CONVERTING “MOOR INTO MEADOW”

Southland Times, Issue 23374, 4 December 1937, Page 18

CONVERTING “MOOR INTO MEADOW”

Remarkable Land Development

At Glencoe

It is a modern principle that one of the chief tasks of the farmer is to make two blades of grass grow where one grew before, but there are large areas in New Zealand where it is possible to make grass grow where none grew before. There has been comparatively little spectacular land development in New Zealand in recent years, but at Glencoe, in Southland, one of the most promising and important schemes for bringing in waste land is in progress and after only three years has produced remarkable results.

An inspection of the Southdown estate of the Southland Frozen Meat Company was made by the agricultural reporter of The Southland Times this week when most impressive results for three years’ work were seen. Much of the big property has already been transformed “from moor to a meadow” and it is clear that remarkable success has been achieved. The land has yielded excellently to treatment and has reached a high state of fertility. The first purchase of land was made by the company in May 1934 of 2650 acres of tussock country which had been undeveloped and was practically idle, a few head of cattle only being grazed on it at times. To this block was added three months ago a further 2340 acres of land largely in similar condition except for small blocks which had been sown either- in browntop or fescue. This gives a total area just a few acres short of 5000 acres and even at the rapid rate of progress already shown it will probably be about seven or eight years before the whole property has been converted into good pasture. The results of the work already done have shown that the land responds readily to treatment and the development in this district is probably the most spectacular instance of land improvement to be found in New Zealand at the present time. Altogether 12,000 acres at Glencoe are in process of development, a great deal of work having been completed on Sir William Hunt’s Titipua property, while a smaller area owned by Mr George Stevenson is also being converted into good pasture country. EARLY PLOUGHING WORK

Immediately after the company made its first purchase it began the work of development. The whole of the first land acquired was in scrub, gorse and tussock with substantially no value for stock grazing. Ploughing was started at once and 400 acres were turned over the first season with a tractordrawn swamp plough turning over the soil to a depth of eight or nine inches. Lime at the rate of a ton an acre was applied and a portion of the land allowed to lie fallow for a year or 18 months. This system of liming after ploughing and leaving the land unoccupied for at least a year has been followed consistently in the development of the Southdown estate, but in the first season because of the desirability of preparing land for grazing as quickly as possible 240 acres of the 400 ploughed were sown down. The normal method is to disk' the land after lying fallow for a year, drill on the flat turnips or rape, chiefly for lamb feed in the autumn, following

with another ton of lime and the broadcasting of grass. This method has been found to be highly successful and the pastures already present an appearance of high feeding value.

In the second season 700 acres were sown down in grass and in the present year 742 acres will be put into pasture, while a further 270 acres will be put into crops. The total area brought into treatment in the three years has been 1950 acres, with 1012 acres under cultivation this year. Tractor power has been used largely throughout the ploughing operations. Two Diesel tractors have been bought for the property and it has been found that cultivation can be done cheaply by the use of oil fuel. These tractors, drawing double-furrow swamp ploughs turning furrows of 19 inches by nine inches deep, have cost 13/6 an acre after 2/6 an hour has been allowed for depreciation. At the present time the tractors are working from dawn to dark daily, two shifts of drivers being employed. ECONOMICAL CULTIVATION In addition to the tractors, 14 draught horses, comprising three teams, are employed on the property. All cultivation work is done in the most economical fashion possible and when the property was visited this week a diesel tractor was seen drawing a roller, drill and chain harrows in one operation. Of the area under cultivation this year, 742 acres will be sown into grass and the greater portion of the remaining 270 acres will be sown in soft turnips or rape for autumn lamb feed, about 60 acres in swedes and 40 acres in kale.

In the sowing down of pastures a mixture containing a substantial percentage of perennial ryegrass has been used and for this season’s sowing a seed mixture of 281 b certified

perennial ryegrass, 51b timothy, 31b dogstail, white Cleveland Ijlb alsyke is being used to the acre. The mixture has been altered from time to time in the light of the results obtained. In the first two years cocksfoot was sown in the grass mixtures, but so little of it has been seen in the pastures that it has been eliminated from this season’s sowing and timothy which has given good results increased.

Very interesting contrasts are to be found between the pastures newly brought in and the land still practically valueless across the boundry. The new pastures look-extremely well and at this time of the year are showing a good deal of white clover. These pastures are now carrying up to seven or eight hoggets or up to three and ahalf ewes and lambs to the acre and keeping them in good condition. On the bulk of the cultivated area a manurial mixture at the rate of 3|cwt an acre has been applied. Last year, superphosphate, blood and bone and Seychelles guano was the mixture and this year North African phosphate has replaced the guano. On 200 acres only basic slag has been used and the results so far appear to justify the continued use of this fertilizer.

Complete records of the manurial mixtures, the grass mixtures and origin of the seed, and the quantity and condition of the stock carried on each pasture are being kept and over a period of years the records will provide some very valuable information for the future guidance of the company and other district occupiers.

PLANTING OF TREES In addition to pasture sowing and cropping, a good deal of afforestation work has been done, 48,000 trees having been planted on 54 acres of rough corners. Planted mostly in gorse and scrub corners the trees have made excellent progress and can shortly be expected to smother the undergrowth. A great deal of fencing has been required, totalling on the first area about 12 miles. This has been sufficient to cut the paddocks into areas ranging from 50 to 100 acres. First-class fencing has been done by contract. This system has been followed in a great deal of the development work, all the lime used having been applied by contract, the contractor taking delivery at the rail head, carting and spreading as required. The quantities - of lime and manure applied have been tremendous. A total of 3470 tons of lime has been sown in three years, 1100 tons having been purchased and spread since the beginning of September of this year. Not less than 400 tons of manure have been used at the first sowing down of pastures and in addition a considerable quantity has been used in top-

dressing. The development of the land has been very useful in providing employment. At the present time 17 men, including five contractors, are employed on the property, while the quarrying and crushing of the huge quantity of lime and the manufacture of manures used has provided further employment. In order effectively to use the pastures which the cultivation has brought in, the company has begun to build up a sheep stud which will eventually supply the bulk of the requirements of the property. A foundation

flock of 150 stud Romney Marsh ewes and five stud rams was purchased from leading breeders. By careful selection it is hoped to build up an important stud of high-grade sheep. All the sheep have been carefully examined for constitution and conformation and the wool has been tested for hair. All lambs from the stud ewes have been numbered and their origin recorded and in this way it will be possible to concentrate on the animals giving the best breeding results. It is not intended to compete with individual breeders, but merely to supply the requirements of the estate from the stud. Two hundred Hereford cross cattle gets was purchased and 750 were big paddock is being saved for bay. SHEARING RETURNS In the first year a number of hoggets were purchased and 750 were shorn. The flock has been increased each season and the shearing figures' for the following seasons have been:— 1936, 1290; 1937, 3326. Shearing is at present in progress and during this week the stud ewes were shorn, skirted fleeces of up to 111 b being taken from the ewes. This in conjunction with the excellent condition in which the ewes were found was sufficient evidence of the favourable conditions provided on the estate. It is expected that the property will produce over 80 bales of wool this season. On the new area, much of the land is in similar tussock and scrub condition, but there are several areas which have been sown down in browntop and fescue respectively. It is intended to concentrate immediately on the development of the tussock country and graze ewes bought from hard hill country on the browntop and fescue. When all the other land has been brought in these other blocks will be brought in for high-grade pasture. The buildings on the estate are in

keeping with the general scheme of development. An excellent homestead has been built on a commanding situation and spread over the property with a view to possible future subdivision are a number of well-built and comfortable cottages for the employees. On the new block a further homestead and more cottages will be erected. The stables and implement sheds are permanent structures of a good type and the shearing shed has been arranged in an admirable way. Convenient drafting yards on a slight slope have been provided, and taking advantage of the natural formation of the land, the company has erected the shearing shed so that portion is well above the ground level and provides good accommodation underneath the woolroom for implements. A large capacity reservoir containing 6000 gallons under the shed is filled from the water gathered by the roof and supplies the dip which is a short distance lower. Another reservoir from a good spring is provided to supply water for the homestead and near cottages. Electric power is used for pumping, shearing, crushing horse food and for other general purposes.

PROSPECTS OF SUBDIVISION The company’s object in purchasing the land was partly to make an investment and partly to use its capital resources to bring into production land which private individuals were unlikely to develop because of the great amount of money required. It is not expected that when the property is fully developed the company will be allowed to retain it, nor will it be economic to do so because of high taxation. The company anticipates, therefore, that eventually it will be necessary to subdivide the property and dispose of it. By the provision of comfortable cottages for the employees, the company has endeavoured to attract married men to work on the estate and it is possible that suitable men from among the employees will be assisted by the company at some later date to acquire blocks from the estate and so establish farms of their own. Among the activities at present undertaken is an interesting experiment to overcome mottled heart in swedes. A great deal of this disease has been

encountered in crops grown on the property, but this year 60 acres of land on which the crop will be sown have been treated with 181 b of borax to the acre a fortnight before ridging. The efficacy of this treatment will be ascertained because an adjoining area of 10 acres immediately alongside has not been treated. The work on the Southdown estate is both interesting and valuable. The development of the land has been tackled in a thoroughly business-like way. The latest accepted practices for bringing in new land have been adopted with such variations as are necessary to ascertain the pasture mixtures and fertilizers most suitable for the particular soil.

The development of the land is under the capabL direction of Mr A. W. Taylor, of Invercargill, who has the assistance of a sub-committee of the directorate of the company. The farm manager is Mr R. Denoon, who has been on the property since work began. The employees are chiefly married men who show great keenness for their work. They are paid good wages and the company has not experienced any labour troubles. r 1 " —i