MANURING OF WHEAT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18542, 12 April 1930, Page 17 (Supplement)

MANURING OF WHEAT

DEPARTMENT'S ADVICE TO FARMERS.

The Journal of Agriculture for April, 1929, contained a summary of the results of experiments on wheat manuring conducted by the Fields Division, extending over a period of six years. In all, between 30 and 40 experiments had been conducted by the end of the 1928-29 season. During the season just completed a further 25 trials were carried out in Canterbury, besides

several in North Otago and Marlborough. The results of the 1929-30 season confirm those of previous years, and will be published in the Journal of Agriculture ao soon as possible. The principal phosphatic manures under trial were superphosphate, basic superphosphates, ephos phosphate and Nauru phosphate. Other fertilisers which have been used as additional to the phosphatic group were potash and nitrogen. The principal nitrogenous fertilisers used were nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia. Practically all trials have been carried out in co-operation with farmers on their own farms, and have been well distributed over all types of wheatgrowing land. The remarks of Mr A. H. Cockayne, Assistant Director-General of Agriculture, are worth noting. Mr Cockayne says: “The results obtained from year to year have already had a good effect on the manuring practice in the wheatgrowing areas, and the great value of sustained work in this direction is well exemplified by the Department of Agriculture being now in a position to give definite and reliable advice based not on surmise or opinion, but on accurate experimental experience carried out under practical farming conditions. The recommendations made last year are not altered, except that the spring dressing of nitrogen can now be definitely recommended on the majority of wheat lands. The results of the past season have allowed this recommendation to become a definite one.

The Department now recommends farmers:—

(a) To sow at least lewt superphosphate per acre with the seed. (b) To top-dress autumn and wintersown wheat with at least lewt of sulphate of ammonia, or nitrate of soda, in September. On account of its lower price, sulphate of ammonia will be more economical in use that nitrate of soda. Sulphate of ammonia should be applied at the end of August or early September in early districts, and about the middle of September in late districts . If nitrate cf soda is used, it should be applied about 2 or 3 weeks later than the above times.

(c) Do not use potash. Its use has not proved profitable in any single wheat experiment. It must clearly be understood that the use of nitrogen in the spring does not do away with the necessity for using super at sowing time. In fact it is only on crops sown with a phosphatic manure that the further use of nitrogen is recommended. The experiments have shown that the average increase in yield resulting from 1 cwt. of super is about five bushels to the acre. The spring dressing with nitrogen shows an average further increase of about five bushels per acre. A little calculation indicates that 1 cwt. of super at seeding time plus 1 cwt. of one cf the nitrogenous manures mentioned will give an average increase of 10 bushels per acre over unmanureu wheat crops. Of course the effect of manure varies v*irh season and soil and the previous treatment of the land. It is the man who uses manure consistently who shows a balance on the right side of the ledger. Some farmers are apt to view the early ripening induced by manure as an undesirable feature. It is, however, a sure indication of increased yield without any bad effect on the sample. Wheat sown with super will often ripen earlier than manured wheat or wheat treated with an inefficient manure. The experiments have shown quite conclusively that early ripening caused by manures is one of the best indications of increased yield. In face it can be fairly stated that the greater the hastening of the ripening, tb*2 greater the effect of the manure. Nitrogen will also hasten ripening, although it delays the time of emergence of the ear.