SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL. NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2927, 20 April 1910, Page 8

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL. NOTES.

fFsou Oxjr Own Correspondent.) Words almost fail to express the nature of the weather which has been experienced in Southland during the latter end of the week. The proverbial “oldest inhabitant” gave it as his experience that it stood as a record in the matter of severity. The weather at the commencement of the week was what might, under ordinary circumstances, be termed stormy, but when compared with that of Friday and Saturday, it pales into insignificance. About midnight on Thursday a hurricane arose, accompanied at frequent intervals by terrific squalls of rain, and during the currency of these substantial buildings shook and quivered like leaves. By daylight on Friday the temperature, which had been gradually lowering all night, was down to freezing point on the higher levels. Snow then commenced to 'all inland, and in some districts there was quite two inches of snow lying on the ground. During the middle of the day it moderated considerably, but as night approached the gale increased in violence, and the squalls wore unusually severe. This condition of affairs continued throughout. Saturday, until well on into the night, when there was a slight improvement, but throughout Sunday the weather conditions were generally unfavourable, and only those who were obliged to or were of an enthusiastic temperament ventured out of doors. Although a good deal of rain fell on the high lands, speaking generally there was by no means a heavy rainfall. It is true the rivers are high, but this is more the result of the rain and snow which fell on the high country.

The Weather

Stcx e suffered* severely during the storm, especially cattle, and farmers are feeling- the pinch severely. The one thing dreaded by farmers this year was an early visitation of winter, and unfortunately it has come unusually early. Last year, many farmers did not hnd it necessary to put young cattle on turnips until well on in June; this year they are compelled to do so thus early This is specially unfortunate in view of the general scarcity of turnips. One almost dreads to ponder over what the general condition of stock will be by the time the end of September is. reached. Just think of it, farmers ! Five and a-half months to go, and quite two-fifths less turnips than there were last year ! The excellent winters experienced in 1908 and 1909 has proved the undoing' of many. Take last year, for example, many sheep did not see turnips until the middle of May, and owing to the early spring this class of feed was of little use after the first week in September. The result was that large areas of- good turnips were ploughed in. Many farmers were hoard C remark that the seasons in Southland had changed, and that it was a waste- of money to manure and work up land to provide turnips for stock for six or seven months of the year, when they only required them for some five at the most. The result was that a considerably reduced l area was put under turnips, and to make matters worse, the excessively dry weather prevailing during the summer months had the effect of impoverishing the crop. Fortunately, there are good root crops in Canterbury this year, and quite a •demand has sprung up for store stock—both sheep -and cattle—from this quarter, ihe demand, however, is restricted to good forward stores, which can be turned off with, say, two months’ turnips. Six weeks, ago this class of stock was cheap, and those who speculated then havei come out on the right side.

lilr* Stock.

A s i- 1 at this time of the year there are large yardings of stock at the various saleyards in Southland, and when it is remembered that there are some 12 or 15 centres in this province where stock are auctioned, and that nn to 20,000 head of sheep have, during the present month, been brought under the hammer* at one sale, it will readily be seen that the trade done in sheep at the present time is extensive. The greatest demand is for four and six-tooth ewes—especially if they show some breeding and are in good condition. This is a sure indication that farmers are beginning to ■dread the possibility of a severe winter. Farmers, however, who happen to have plenty of turnips are on velvet. They are hanging off purchasing at present in the hope of benefiting in the early spring at the expense of those who may "be compelled to sell at a sacrifice. Two-tooth ewes are not so keenly competed for, and first-class lines can be picked up at from 12s 6d to 13s 6d. In previous years too geat a value has been placed on maiden ewes intended for breeding purposes, but farmers who have had experience with them at lambing time know that they are kittle cattle. Not only does a fair percentage of them die at lambing, unless very carefully watched, but they' are bad mothers, . and are accountable for the majority of motherless lambs.

Stock Sales.

It is suggested, as the result of some experiments, that the fertilising value of superphosphate is enhanced hy mixing it with farmyard manure. We know that the phosphate of lime in superphosphate is soluble in water, and that, when pup lied to the soil, the water-soluble phosphate combines chemically with the lime in the soil, and is precipitated in the form that is called “reverted phosphate” in a chemically fine state of division, permeating every particle o' the surrounding soil; but some portion of the phosphoric acid, more or less according to the character of the soil, enters into combination with the oxide of iron and alumina in the soil, thus reverting to a condition as insoluble as in raw mineral phosphate, unavailable for the crop. Now, it is contended that if superphosphate is mixed with well-rotted manure, the soluble phosphoric acid combines with the humic compounds in the manure as phoaphohumic compounds, and in this form is not liable to retrograde. Professor Dumont, of the National Agricultural Institute of Grignon, claims to have demonstrated this action of the soluble phosphoric acid, and to have shown by experiments that the efficacy of superphosphates is thereby increased. Ho reports the following experiments:—Four plots of land of unifoi'm character were selected, and dressed with tbirtv tons of

Tlip TJsp of sopcrphospliates.

farmyard manure and scwt of superphosphate per acre; but on two of the plot 3 the two manures were applied separately, while on the other two plots the superphosphate was mixed with the farmyard manure before application. The manures were ploughed in on all the plots. This was in 1907, and the experiment was made with beetroots and with potatoes. The _ increased yield produced by the mixed manures represented 12001 b of dry. matter per acre with the beetroot, and with the potatoes a.n increase of 24501 b pier acre. Last season the beetroot plot was sown with wheat, and the potato plot with oats, The mixed manure wheat plot produced an excess over the separate manure plot of 3081 b of grain per acre, and similarly with the oat plot the increase was 4801 b of grain in favour of the mixed manure. The professor claims: —(l) It is demonstrated that superphosphate should be mixed with farmyard manure before application, as the extra yield thus obtained represents an; appreciable sum of money. (2) That the great fertilising value of rotted farmyard manure depends in a great measure on its richness in hump-phosphates, and that in this respect the association of superphosphate with it represents a real advantage. He therefore recommends farmers, especially in the districts where the soil is poor in phosphoric acid, to enrich the farmyard manure by mixing superphosphate with it. The manure is thus improved, arid, according to the professor, the plant gets the full 'benefit of all the soluble phosphate of lime in the superphosphate. This is a point which ought to receive attention, for it would certainly appear to be worthy of a trial.