CONTINUOUS GRAZING OF LAND

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 6

CONTINUOUS GRAZING OF LAND

In many parts of the Dominion a good deal of arable land is every year laid down in grass, and the reason'often given for this is that there is no labour to be had. Well, that is a difficulty certainly, but it is one which has to be met, and' it will not be remedied by mourning over the matter whilst idly sitting, figuratively speaking, looking at an "animal slowly, developing on a worn-out pasture. More cattle can be raised on m cultivated area than on the grass, and of the ordinary labour for cultivated land is not to be had, then machines should be introduced to take its place. Nowadays implements can be got which will almost do anything; while fertilisers may be had to suit any class of soil, and thus contribute still further to the work of providing an increased food supply for the rearing and fattening of more and better farm stock. One may ask, What must be the result of continuous grazing of lands? This brings in the old argument of wearing out the pastures. That the pastures will wear" out admits of no denial, hence fney must carry fewer stock if grazing alone is to be practised; so that in order to maintain the output of stock fertilisers must be bought or resorted to. In short, we are narrowed down to decide between poorer pastures and fewer stores or the use of artificial fertilisers. But how many occupiers of grazing lands use the latter means for maintaining fertility? Very few. It has been shown from time to time how such fertilisers as basic slag and potassic superphosphate will improve land ; but then, again, capital is required for such work, and want of capital is felt by many as much as lack of labour. Thus, no matter how we look at the question, it seems that the one great principle on which farmers must rely in order to meet increased competition is their own energy, for, wisely used, this is equivalent to both labour and capital. There may be want of labour and capital from no fault of the farmer, but If there is want of energy that is his own fault, and through this fault the whole country may suffer. At the same time it may readily be conceived that individual farmers could hardly see how each by himself might by individual energy improve the situation. Here, however, the farmers' unions might come in, and by having the subject "debated and discussed at their meetings, the wisdom of increasing cultivation and the production of fat stock would soon be proved evident. We would suggest that this might be one subject for debate by farmers' clubs and societies, and if it has the effect of causing each farmer in each district to break up at least a single acre of fresh gjtound 1 each year, and facilitate the fattening of stock, it is obvious that much good of a lasting nature would accrue to the country generally.