PASTURE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20931, 22 July 1931, Page 3

PASTURE LAND.

STIMULATING GROWTH.. benefit of harrowing. The stimulation of natural pastures has proceeded apace during the last few years, and so beneficial have been the results achieved that the practice is becoming general in many parts. Profitable dancing calls for the adoption of such methods as will extract from every acre the maxi-" mum return. Land and labour are too expensive to make it worth the fairoer s while to have in his herd any animals of doubtful utility. He must ensure that the potential * productive capacity of his herd is not even temporarily wasted as a result of insufficient feeding. By improving the natural pastures the herd is enabled to produce the greatest possible number of gallons throughout the year. In the stimulation of pastures an adequate food supply is, of course, essential, and top-dressing helps to provide this, but good drainage and a free soil, into which air can are equally important. As a matter of fact, it is practically useless to apply fertiliser unless the matted surface is so opened up "that the fertiliser can reach the roots. Harrowed pastures carry more stock and provide richer feed. Stock droppings are pulverised and spread. The soil is loosened and aerated. Space is created for available seed, and a denser sole is promoted in the pasture. Moss is eradicated. Matted root growth is broken up, and a fresh growth of succulent grass is stimulated. The perfection of suitable grass harrows has occupied the attention of agricultural machinery manufacturers for some considerable time, and as a result, the farmer is able to secure appropriate implements at a very small cost. The tripod type is the most suitable for the purpose,' as chain harrows are not severe enough in their action to give much stimulating effect, and tine harrows, not being flexible, are of little value. Ihe teeth or blades are of hardened tine steel, well sharpened, and they are pinned securely in the slots of the tripod, projecting 4in. on one side and 2in. on the other, so that, while the 2in. cut will be found sufficient for ordinary grass lands, if rank, weedy growth is to be dealt with or if it is desired to use the harrows to work up a fallowed paddock, the harrows can be turned over on the 4in. cut. The blades can _be taken out and resharpened without difficulty. The lines of cultivation are lin. apart, so that the sward is thoroughly opened up. A two-horse set will cut 6ft. wide, and a three-horse set Bft. wide. The tripods being linked together by steel links, the harrows conform to the irregularities of the ground, and every blade cuts. Spreader bars and drag weights at the rear keep the harrows well down to their work.