Transport of Fertilisers On Fact Coast Railway

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19030, 2 June 1936, Page 10

Transport of Fertilisers On Fact Coast Railway

/ ]_j ,q ijj,■ most important aspects a 1 tlie work towards the coin* plot ion of lire East Coast railway which bus been put in hand is the fact that the provision of railway tacilitios, it is esliinaletl, will divide the cost of transport of fertilisers anil other farm requirements by four, enabling the development of large ureas ol land which at present are lying idle owing to the hi'di cost with which anyone undertaking their development would be faced.

Dealing with this usped of the matter, Air. J. W. Palmer, Government instructor in agriculture, stated that those who were now looking forward to the early development of land which would be served by the East Coast railway would be well advised to undertake l lie work of bringing in the hind in definite sniull sections. lot instance, an area of 3(1 acres might be treated Ino lirst year. This land, now growing dantbunia and other poorer grasses, siiould be brought in with a crop of swedes during the hummer, followed bv rape and finally sown down in a buital.de selection of grasses, including rvegrass, cocksfoot, red clover, crested dogslail and subterranean clover, together with an application of forI ilisers.

JJv this method, said Mr. Palmer, the land which was now carrying about half a sheep to the acre would immediately be made to carry three ewes to the acre, while the land would be found excellent for fattening during the right season for this process. Cost of Development. The cost of such development was rcullv only a secondary consideration, continued Air. Palmer, since the value of the swede and rape crops obtained during the process would considerably assist ia defraying fhc cost of the initial development work. In the second year, said Mr. Palmer, a second area of 3U acres could bo similarly treated, and in this connection tin' cost would be greatly offset by the increased production obtained from the lirst paddock which was brought in. J>y the iiino (haf the third area was treated in this manner tiie increased production obtained from ili,. lir.i two paddocks would more Cian pay for the further cost required. This method is advised where ploughing is possible. In regard to Ihe land w here (lie plough cannot be used, Mr. Palmer advises llie broadens! ing of seed, more particularly leguminous pastures, of which species the ground of this nature is usually most deprived. In this connection, the use of subterranean clover is extremely valuable. When surface sown it provides a well controlled summer growth which is so necessary lo provide adequate protection for the voting germinating seedlings, which, if exposed, are readily attacked by goldliiiclu-s and skylarks. Fpt Lamb Prospects.

(gillie apart from the, introduction of sublerrauean clover, 11re introduction of ryegrass and cocksfoot, will be found !o respond readily to topdressing of such land, and in turn will transform the now desolate anil harsh appearing pastures which at tiieir best provide only maintenance Tedder into country Upon which fattening activities may lie carried out with success.

The development of the land to the north of Rapier following the, completion of Ihe Easl Coast railway may resell also in Ihe establishment of a new early Ini lamb producing district sitting a lead lo the re,si of Hawke's Hay in this respect, particularly in the .tv pc of country lo be found in the Tutira, I.’iitorino and Te Moari loculi--1 iiis. These areas are more sheltered than lie localities in Hawke's Hay which al the present time sent forward the earliest drafts of fat la,tubs. There is already ample evidence lo support the belief that the completion of the railway facilities will bring about a retnurlqiblo adyn,uee in the district to the north of Rapier, laud which in past yejirs Iqis suffered from the severe disability ,pf isolation from cronupiic trausporf, and eases have been quoted w here production in such mens, as Tutira lias been raised from lo s tliim oik- sheep Jo its ,liigh as six sheep per nme. purely by ! lie appiicai.ieu of ;-u iI a bje ; red and fertilisers. —, Telegraph.