciable benefit would result from tho conversion of easily cultivable land into moderate grassland.