GRASSLAND RESEARCH

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1681, 3 November 1925, Page 7

GRASSLAND RESEARCH

3IANY DIFFICULT PROBLEMS.

INVESTIGATIONS IN WALES.

(By Professor R. G. Stapledon, M.A., Director of the Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Aberystwyth.)

In this article on agricultural research Professor Stapledon* deals with the many difficult problems which have been overcome in invesMgating the improvement to grass lands by blending the 6eeds mixtures, suitable manuring, and general management. He indicates the line of future research work, and expresses the opinion that increased 'reliance will probably be placeid on temporary grass. The management of grass land isa subject which has always given rise to considerable controversy, and this is not to be wondered at when one realises the complex nature of almost every sward. It is seldom that a field in grass, either temporary or permanent, consists of less than seven species, while the number may frequently exceed 25 to 30 species. Thus the factor of competition between species and species comes into play to a far greater extent than in the case of ordinary farm crops, which usually consist of but a single species. Further the in-ter-play between the specie's is exceedingly sensitive to but slight differences in the control of the grazing animal, and it is largely on this account, as well as to variations in soil atd climate, that such widely diverse views are held on almost all matters regarding to grass land. A scheme of management or of manuring which may

have been successful on one farm may be less successful on another, although apparently very similar for no other reason than that the general control of the animals may have been entirely different on the two farms. MANURING. In common with other agricultural problems, the earlier of the more exact investigations were concerned chiefly with the effect of application of lime, farmyard manure, and artificial fertilisers.

Our knowledge with reference to the manuring of meadow hay has been built up on the foundation laid by the experiments started at Rothamsted in 1856, and those started at Cirencester in 1886, and on trials subsequently set up at Cockle Park, at Garforth, and at other centres. The exacting nature of the hay crop has been clearly demonstrated by these trials, whioh have,shown the necessity of supplying the three essential plant foods — nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash—to fields annually cut for hay.

Special and shorter duration trials have indicated to a large extent the proper dressings for particular classes of grass land on particular glasses of soil. Perhaps the .most important practical lesson of all this work has been the necessity of regular dressings with a phosphate fertiliser in addition to farmyard manure or artificial fertilisers supplying nitrogen, if it is desired to maintain both quality and quantity. In more recent years investigations relative to the manuring of pastures has< concentrated on the elucidation of the causes for the non-success of slag on fields and under conditions where the result has been disappoint-

ing. Dr. Hanley and others have done much to elucidate this difficult question, and to-day there is available a very considerahle body of information which should enable the farmer to decide, for example, whether it is necessary for him to adopt the costly expedient of liming his grass land before he can expect a remunerative return from basic slag or other phosphatic manure. Recent investigations nave also indicated the value of the ground mineral phosphates. The necessity of grinding to a very definite degree of fineness has been abundantly demonstrated, while a body of information is being built up which should enable the farmer to' decide with considerable assurance when the ground mineral phosphates may be expected to ■ give reliable results. Investigations relative to management have been conducted in relation to the hay crop. Thus Crowther arid others have show.n the considerable falling off in the nutritive value of the hay when cutting the crop is too long deferred. More recently, chemical analyses conducted by Fagan a*, the Aberstwyth have shown the effect to date of "putting up" for hay on' nutritive value. Fields grazed till the give a reduced yield.