GRASS ALL THE YEAR

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17964, 8 March 1930, Page 10 (Supplement)

GRASS ALL THE YEAR

BEST USE OF FERTILIZERS. CAPACITY OP FARMS. 1 OFFICIAL TESTS BEING MADE. I 1 Intensive grassland farming has become firmly established. It depends on the use of fertilizers. That fact is known to everyone who takes any interest in New Zealand farming operations. But the second stage of this development is tho learning how to apply the fertilizers in order to secure the greatest possible increase in the annual carrying capacity of the land. The problem involved in this is being systematically studied by officers of the Agricultural Department with tho object of providing practical guidance for farmers, states the “ N.Z. Herald.” Improvement of tho sward is the object with which top-dressing is primarily undertaken. An advance has now been made beyond this to the stage ,when stimulation of growth is sought at the periods of the year when norjmally it is least.

top-dressing for winter j FEED. ! At one time it was the practice to apply most of the phosphate top-dressing Jin the winter or early spring, an officer of the department stated. The general effect of the application of fertilizers then is greatly to increase the late spring and early summer production of grass. Several years ago, largely owing to the propaganda of the Department of Agriculture, farmers changed over their main top-dressing to the month of March, the effect being to stimulate greatly the autumn and early winter growth of grass and so increase :the carrying capacity of the farm. As ‘from 60 to 70 per cent, of normal grass production takes place in the spring and the early summer, it follows that stimulation of growth is less needed then than at the less favourable periods, if the object is to increase the grazing capacity of the farm. NEW METHODS FORECASTED. It is possible that the outcome of the rests now being completed will be that in the future farmers will top-dress the greater part of their land in March, will give some of the best fields a second dressing during the winter to increase the early spring production, and ,will apply fertilizers to other portions of their holdings in November and December in order to obtain the effect on the pasture in the late summer and early autumn.