AUTUMN FORAGE CROPS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 8

AUTUMN FORAGE CROPS.

The autumn catch crops (or “stolen”) crops are sown with the view of providing keep for stock and green fodder in the spring. Usually the preparation for these crops is small, the time being grudged to work and clean the land, in the fear that the seeding will be made unduly late, for the earlier sown crops are better established before winter and are' sooner fit for feeding than the later sown. The more forward of course the “catch” crop is in the spring the better, as in the ordinary rotation this particular area is required for the roots. Various crops are sown, the more common ones being vetches, rye, winter barley, oats, etc. While admitting that a bare fallow has its uses in ordinary times, in the present need of increase production, methinks, farmers might be content (unless absolutely necessary) with bastard fallows—i.e., a. short fallow at the end of summer. There is not much doubt that the more extensive cultivation of

“catch” crops would prove of great benefit over wide districts—inland and North Otago, for instance. After early potatoes or peas, or even after an early corn harvest, such crops might be often attempted and prove of great value by providing green food for stock in the late autumn, winter, and following spring. Undoubtedly, in districts more or less affected by dry, hot summers, less reliance should be placed on pastures and root crops than at present, and more attention given to the cultivation of other forage crops. Every year we witness failures in the root crops in places. Why not set apart a proportion of the root land for the growth of forage crops? Even if the root crops prove most bountiful these supplementary green crops need never be wasted, as they can be grazed, fed green, or made into hay or ensilage as found most convenient. and can be used off in any lean year. There are many other catch crops we might mention as worth a trial—ltalian rye grass, thousand headed kale, hardy turnips, and the like. Although it is customary, perhaps, to just throw the seed in with the most meagre of tillage, it must be evident that if the turnip area is to be curtailed, that a thorough job should be made in the planting of the selected “catch” crop. Some cleaning of the land might at times be attempted, but it is inadvisable to work the land too fine. It will pay to use a suitable manure, although the cost of fertilisers has advanced, as one must remember that the higher prices ruling for farm products w'arrants some increased outlay on the part of farmers. If dung is available possibly there is no better time of the year when this might be utilised, especially if crops belonging to the cabbage, turnip, or pea family are encouraged to commence quick growth by being started with one to two cwt of superphosphate per acre. Something might be attempted in the growing of cabbage, thousand headed kale, and kohlrabi. If these are raised in seed beds, they may be transplanted at various times, so that a supply of green fodder is available without intermission throughout the year. Their chief advantages over turnips are that they are not so liable to turnip sickness and allied diseases; they are less affected by drought and frost, they are very nutritious and rarely upset the health of young animals, and they may be eaten at any stage of their growth with impunity. It is not always necessary to transplant. In some parts of Norfolk it is customary to drill cabbages in the same way as turnips, and to either hoe them out or pull them up for transplanting. Of course, it is little use anticipating a weight of feed unless the land owner has been generous in the manuring of his acres. It may be said, as a general statement, that the lands which have been cropped and delivered wool, flesh, and dairy products, lack in the element phosphorus. Some no doubt lack in nitrogen and possibly potash, but we can rest assured if live stock is kept or legumes grown that the nitrogen supply is sufficient. Where no live stock is kept it is the practice of good farmers, and it is also recommended by our best soil authorities, to use legumes, such as clover, beans, lucerne, etc., to keep up the organic supply of the soil.