WINTER FEEDING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17630, 21 May 1919, Page 8

WINTER FEEDING

THE LESSON OF THE DROUGHT.

MR A. MACPHERSON'S RECOM- . MENDA3ION.

The lesson of the present drought, according to Mr A. Macpherson, Fields instructor to the Agricultural Department,, is winter feeding of stock. Mr Macpherson is engaged actively on work which has for its object the improvement of pastures in New Zealand, and he speaks with authority on tho matter.

" The trouble with the farmers generally," he said to an interviewer in Christchurch on Monday, " is that they are not making provision for winter feeding for the -sheep. They have had very favourable winters generally in the past, and_ although rape and turnips have been a failure for some years they have made no attempt to .use such fodders as are needed now. Another thing that the farmers will have to look to is the' treatment of ordinary pastures. They are not treating them properly now. ■ " The farmers' treatment of pastures is not in accordance with the established practice of older countries," Mr Macpherson added. "lb New_ Zealand as soon as the grass gets to a height of four or five inches stock are put on to it, and when it recovers and gets a further growth of about the same length' stock-are again pot on to ifc Now the leaves, are the lungs and stomach of the plant, and it is impossible for the root to develop if the leaf portion is eaten off in the manner prevalent among most farmers in New Zealand. The result is a poor root growth, and when dry seasonskit in the plant is_ unable to stand the want of moisture. It is not deep rooted. "It is a rule accepted 'by practical farmers in older countries that grass should not be grazed in this 1 way, but that it should be allowed to develop until it comes to the flowering stage, and then a crop of hay taken. ' Afterwards it is ready for a pasture, because the root is properly developed."

Mr J. G. M'Kav, overseer of the experimental farm at Ashburton, who was in company _ with Mr Macpherson at the time of the interview, was appealed to regarding the condition of a pasture he had . prepared. He said that- he did not graze it heavily at first, but just: gave it a light feeding and then took the sheep off. Part of it went to hay in the first year. Now it was one of tho best pastures in South Canterbury for that class of land, and was an object lesson for farmers.

, so r n S B' rass - Mr Macpherson resumed, the majority of farmers, never had a firm enough seed bed for the seed to germinate in. It was necessary for successful grass growing that the bed should be firmed by rolling before sowing, if the soil required it.

Speaking of the condition of -the country at present, Mr Macpherson said thai in ISioTth Canterbury the effects of the drought were very severe bat in the south, after leaving Ilakaia, the position started to improve. Oamaru had had rains at night and fine clear days, and when he -was there a fortnight ago there was an abundance of grass. On being pressed to recommend torage plants to meet the present situation Mr Macpherson said that he was not at the moment out to say anything in favour of one plant as against another. * The drought- would have done good if it taught the farmers the lesson of providing winter feed Mr Macpherson pointed to a crop of silver beet on a little experimental plot and remarked that this plant, which he had introduced to New Zealand for stock was now highly valued in the United States', and he was filling one order for the Wool Growers Association in Utah, and another tor the Japanese Government, which had heard of the value of the plant as the result of the experiments in New Zealand and later in America. He pointed to a single plant of lucerne growing in the same ground, and remarked that 835 stems had been taken from the one plant at the last cutting. He added that he had visited many country centres in North Canterbury during the shows, and the only green patches visible were lucoroo.