SOWING OF PASTURES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20827, 20 March 1931, Page 16

SOWING OF PASTURES.

SUCCESSFUL ESTABLISHMENT

SUITABILITY OF SEED

WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS

BY NITROS.

At this period of tho year thousands of acres of pasture are laid down throughout tho Dominion. Much of tho grass sown is generally nnsuited to tho country on which it is placed, and returns are thus smaller than they should be. For some time past Lincoln Col lego workers have been studying the question of pasture establishment, and they have found that for each typo, of country there aro certain grasses which will give the maximum results. Tho grasses that will thrive best on second-class country nre not the best for first-class pasture, and vice versa. Farmers must recognise these facts, and provide suitablo mixtures. In the past a great many have attempted to establish perennial rye and the best of English grasses on second-rato land, a procedure doomed to failure from the outset.

While ryegrass is tho greatest of all the grasses, which comprise New Zealand pastures, it is unsuitcd for light, dry country of low fertility, and it it is included in a mixture used on such land it will die out after a very few years. On average country ryegrass can compete with danthonia and brown top, but on poor country it is a waste of good seed to include it in tho mixture, unless a small quantity is used merely to make use of th%. initial higher fertility following burning of the original bush.

Whether a soil can be raised from carrying second-class grasses to the ryegrass stage depends largely on its nature. The far-famed Waikato land, in the first instance, was poor in quality, but it responded perfectly to fertilisers and now contains some of tho finest and bestmanaged ryegrass pastures in the country. If tho farmer considers ho can raise the standard of the country through correct top-dressing, he can use ryegrass in his mixturo.

Tate of Unsuitable Seed. Where the land is good, but hardly up to ryegrass standard, cocksfoot, dogstail and poa pratensis will be found useful, whilo for poorer types of country danthonia, brown top and Chewing's fescue will give tho best results. Both red and white clover can bo included in any mixture for they will grow in any soil provided sufficient moisture is available. If seefls unsuitable for tho. class of country are used, they will rapidly die out, and the dominant grasses for that type of land will flourish. This was clearly proved at Lincoln College where the land is good ryegrass country. In 1913 pastures were sown down with j2 species of grasses, but to-day, after 37 years only four are of any importance, these being ryegrass, cocksfoot, white clover and dogstail. Many of those which have died out would become dominant under ' other conditions.

Up till now farmers havo bought, their seed very largely on chance, having to rely upon the vendor. To-day a great deal of careful work is being carried out in connection- with the certification of certain strains of seed that are particularly true to type, and which will give exceptionally good results. This work has not yet advanced far enough for most farmers to be able to afford certified seed for use in their mixtures, the first effect having been to raise the price of certified seed to a very high level. Through the Plant Research Station at Palmerston North though, they aro being brought into closer touch with seed facts, and now that free service is available in the testing of seeds for purity and germination, haphazard methods will gradually die away. Akaroa cocksfoot has been proved better for seed than the imported Danish article, for the former is produced for leaf production, whereas tho Danish is specially grown for seed. The ordinary Canterbury cocksfoot varies greatly in quality and so does that produced further south, but generally speaking tho New Zealand-grown seed will be found better than the imported article. Top-dressing Essential.

If country is to bo brought to n higher state of fertility, top-dressing is essential, and similarly, if it is to be maintained at its existing level fertilisers must, be used, especially where large quantities of meat and wool or dairy produce are being taken off the country. Many farmers overlook tho fact that while a pasture that is naturally poor can be built up with fertilisers, a pasture that is naturally rich will deteriorate unless top-dressing is carried out. Practically every district provides instances of tho latter effect, and the very fact that much of the hill country that to-day is carrying danthonia, formerly carried the best ryegrass pasture is sufficient to demonstrate llio desirability of top-dressing lull country. If farmers would give careful thought to the seed mixture they were going to use for pastures, and if they would follow up their sowing with suitable fertilisers, our pastures would bo rapidly improved. We often imagine that we are dbing great things with intensive management of pastures. Tho truth is that it is a minority of pastures that are managed along these lines, 'not a majority. Certainly wo are gradually improving, and the knowledge of seeds now coming to light will allow us to make more rapid headway in future. Meantime farmers have it in (heir own hands to make use of existing knowledge and to improve the position on I heir own farms year by year through working up to better pastures and more intensive management.