USE OF FERTILISERS

Waipa Post, Volume 47, Issue 3385, 26 October 1933, Page 4

USE OF FERTILISERS

DECREASE DURING YEAR.

DIRECTOR-GENERAL'S REVIEW.

A considerable decrease in the use of artificial fertilisers in New Zealand is noted by the Director-General of Agriculture,. Dr C. J. Reakes, in the annual report of the Department of Agriculture, presented' in the House on Tuesday. ~...*. " The use of artificial fertilisers "in the maintenance of pastures continues to give some anxiety for the future," Dr Reakes said.' " Last year the position appeared to he improving, following the subsidising of superphosphate manufacture, with &• corresponding drop in cost to farmers. The price trend of dairy produce in November, 1932 was followed by a marked falling off in the use of fertilisers, in spite of the continuance of the Government subsidy. .\ •. .., "Fortunately, climatic conditions were favourable to grass growth, and no serious effects are noticeable in the present stock-feed position. Should less favoui-able conditions be experienced during the ensuing season, depletitibn of fertility maty be expected to make itself manifest.

" The figures for artificial, fertilisers for all purposes delivered during the January-June period for the. last five years are as follow: 1929, 228,000 tons; 1930, 212,000 tons; 1931, 150,000 tons; 1932, 222,000 tons; 1933, 137,000 tons.

"The drastic reduction of' 91,000 tons from 1929 becomes even, more significant when it is remembered that dairy cows have increased from 1,371,063 to approximately 1,840,000. Thus the effective use of fertiliser per cow has fallen greatly, and the continued increase in production noted this season can be accounted for only by improved pastures, improved cows, and improved farm management generally. All these reflect the policy adopted by the Department in improving pasture strains, in the dessemination of knowledge generally, and in its encouragement of herd-testing." Further particulars regarding fertiliser supplies are given ,by Mr A. F. Ellis, New Zealand corrfmissioner on the British Phosphate Commission, in furnishing particulars regarding operations at Nauru and Ocean Islands for the year ended 30th June. |Shipments of phosphate from: the two islands totalled 660,300 tons, compared with 431,540 tons and 385,977 tons for the two preceding years. This was the record output for a year, the previous highest total being 593,340' tons, shipped in 1926-27. . Of last year's output Australia took 438,685 tons, New Zealand 177,915 tons, and other countries 43,700 tons. , '