HELPING THE FARMER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3769, 8 June 1926, Page 73

HELPING THE FARMER.

AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY, PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION. There was only a moderate attendance at Logan Park on Friday morning, when Mr K. li. Tennent (Agricultural Depart* meat) and Mr R. B. Steel (Forestry Department) gave addresses on matters of interest to farmers. In his address Mr Tennent dealt with problems connected with pasture lands, and, using the Government plots to trate his remarks, showed what excellent results could be attained by the adoption of proper methods and how grasses would suffer if they were neglected or treated on wrong lines. lie mentioned that some grass required but little plant food, while others needed quite a lot. Ryegrass and Timothy required soil of high fertility, and in this respect cocksfoot came next, while lower down on the scale were the more or less inferior grasses such as brown top, crested dogstail, and Yorkshire fog. If they wished to get the best pastures they must keep up the fertility of the soil. One of the most serious drawbacks to-day was the neglect of farmers to top-dress by run-, ning the harrows over the manure in the paddocks, with the result that one of the very best fertilisers was practically wasted. By keeping up the fertility of the soil they would decrease the cost of any particular paddock, and that was where the value of top-dressing came in. They were not doing as much in this part of New Zealand as they were in the North Island in the matter of top-dressing. There was no better way of keeping pastures in good heart than by a good top-dressing at the proper time. Too many, farmers allowed their pastures to become deteriorated and inferior grasses to get a hold before they, thought of top-dressing. The time to take this work in hand was as soon as the grass showed signs of deteriorating, indicating that it wanted something to build it up. In some cases top-dressing was necessary, every two years, and in others every four or five years. Every farmer must be guided by the growth in ' the area con-: eerned* The speaker emphasised the point that proper drainage must precede liming and top-dressing operations. In the south, land that had not been limed should be limed, and if that were done he was sure that good results would follow. Mr Tennent used the plots to demonstrate examples of successful pasture mainten-; mice and the method of pasturing when breaking in peaty swamp lands after drainage, successful pasture renovation, and maintenance brought about by topdressing with lime and phosphate, types of pasture and examples of successful maintenance. The speaker stated that in many cases pastures were grazed down very close to the ground in the autumn. This was very damaging, as it had it be remembered that plants had to live through their leaves. Leaving paddocks bare in the winter was one of the most fertile causes of reducing the life of a paddock. The effects of good and bad burns on forest lands were also referred to and demon-i strated by means of the plots. Unless there was a fierce burn secondary growths got away, causing great trouble later on, aiul reducing the fertility of the soil. In conclusion, Mr Tennent advised the farm* ers to have a good look, over their pas* tures, which wore the most important crop on the farm. To give them a chance the fertility must be kept up, and to ensure that adequate top-dressing must bQ applied.. Mr Jas. Begs moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Tennent for his address. lie said it was very interesting to know that grass laid down 60 years ago was still good. He would like Mr Tennent to tell them how to overcome the troubles that arose from having good pastures. If they got grass up to a high state parasites were sure to appear. Mr Steel gave an address on tree-growing much on the lines of his remarks on the previous day. In order to show the value of trees for shelter purposes he stated that the Hellesden Estate at one time car* ried one sheep to 10 acres, but shelter belts were planted about half a mile apart over, a distance of 12 miles, and the area so treated now carried more than one sheep to the acre. He also stated that a man who grew trees had the benefit of tlieir shelter for 40 years, and then got a royalty, of £l6 per acre from the timber. A. grower of lambs had had the experience of fattening lambs a month earlier on land (hat was sheltered than on similar land that was not sheltered. Mr Steel was also accorded a hearty vote of thanks.