PASTURE LAND

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 192, 15 August 1931, Page 20 (Supplement)

PASTURE LAND

STIMULATING GROWTH benefit of harrowing. The stimulation of natural pastures fats proceeded apace during the last few rears, and so beneficial have been the results achieved that the practice is beeoming general in many parts. Profitable dairying call* for the adoption of aueh methods a» will extract from every acre the maximum return. Land and are too expensiv make it worth the farmer's while t nave in his herd any animals nf doubtful utility. Be must ensure that the potential pro-. due live capacity of his herd i« nor even ’ temporarily wasted as a result of in-; sufficient feeding. By improving the | natural pasture- 1 the herd i< enabled to j product the greatest possible number] of gallons throughout- the year. In the stimulation of pastures an adequate food supply is. of course, essential. and top-dressing helps to provide this, but good drainage and a free soil, into which air can penetrate, are equally important. As a matter of fact-, it is practically useless tn apply •fertiliser unless the matted surface is ’O opened up that the fertiliser can reach the roots. Harrowed pastures carry more stock and provide richer fe«L Stock droppings are pulterised' and spread. The soil is loosened and • aerated. Space is created for available seed, and a denser sole is promoted in the pasture. Moss is eradicated. Matted root growth is broken up. and a fresh growth of succulent grass is stimulated. The perfection of suitable grass harrows has occupied the attention of agri , cultural machinery manufacturers for, some considerable time, and as a result. | the farmer is able to secure appropriate implements at a very small cost. , The tripod type is the most suitable[ for the purpose, as chain harrows arc i not severe enough in their action to give much stimulating effect, and tine harrows, not being flexible, are of little value The teeth or blades are of hard ened tine steel, well sharpened, and thev are pinned securely in the slots ot the’tripod, projecting din. on one side and Sin. on the other, so that, while the 2in. cut will be found sufficient, tor ordinary grass lands, if rank, weedy growth is to l*e dealt with or if it is desired to use thp harrows to work up a fallowed paddovk. the harrows can be turned over on th- 4in. cut. The blades can be taken out and re-sharpened without difficulty. Th.? lines of cultivation arc lin. apart, so that the sward is thoroughly opened up.