MANURES TESTED.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10343, 15 January 1929, Page 3

MANURES TESTED.

EXPERIMENTAL PLOTS. RESULTS IN SOUTH CANTERBURY. . The first farmers’ field day conducted in South Canterbury was held on Saturday afternoon, in ideal weather, under the auspices of the Timaru and St. Andrews branches of the Farmers’ Union, when a tour of the various experimental -plots conducted by the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture in the district was made. Mr R. McGillivray, Fields Superintendent for Canterbury, and Mr R. Calder, Instructor in Agriculture, for South Canterbury, accompanied the party, and explained the nature of the various experiments being conducted. Great interest was shown in the trip, and the Department’s officers were plied with questions. Afternoon tea was dispensed at the residence of Mr P. R. Talbot, Claremont.

Speaking as president of the TiniAru branch, Mr Talbot said that the farmers were trying to work with the Department of Agriculture as much as possible, and he was one of those who had been responsible for the appointment of a Departmental instructor in South Canterbury. The present experiments had been conducted for only one year, and already they were showing beneficial results. If the farmers continued to co-operate with the Department, some very, successful results would be achieved. Mr McGillivray then gave a very interesting address on the work being conducted by the Department of Agriculture, and referred to the cooperation between the Department and the farmers. ■AREAS TREATED.

The following is a description of the various experimental plots visited by the party:—

Mr W. Topham’s (Arowhenua) wheat manurial experiment: In this experiment the Agricultural Department is trying out the various phosphates—basic superphosphate, super 44-4 G, Ephos, Nauru, and Control. At the present stage basic super and super are showing the best results, and Ephos and Nauru next, with Control last. The second part of the experiment is the addition of potash and nitrate of soda as a top-dress-ing. The plots treated -with nitrate of soda are showing more promise than the others. The application of potash has apparently made very little difference.

Mr W. H. Orbell’s (Levels) observational top-dressing plot: In this plot there is a good response to super, mainly in white clover. There is a slight response to lime, but the best results are shown in the sections treated with lime plus super.. Sulphate of ammonia has .stimulated the growth of grass to

a great extent. Mr C. L. Orbel'l’s (Rosewill) observational toll-dressing plot- Di this plot super has given the best result, there being a marked response in white clover. The application of lime has also caused an improvement, but it is not so good as that resulting from the use of super alone. Lime, plus super, also shows good results.

Mr P. R. Talbot’s (Claremont) wheat manurial experiment: Basic super and super show the best result. Nitrate of soda is also good. There is a slight response from the application of potash. Mr P. R. Talbot’s (Claremont) observational top-dressing plot: On this plot' the response is due to lime. There is very little diifereuce from super, but the application of sulphate of ammonia has had a good effect on the grasses. Mr J. Armstrong’s (Claremont) rape manurial experiment: In this plot super plus lime and nitrate of ammonia showed the best results. This plot was top-dressed thirty days after it was drilled. Of the other manures used, super and Ephos and super gave practically the same results. The results of the application of 2cwt of super looked the poorest, but this was mainly on account of germination having been checked slightly. Germination counts had been taken, and this proved to be the case. Mr D. Caird's (Southburn) wheat manurial experiment: This experiment gave the same results as that at Mr Topham’s, with the exception that the nitrate of soda did not show up so markedly.