Fertiliser Trials With Gisborne Lucerne Stand

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17609, 27 October 1931, Page 10

Fertiliser Trials With Gisborne Lucerne Stand

HEITNITE evidence that the application of fertilisers is of no small benefit to lucerne has been demonstrated on a I’atutahi farm, the property of Mr. 11. Cooper. Inoculated seed was planted at the beginning of last November on an area that a fortnight, before had been treated with throe different varieties of fertilisers in separate strips, with one section of the crop without manure of any description. The crop made good growth despite the fact that practically no rain was experienced until tho breaking of the drought at the end of March. No attempt was made during the first season to estimate the benefits accruing from the application of fertilisers, but with the first cutting this season, made last week; weights of material from each of the manured sections, arid also the untreated part, were taken by Mr. M. A. Black, instructor in agriculture at. Gisborne. This will be repeated at each cut during the season. The area under review Was treated as follows; No. 1 Strip, 3 cwt. of White Island No. 1 ptodtiet to the acre; No. 2 strip, 3 cwt, of basic super to the acre; No. 3 strip, 3 cwt. of superphosphate and 3 cwt. of libit) to the acre; No. 4. strip; rib manure. Cuttings from each of the areas gave the following weights to the acre: No. .1 strip, 0 tons, 10 cwt.; No. 2 strip, 11 tons, 18 cwt.; No. 3 strip, 11 tons, 5 cwt.; No. 4 strip, 8 tons, 12 cwt. On the figures, the difference between the unfertilised and the best of the fertilised areas is sufficient to indicate the benefits accruing from the use iof artificial manures. The actual difference, however, is greater than shown in the figures. The material from the uninanrired area contained a great deal of grass and weeds, only about 50 per cent, of the fodder being of lucerne. On the other hand; the fertilisers had so stimulated the growth of lucerne that the grass and. weeds did not have any, great opportunity to become established. The material from this stand is being placed in a concrete silo.