EXPERIMENTAL AREA

Southland Times, Issue 22449, 12 October 1934, Page 5

EXPERIMENTAL AREA

FIELD DAY AT WINTON. ACTIVITIES OF THE FARM. (From Our Correspondent.) There was an attendance of over 60 local and district farmers, as well as a number of pupils from the Southland Boys’ High School and the Winton District High School, present at the Winton experimental and demonstration farm on Wednesday afternoon when the activities of the farm were interestingly explained by Mr A. Stuart, instructor in agriculture for Southland. Mr H. Carswell, of Invercargill, a member ot the farm committee, extended a welcome to the visitors.

“The object of this gathering to-day is just to inspect the farm. There is not much to see at present, but the idea is to afford the opportunity of giving you a look round to see what has been done and what is to be carried out during the coming season,” stated Mr Carswell. Last season there were 53 dairy cows on the farm and of this number 43 were milked, while in addition to this there were a number of dry stock and altogether there were 70 head of cattle on the farm. The area was 96 acres, but about five acres was taken up by races, etc., and this reduced the area in use to 91 acres. The herd last season averaged 257.71 b of butterfat and he stated that the average production per cow worked out at £ll for the season. This was considered quite satisfactory when the price of butterfat was taken into account. This year there were to be 41 cows milked, but it was intended to cull and reduce the herd to about 35, which number would be milked during the season. There were about 50 head of cattle on the farm at present, and also 100 ewes with lambs as well as 60 ewe hoggets. There was no difficulty in carrying that amount of stock as there was plenty oi feed available. Last year all the stock had been wintered on the farm. At present 22 cows were being milked and good results had so far been shown. The herd-test sheet showed that 12 cows for September had averaged 45.671 b of butterfat with a test of 3.4. One cow had an outstanding record of 1021 b of butterfat for the month. In the course of his address Mr Stuart stated that an inspection of the pastures and the ryegrass trials would be interesting. Referring to Field 7, which had been down for five years, he said that the present was a good time to see it. The area was really the property of the farmers of the district, and the committee would be only too pleased to receive suggestions from any

of the farmers. Continuing with the ryegrass trials, Mr Stuart went on to say that two paddocks had been sown down with 201 b of certified ryegrass and with the same amount of uncertified seed. In this experiment not one but five lines were used and mixed together. Both were sown with 21b of white clover to the acre. Last year both these paddocks were sown with oats, as was customary in Southland but nowhere else but in Southland would he say that it was a good practice to sow oats with grass. The figures taken from these two paddocks revealed that the uncertified seed led the certified seed at the end of June by 15 cow days per acre. That was expected, but for the tests taken during the autumn the figures were in favour of the certified seed. This season the grazing of the certified seed part was ready and grazed on September 26, whereas that portion from the uncertified seed was only ready for grazing on October 4.

A matter of interest was the voting carried out at the last field day on the pastures, apart from those already referred to, Mr Stuart continued. The voters had placed the fields in. the same order as was shown by the grading returns, and this fact bore out the good judgment of the farmers of the district. From 1928 to 1932 these fields were top-dressed with superphosphate laid throughout and in addition sulphate of ammonia had been applied to half of each field. The first year three applications had been made, but these had been reduced to two the next year, and later to one. Since 1932, when the top-dressing had been discontinued, until early last year, lime was applied on all these fields. Last year it was found from carrying capacity figures that in all except one field the ammonia paddocks were still behind, although sufficient lime had been applied. The paddock (10A) was the best of the whole series and the cow days per acre worked out at 398.9, while the figures for 108 were 378, a difference of 20.9 cow days per acre. In the next paddock (4A) there were 310.5 cow days against 262.4, a difference of 24.1 to the acre; while in the next paddock (8A), the difference was greatest of all. The figures were 352 as against 271.7, the difference being 79.3 cow days per acre. From these figures, if each was added, it would be seen that for the three fields there was a reduction of 96.5 cow days as compared with the nitrogen treated fields. To be fair to the sulphate of ammonia he said that the treatment had been a drastic one, and much more severe than would be carried out by farmers. It was evident that continuous applications of sulphate had a deleterious effect.

Speaking of turnip manuring, Mr Stuart said that this subject was a seasonal topic, and remarked that if he had been asked what he would use. to grow a prize crop of swedes or turnips he would reply, “plough first as early as possible.” He considered it advisable to apply one ton of carbonate of lime or its equivalent (half a ton) in burnt lime if this were preferred. If the farm was subject to club-root it would be preferable to apply two tons of burnt lime.

Mentioning the use of burnt lime, Mr Stuart declared that farmers should be very’cautious; about its-use. He-consid-ered that burnt’ lime: should be used where club-root was < established in a definite form and where the humus content; was rich. It could also be. used on peaty kinds of soil ’ which were mostly of organic matter. He considered that it should be applied on the furrough and kept on top. Most farmers of Southland applied lime when they were sowing down, but he was of the opinion that it was a much better method to apply it when they were breaking

up. If this were done the effect was given through the crops, and he suggested that this be carried out wherever possible. An inspection of the various pastures was then made, at the close of which Mr Stuart, in reviewing the work of grass trials, said that Timothy could be made more use of. He expressed the opinion* that there was not sufficient of this variety sown down in Southland. He asked farmers to sow Timothy and clover as straight-out mixtures. Mr R. J. Anderson, of Kauana, one of the earliest committee members, stated that the area was in excellent order and related events leading up to the acquirement of the farm, which to-day was a decided acquistion to the province and an important institution to the farming community. Mr Anderson said that farmers should take a keen interest in the experiments being carried out. He conveyed the thanks of the gathering to Mr Stuart for his instructive address. In acknowledging Mr Anderson’s remarks, Mr Stuart said that there was no doubt some truth in the statement that farmers did not appreciate such a farm as the experimental area'until it was taken from them. Such was.. the case at Gore. As soon as the area in that district was dropped, the value of it was realized, and there was some agitation for its reinstatement.*