BETTER PASTURES.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18625, 2 May 1932, Page 12

BETTER PASTURES.

INSTRUCTIVE EXPERIMENT. The value of-selection and the more ■general use of the better classes- of seed, especially with ryegrass, in pasture management, has been clearly demonstrated in an interesting series of -lest plots laid down in November, 1 030. by the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture on the farm ■of Mr Hunter Morris, at Winchmore, Canterbury. The work, which has been carried out. says Hie Press, in a thorough manner, and on a •comprehensive scale, consists of a largo number of plots or ryegrass selected from seed grown in different, parts of New Zealand, and include ryegrass types from Hawke’s Ray, Poverty Bay, Sand-on, Wairarapn, Canterbury. South Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. All plots have been subjected to the same manorial treatment and grazing control, and show differences so marked as to be obvious to the most casual observer. Last November an interesting field day was held on Hie plots. Differences- at the present lime arc even more marked. The trials now in their second year reveal the outstanding superiority of the Hawke’s Bay, Poverty Bay and Snndon types over other types, not only in the manner they have withstood the lost, of tho recent drought, hut in the great autumn recovery of the belter persistent strains, which, with tiic recent rains, come away strongly, with a dark green leafy growth, and with a sward outstandingly thicker Hum the other types. In many of Hie tatter hare spaces now take' the place of dead plants, and these plots are. marked by spindly

growth, and dried up appearance, with a large percentage of seed stalks. Their appearance adjoining ihe heller types should convince the most conservative of the inferiority of the average commercial South Island lines. Thai there is a big variation from bad to good between Canterbury types is also clearly dpmonslraled. but tho superiority of the Northern types over even Hie best of the Canterbury in the trials is quite obvious. Some large areas of certified ryegrass seed have been laid down in the Ashburton Coimtv this autumn.

Nothing Now. —Farmers cannot have failed to notice how soon pasture land insufficiently grazed deteriorates or goes wild .(writes an English authority). ’Flic man with plenty of stock maintains the quality of the pastures; Hie idle field becomes a waste. Our rich pastures have become so through good management; and a grass field is always generous for any manure it receives. One of the oldest adages among graziers is that “grass should bo a "day old foi®a sheep and a week old for a bullock.” Good graziers have always shifted their animals around frequently to ensure a young bite; and have employed mixed animals so that what one would not graze down the other would. All, however, have not been skilled; some of those with skill have not always been able to purchase sufficient stock; so that in one way or another grass land often deteriorates, and much has never given half the return it might have done under skilled management.

Lime in Water. —It lias been deflproved that in the “good fattening" pastures of Britain the ash ot the grass plants contains a high percentage of lime, and phosphate, while Hie bad fattening pastures contain a low percentage, if the good pastures of Britain are good because of Hie lime

and phosphate the grass contains it is even more important that Hie grass of the New Zealand dairying pastures should contain a high percentage ef phosphate and time, seeing that Ihe cattle obtain their sole, nourishment from them, and that, they arc grazed on them practically Hie whole year. Emphatic,ally time and phosphate are Hie most important, mineral requirements of our pastures, not only for Ihe sake of maximum milk production but in order Dial our cattle may !m kept in vigorous health.