STRATFORD DEMONSTRATION FARM.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXIX, Issue 6, 20 December 1924, Page 403

STRATFORD DEMONSTRATION FARM.

NOTES ON OPERATIONS.

J. W. DEEM,

Instructor in Agriculture and Supervisor of Subsidized

Demonstration Farms.

Operations at the Stratford Demonstration Farm continue to progress steadily, stumping and general improvements being carried out as.fast as finance permits. Of the total area of 143 acres, over 100 acres have now been stumped and about 90 acres sown down to new pasture. Tree plantations and hedges have made good growth and now afford considerable shelter. . PASTURES. The practice of building up fertility by turning under green crops is now receiving attention, the procedure being to sow a temporary mixture of 30 lb., of Italian rye-grass and 6 lb. of red clover, feed this for a year, and then turn under a rich growth of green material, mostly clover. This greatly improves the humus and mechanical condition of the land, and better permanent pastures may be expected as a result. The best pastures' on this farm are sown in November. Budda kale, 1 lb., is drilled in with basic super, 1 cwt.; the land is then rolled and the grass -seed ■ broadcasted. Various mixtures and weights of seeding have been tested, and on the average the following mixture has given the best results : Cocksfoot, 12 lb. ; perennial rye-grass, 16 lb. ; Italian rye-grass,' 4 lb. ; timothy, 3 lb. ; dogstail, 2 lb. ; cowgrass, 3 lb. ; white clover, 2 lb. : total, 42 lb. per acre. Akaroa, local, and imported Danish cocksfoot have been tried against one another ; so far we cannot see any difference ; but this work is being continued. Imported white clover is also being tested against colonial and imported Dutch, but it is too early as yet to form any conclusions. Various manures have been tested for top-dressing, and the results up to the present indicate that basic slag is decidedly the best for Stratford conditions, basic super and mixtures of lime and super coming next. 'The tests with Nauru rock phosphate indicate that the material is slow-acting, it being the second year before any noticeable improvement can be seen. Dressings of all manures have varied from 2 cwt. to 6 cwt. per acre. At present we are inclined to favour 3 cwt. the first year, and 2 cwt. per year afterwards, results ■ so far indicating that a medium dressing each - year is superior to a heavy dressing at long intervals. This is in keeping with the general results in Taranaki. So far neither nitrogenous nor potassic manures have shown any beneficial results when used on this farm. Kainit in conjunction with basic slag is being further tested this year.

ROOT CROPS.

Areas of turnips, swedes, mangolds, and carrots have been sown each year. The average yields per acre for the last six years are : Turnips, 40 tons 3 cwt. ; swedes, 39 tons 1 cwt. ; mangolds, 43 tons 11 cwt. ; carrots, 31 tons 13 cwt. The best average for any one year has been : Turnips, 45 tons 9 cwt. ; swedes, 43 tons 7 cwt. ; mangolds, 52 tons 10 cwt. ; carrots, 42 tons 12 cwt.

Individual varieties have given much heavier crops. Varieties that have given, best results are : MangoldsPrizewinner, White Sugar, and Red • Intermediate; carrots — Matchless White and Sinclair’s Champion ; turnips—Red Paragon, Hardy, and Imperial Green Globe; swedes—Vilmorin’s White Purple-top, Grandmaster, and Superlative. Each year it is becoming more difficult to grow swedes owing to the ravages of dry-rot and club-root, and unless there is an improvement it will not be long before the growing of swedes is discontinued. A number of new varieties are tested each year, and so far Vilmorin’s White Purple-top stands out as a rot-resister, but unfortunately supplies of seed are not available at present. GREEN CROPS. Mixtures of cereals and tares or peas are grown from time to time, mostly for' hay. In view, however, of the difficulty of growing soft turnips, various varieties of peas for feeding green in the autumn are being tested. LUCERNE. ' ■ . Owing to the heavy average rainfall experienced at Stratford lucerne does not do its best there, it being difficult to keep stands free from grass and weeds. A small test area was sown in January,' 1921, part with manure and part without; various systems of sowing were also, adopted. The following table, giving the green weight yields of six cuts, from 1921 to 1924, presents several features of interest. The manure consisted of basic slag at 3 cwt. per acre applied at time of sowing. The area was also limed, one-half with carbonate at 12 cwt., and the other half with burnt lime at 6 cwt., per acre, but no difference is noticeable between these two parts.

It will be noticed that the method of in. drills, and manuring according to the Department’s recommendations, resulted in the heaviest

yield. Although the results generally are fair, we are not yet sure that it pays to grow lucerne at Stratford. THE DAIRY HERD. The herd is gradually being improved by the use of a good sire and better feeding. A considerable number of the cows now in profit were bred on the farm. The following figures give some indication of the improved returns : —- Average ' Average ButterfatPrpduction Butterfat Production Year. per Cow. per Acre. lb. . lb. 1919-20 ... . . . . 22I-IO 6o-8 1923-24 . . 305-0 108-9 . Both factors mentioned have helped towards this increase, but better feeding has been responsible for most of it.

GENERAL. The results obtained at the farm and published at some length by the district papers are carefully followed by a large number of farmers. Field-days are held at the farm from time to time,' and these are attended by numbers of farmers from various parts of Taranaki. Also, the farm being always open, interested persons drop in from time to time to view the work and have a chat on farm matters, the manager, Mr. Hartwig, being always glad to see visitors. On field-days the committee attend in force. They also meet on the second Wednesday in every month, and generally two or three members, including the chairman, visit the farm in the afternoon for the purpose of reviewing the farm- and meeting any people who care, to attend. Some of our visitors make the criticism that we- are not doing enough experimental work, but . the policy of the Farm Society is more demonstrational than experimental. There is no doubt that a great deal more could be done if money was available, but as our income must be earned before it can be spent we can only advance at a moderate pace.

Date of Cuts. 21 in. Drills. No Manure. 21 in. Drills. Manure. 14 in. Drills. No Manure. 14 in. Drills. Manure. 7 in. Drills. No Manure. 7 in. Drills. Manure. Broadcast. ' Manure. Grimm Variety. 21/11/21 .. 13/1/22 .. .. 18/1/23 • • 19/3/23 •• 23/11/23 •• 14/1/24 • • T. c. lb. T. c. lb. 4 19 96 5 2 96 6 15 p 3 i7 0 5 2 84 3 4 28 T. c. lb. T. c. lb. ' T. c. lb. T. c. lb. T. c. lb. a - * • * Total weight per acre (green) 21/11/21 .. 13/1/22 .. 18/1/23 • • 19/3/23 • • 23/11/23 •• 14/1/24 •• Total weights per acre (green) T. c. lb. T. c. lb. 4 19 96 5 2 96 6 15 0 3 1/ 0 5 2 84 3 4 28 Grimm 1 T. c. lb. 7 ariety. T. c. lb. T. c. lb. T. c. lb. T. c. lb. O’ • * * 5 2/2 5 12 56 7 7 84 4 13 0 4 16 28 3 10 56 29 1 80 5 12 56 5 19 ■ 0 8 3 84 5 2 84 5 9 28 4 10 0 Marlboroug 5 19 0 5 9 32 6 18 0 3 10 56 620 4 3° 1 Variety. 6 8 64 7 1 48 8 16 84 5 2 84 6 15 0 4 .16 28 4 16 38 •4 10 0 7 7 84 4 028 4 3 56 310 6 15 0 9.0 11 11 28 5 9 28 7 7 84 360 416 0 4 19 72 6 8 56 3 10 56 560 3 4 28 31 2 72 34 17 28 32 1 88 39 0 84 .27.18 94 • 43 9 28 28 4 100

Total for three manured areas, 117 tons 7 cwt. 28 lb. ; total for three non-manured areas, 91 tons 3 cwt. 30 lb.: difference in favour of manure, 26 tons 3 cwt. no lb., or 29-34 per cent.