Does Topdressing Pay On Gisborne Hill Country

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17607, 24 October 1931, Page 14

Does Topdressing Pay On Gisborne Hill Country

ALTHOUGH .many of the hill country farmers in the Gisborne district have resorted to topdressing of recent years, there are few, if any, who have kept sufficient data to say conclusively that the use of fertilisers by them is an economical proposition. It is expected that the large-scale experiments to be carried out by members of tho Poverty Bay and East Coast Shoepowners ’ Federation in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture will provide some definite information.

It has been proved that fertilisers will increase the carrying, capacity and will enable flock owners to fatten their stock more quickly, but whether this can be done profitably, taking into consideration the high cost of the fertilisers landed on the farm, is one of the main points at issue. The question was put to one of the well known station owners of the district, and his retort was: “Topdressing doesn’t pay me, but I can't farm without it.” Exnctly what the farmer meant by these two conflicting statements was not satisfactorily explained. Apparently, however, his land has been deteriorating, and he must use fertilisers to prevent this. In doing Iso, it was most likely as easy to topdress sufficiently to raise the fertility of the land as to retain its capacity at the old level. The increased production from the use of the manure apparently did not pay for the cost of the material and the labor in applying it to the pastures. On the other hand, however, if he had used no manure at all, his production would have been sinking lower and lower. lie found it impossible to estimate the value of the yearly decline in the production if he had not resorted to topdrcssuig, and for balance sheet purposes this could not be shown satisfactorily. Apparently, therefore, if his books did not show. a' profit from the investment ill fertilisers, his po: ititm would have been a great deal worse had he not topdrcSsed. There lire, a number of instances of deterioration in hill country that hits not been topdressed. In the country at the back of Mntawai there are some vivid contrasts. Newly cleared areas are at present showing quite a good growth. Older clearings have been gradually declining and , are now of little use as grazing. To be of any great value they would require stumping, ploughing, and resowing with suitable pasture mixtures, combine*? with fertilisers. The adjacent newly cleared patches would in time 'deteriorate to the same, stage, of uselessness if not given attention and manuring. The topdressed areas in that district are showing up remarkably, well in contrast with those pastures that have received no manure. In considering the question of whether topdressing on hill country will pay, it would be unfair to take the figures for only one season. If the past season’s income were taken into account, the result might show a loss on topdressed country, as'well .as on that which had received ho manure. Such figures would not show the .position in a, true light. There were 'a number of good seasons preceding tbit, aiid there should be many, g.opd one* to follow. The only ’ satisfactory, method would appear to be that a'imdd at by the large-scalo experiments to be undertaken over a period of five years during which all data relating to tko position will bo kept. ~

Pulpy Kidney Theory Attacked,

An Otago flockmaster with experience of sheep breeding and fat lamb raising in both the North and South Islands has forwarded to the Otago Daily Times what he considers to be the correct diagnosis of the mysterious trouble which accounts for hundreds of lambs every year, and is commonly known among pastoralists as “pulpy kidney.” According to this authority, who has conducted hundreds of postmortems on affected lambs, including 12 in his own flock this year, the prime cause of death in these cases is wool-ball in iambs that have access to an over-supply of milk, and in his opinion the remedies likely to give the best results involve the shearing of the udder of the ewe before and after lambing, and the ensuring of.a good milk flow in ewes at the- time .of lambing. Ewe with Six Lambs. - 1 An extraordinary case of fecundity in sheep is. recorded fr.oin California. A pure-bred Romney ewe on a farm at 'Woodland, -California,- has given birth to six living lanxbs, live of which survived. The case is backed by substantial evidence and appears to be authentic. Exceptional fecundity is occusioually reported -from flocks in this .country, and quadruplets-are not unique. How far it pays to stimulate twinning .is often a matter o| discussion. Good treatment of the ewe flock when they go*to ( the rums is known to increase- - the crop of lambs, but the ewes, on-poor ground may • not later Kaye enough milk' to' carry Through thinr {win's satiSfacforiV/. ' Jfii such, circumstances it may pay better td sacrifice numbers and ensure that- all the lambs born have a fair chance and plenty of feed when they start to pick for themselves. (Recently a birth ot six lambs was reported from Methven, Canterbury.)