QUERIES.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17326, 11 February 1928, Page 22 (Supplement)

QUERIES.

LICK FOR CATTLE. "Enquirer,” Te Rapa, asks whether ground rock phosphate could be used as a lick for cattle suffering from bonechewing. "Practical”: I would advise you to use boneflour in preference to ground rock phosphate, which is a mineral substance and likely to cause irritation of the internal membranes. Bonedust is an organic substance and has proved its worth as a chief component of licks where phosphate of lime is needed. Given with salt, or in a mixture with salt, cattle take to it, and as an expedient it helps to get rid of the bone-chewing habit. Really, one should get at this trouble by improving the mineral content of the pastures by topdressing with suitable phosphates and lime. That gets to the root of the malady. SOWING BURNT COUNTRY. "T.E.H.,” Raglan, writes:—"l have several areas which were mainly in tall Li-tree and which have been swept by the bush fires. Some paddocks have been burnt clean. The quality of the soil is fairly good, as the land was originally mixed bush. Should I sow on the ash at once or wait? What grasses should I put in?” "Practical”: I would advise you to wait for rain—.a good soaking fall. There is time enough to sow towards (he end of this month or in March. Sow the following seed mixture: Perennial ryegrass (Hawke’s Bay seed) Gib, Italian rye 3lb, crested dogstail 4 lb, paspalum 3lb, brown top Jib, Danthonia pilosa A lb, white clover 1 Jib, Lotus major Jib, and subterranean clover Jib —total, 231 b per acre. If you can manage it, apply 2 to 3 cwt of basic super with the seed. A cheaper mixture would be to cut the danthonia to 31b, omit the subterranean clover, and make the paspalum 21b, It is not advisable, however, to do this.