DOMINION'S GRASSLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21248, 30 July 1932, Page 17

DOMINION'S GRASSLAND

POINTS IN MANAGEMENT CAPTURING PLANT VIGOUR VALUE OF PERENNIAL STRAINS , No. TI The fundamental principles which dictate the practice to be followed in the management of grassland were explained in the lecture prepared by Mr. H. Wood year-Smith, fields adviser to the Challenge Phosphate Company, Limited, and broadcast from station IYA, Auckland, recently. It was stated that rotational grazing, properly conducted, was the means of capturing plant vigour at its correct stage and transferring it into but-ter-fat, moat 01* wool. "The urge of tho pasturo plant is to reproduce itself," remarked tho lecturer. "It is therefore engaged in storing up all of its energies for seed production. If the plant is allowed to go to seed it becomes relatively useless from the feed point of view, but by capturing plant vigour at the correct stage, through grazing with stock, we keep the plant in a perpetual state of vigour throughout tho growing season. Thus it is, that in permanent pasture work the short-lived strains of pasture plants have no plnce, for being shortlivod, their chiof urge is to push up a multitude of seed heads in order that tho species shall be continued. The truo perennial is a more shy seeder. Its perennial characteristics do not require it to produce as much seed as the short-lived types and it thus becomes more valuable as a permanent grazing proposition on account of both its longevity and its leafinoss. a Use of Mower. "The question of 'followers' often exercises the minds of farmers possessing only limited numbers of dr.y stock suitable for the purpose. The mowing machine can often be profitably employed as an additional follower. Rotational grazing has become a science, but it is necessary for each farmer to adopt his own plan, for j" is impossible to suggest plans which would successfully serve the whole of New Zealand. As further technique is developed so it may be applied, but it is unsound for any farmer to embark on an ambitious rotational system which is likely to involve tho outlay of a large amount ol capital in fencing, watering, etc. My advice is to graze rotationaliy and well the pasture already under subdivision and work slowly into a more intensive system conducted on perfectly safe and sound lines. "Periodically at least, grassland should be subject to a thorough cultivation with suitable gras3 harrows, which will not only remove the dead growth on the surface but penetrate the top soil. This will cause the surface to be aerated and loosened and will allow for root pruning, which will enable the young shoots to tiller out and successfully , play their part in the productive life of the pastures, besides helping to wage increasing war fare against the weeds or undesirable elements in the sward. Distributing Animal Manure

"Other pasture cultivation can well be parried out during the season with lighter harrows, for the spread of organic manure must not be neglected. "A certain amount of severe harrowing is essential for most permanent pastures and if suitable implements can be ob- ( tained for the purpose, this work should • not be neglected. The operation must be thorough to achieve the desired results. When the ground is sufficiently soft to allow good penetration, generally in the late autumn or spring, the pasture may be cultivated to such an extent that it looks absolutely black. This will not have any ill effect upon it; in fact, it will be the means of doing a great deal of gooc< "It would seem unnecessary to suggest to farmers that they should top-dress their pastures, yet there are many thous ands of acres of grasslands in this country which have never been treated in this wav, and place an increasingly heavy loa'd upon the better-fed pastures. In order to produce, pastures must bo fed. Under-feeding causes an unnatural drain on the reserves, which, when exhausted, present a weakness which may easily take years to correct. Under feeding of pastures not only renders them unfit for production, but makes them susceptible to all manner of weaknesses, which do not rest with the pastures alone, but can easily result in diseases and disorders among efcock, causing immense losses both in life and production. A Vital Factor "Manuring of pastures is a vital factor in management, for other operations would be comparatively useless if the tertility of tho soil wero not maintained; furthermore, without manure it would be impossible to hold in the sward the association of high-producing pasture plants upon which falls the major portion ol pasturo production. ' "Stock manure is undoubtedly the best but unfortunately it cannot be obtained in anything like sufficient quantity on any farm to make up for the deficiencies caused through production and the eneigy used in pasture and other crop growth. The better fed the stock the richer will be the manuro they return to the land. Of tho inorganic manures, phosphates are of the greatest importance. New Zealand soils are usually seriously deficient in phosphates and this must claim our hist attention. Indiscriminate applications ot phosphates, while undoub edly giving good results, will not yield the maximum return. Autumn, spring and summer dressing of phosphates are recommended accord'ng to locality, the most generally suecessful practice being two applications o phosphates, one in the autumn and one either in the late winter, early spring or late spring-early summer. "In intensive pasture production, nitrogen, in conjunction with phosphates, plays an important .part., especially in the establishment of young pastures an the produc ion of early spring and lato autumn feed. In some districts in New Zealand potash, in conjunction with phosphates or phosphates and nitrogen, has proved valuable. This manuro is at piesent the subject rff much investigation in this country. Liming and Draining "Of recent years much attention has been paid to liming ,as an auxiliary to top-dressing. There are areas in New Zealand where results cannot possibly be obtained from manures unless lime is used. In addition to this, the enormous drain on tho soil through intensive production warrants applications of lime with manure. One point, however, which must be remembered is that although lime is valuable in pasturo management, it cannot possibly take tho place of manures, and though it may'be safely used in conjunction with manure, it should never be used as a substiuto for fertilisers. "Drainago is another important wor>{ in pasture management. Although in New Zealand many' acres are naturally we.ldrained, others need attention. Drainage of pastures is seldom othcrwiso than beneficial, for by this means the soil is better warmed, plant growth and manure action simulated and the essential soil agents can ably perform their part in successful grass production. There are, in fact, many thousands of acres of pasture in New Zealand upon which money could profitably ba spent in drainage. By establishing through drainage tho right conditions, other practices in pasture management are also made more profitable.'*