FIELD EXPERIMENTAL WORK IN THE KINGCOUNTRY.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXX, Issue 3, 20 March 1925, Page 191

FIELD EXPERIMENTAL WORK IN THE KINGCOUNTRY.

OPERATIONS AT ARIA.

J. E. F. JENKS, N.D.A.,

, Assistant Instructor in Agriculture, Auckland

King-country lands can be divided roughly into two classes — and fern — together with a limited amount of swamp. The bush country comprises the higher and steeper ridges and slopes; the fern country is found chiefly on the lower and more accessible ridges and undulations, and it is with this class of land that the work at Aria has been occupied. ' It is characteristic of fern country that all the larger forms of forest growth are absent, the principal vegetation being bracken-fern, fair-sized manuka, and tutu. The soil is for the most part a loose sandy loam, somewhat deficient in humus, with a subsoil of a stiffer nature : papa frequently occurs some feet below the surface. Evidence goes to show that this land was once forest-clad, and that successive fires during the course of many years have resulted not only in the destruction of the forest and all traces of it (save for occasional stumps), but in a marked physical change in the soil. The brackenfern and manuka stage is without doubt an intermediate one, destined, by nature to last until the supply of humus is restored sufficiently to enable the forest-trees to re-establish themselves. Pioneering settlers have in the past somewhat neglected this class of land in favour of the bush fellings. Its light open soil seldom holds good permanent pasture without consistent manuring in the absence of the latter the grasses and clovers soon give way to rib-grass, cudweed, hawkweed, and bracken-fern. Now, however, that the steeper bush country is becoming each year more difficult to control (as regards second growth, &c.), the prime importance of ploughable land, on which crops may be grown and hay cut for winter feed, has become obvious. ■ Again, the expansion of dairying has accentuated the position, since the milking-cow, while unsuitable for crushing fern on the steeper slopes and wintering on rough .feed, will yield a return per acre large enough to cover considerable expenditure on manure and cultivation. ’ In the past the customary method of managing open fern-land has been to crop it with turnips or rape for one or two years after the first breaking, and then to sow it down with a thin seeding of rye-grass, cocksfoot, and clovers. No more would be done fill, in the course of a few years, the pasture became exhausted and overgrown with fern, . when the cropping and grassing would be repeated. The object of the Aria experiments is to demonstrate not merely the suitability of this land for farming purposes (which is indisputable), but the various ways in which it can be cropped so as to improve the farm-economy of the district, and the possibility of' establishing and maintaining on it, by means of suitable manuring and management, a good permanent turf. The centre of the experimental work is a block of approximately 15 acres loaned to the Department by Mr. John O'Sullivan. This block lies just south of the Township of Aria, and consists for the most part of a section across a low, steep-sided spur,

though there is also a strip of water-logged flat which has not yet been improved. When, at the request of the local settlers’ association, work was first started, in 1921 the ridge was in poor grass (sown in 1905 after one crop of turnips), and largely overgrown with bracken-fern except at the higher points where stock had made a practice of camping. . It was typical of deteriorated fern-country pastures. In the summer of that year some 5|- acres (Fields L, M, and part of F—see sketch-map*) were broken up and cropped with turnips, but owing to the financial stringency prevailing . at that time experiments were temporarily abandoned and the land was sown to temporary pasture in the autumn. ' ’ . ' ; SUMMER FEED. Work was recommenced in October, 1923, some 3J acres of the temporary pasture and | acre of sidling (Field F) being broken up. for summer feed. Japanese millet sown at the end of November , was a distinct success, a good growth of succulent feed being obtained throughout the dry weather of January and February, despite the comparative poverty of the land and the light manuring—2 cwt. super and 1 cwt. ground limestone ■ per acre. Red clover sown with the crop did not strike well. Red Paragon turnips sown at the same time, with the same manure, made good young plants, but did not develop well owing to lack of rain; -neither did the red clover sown with them. The importance of early and thorough cultivation (including -rolling) was demonstrated by the even stand obtained with both millet and turnips under distinctly dry conditions. Turnips and clover sown broadcast on the sidling where the latter was too steep to. roll or drill were practically a failure. WINTER FEED. The remaining 2| acres of temporary pasture (Field L) were topdressed in October, 1923, with super and lime, with indifferent results. The land was ploughed in the following February (1924), and sown in late March in various fodder crops in J-acre plots as follows, the quantities given being per acre : (1.) Italian rye-grass, 20 lb. ; crimson clover, 10 lb. (2.) Algerian oats, 2J bushels ; Scotch tares, 1 bushel. (3.) Algerian oats, 3 bushels. (4.) Rye-corn (Emerald), 2 bushels. (5.) Barley (Black skinless), 2 bushels. Manure —3 cwt. basic super per —was applied in each case. These crops were intended for grazing in August and September —a very difficult period for both dairymen and sheep-farmers-but owing to the mild autumn they had to be grazed back in June. This grazing : was a little overdone, with the result that they were not fit to feed again till mid-September. However, some valuable information was afforded in regard to these crops, which are of considerable value to farmers who are not yet in a position to grow mangolds or save any quantity of hay. The Italian rye-grass and crimson clover made comparatively little autumn growth, but came away well in the spring, and yielded in December a crop equivalent to 2 tons of hay. The Algerian oats threw a good deal of autumn feed, but were backward in the spring and did not make much subsequent growth. They were attacked in patches by rust in the autumn. Oats do not

appear to be an ideal fodder crop for winter use on such light land. For the best results they should be sown in April and allowed to stand till September. The tares were not a pronounced success, being better suited to land of a heavier nature. The Emerald rye-corn did well, germinating quickly, and stooling out with its usual vigour. Contrary to a common belief, the stock relished the feed and grazed the plot closely ; it was the first . to come away again after stocking. This crop is to be recommended for winter grazing on light land, though, like barley, it is useless for fodder purposes once it has shot into ear. The Black barley grew at a phenomenal rate during the autumn, being

12 in. high by the beginning of June (ten weeks from sowing). It was therefore too rank when stocked, and in consequence was not properly grazed. Like the rye-corn, it appears to have decided merits as a catch-crop for winter, use, but as it does not stool out well it should be sown fairly thicklysay, at 3 bushels per acre. Both these crops should be sown in early March for grazing in May and again in August and September. If sown at the end of April they could give valuable feed by early August, but in either case should be ploughed in after grazing in the spring. SPRING-SOWN CROPS FOR ENSILAGE. In order to provide fodder for ensilage-making, Field M was devoted this, season to further fodder crops. This field grew millet and turnips last season, and was ploughed last winter. On 27th August the following crops were sown, the rates being per acre : (1.) Algerian oats, 2 bushels ; grass-pea, 80 lb. (| acre). (2.) Algerian oats, 2 bushels ; Partridge peas, i| bushels (1 acre). (3.) Algerian oats, 2 bushels; Scotch tares, ij bushels (1 acre). Manure in each case, 3 cwt. basic super per acre. The crops suffered severely from bird-attacka. serious objection to early spring sowing in this district; but the oats developed into a crop estimated at about 8 tons per acre green. Of the legumes, the Partridge peas did best, but their growth was by no means vigorous. Both the tares and grass-peas were comparative failures, being stunted and sickly. This seems to indicate a distinct shortage of available lime in the soil. ENSILAGE-MAKING. Ensilage-making could - with advantage be made a regular farm practice in the King-country, partially as a substitute for the now precarious swede crop, and partially as a solution of haymaking difficulties in a wet climate. Little has been attempted so far, but the demonstration given on the experimental area this season evoked considerable interest, and several settlers are adopting this - method of conserving winter feed. A small “ hillside ” pit was dug in Field L, this method being deemed the most suitable for local conditions, since few settlers can afford either a permanent silo or stacking apparatus. A pit approximately • 12 ft. square by 8 ft. deep was constructed by contract labour at a cost of £7. It is estimated that a pit of this size should hold from 30 to 35 tons of settled silage. The material for ensilage-making consisted of the various crops from Fields L and M, mainly oats and Italian ryegrass, with a foundation of suckling-clover. The .filling was done on 12th and 13th December, about 16 tons being put in on the first and 20 tons on the second day. The temperature before weighting with earth on the 15th had reached 125 0 F. The work was performed voluntarily by local settlers interested in the question of ensilage. GRASSING. Field F consists of a slope of loose friable soil, faces east, and is about 1 acre in extent. It was originally ploughed and grassed with the rest of the land, but reverted badly to bracken-fern. As has been stated, the top part was ploughed in 1921 and the whole in 1923 some of

the red clover sown in the latter year still persists. This piece is typical of much land in the districtjust ploughable, but too steep for either the drill or the mower. In July and August, 1923, the land was worked up. with disks and harrows. On 31st August 3 cwt. basic super was sown, applied by hand, and on 1st September various grassmixtures were sown, the ground being then tine-harrowed. Three plots have been set out as follows : — (1.) Italian rye-grass, 9 lb. ; Hawke’s Bay rye-grass, 9 lb. ; paspalum, 6 lb. ; red-top, 3 lb. ; Chewing’s fescue, 3 lb. ; Poa pratensis, ij lb. ; cow-grass, 3 lb. ; Lotus major, J lb. ; wild white clover (imported Kentish), Jib.; subterranean clover, Jib.: total, 35 lb. per acre. (2.) Cow-grass, 3 lb. ; Lotus major, i| lb. ; subterranean clover, 1-J lb. : total, 6 lb. per acre. (3.) Italian rye-grass, 6 lb. ; Hawke’s Bay rye-grass, 6 lb. ; cocksfoot, 6 lb. ; crested dogstail, 3 lb. ; brown-top, 3 lb. ; cow-grass, 3 lb. ; Lotus' major, Jib.; wild white clover (imported Cotswold),- Jib.; Danthonia pilosa, 6 lb. ; Danthonia semi-annularis, 3 lb. : total, 39-f- lb. per acre. Plot 2 was partially planted with kikuyu-grass (from the Albany Experimental Area) on 23rd October. A good take of practically all the species has been obtained, and these plots should furnish a rough guide as to the comparative value of the various grasses and clovers under such conditions. TOP-DRESSING OF PASTURE. Four series of plots have been laid out with a view to demonstrating the value of phosphatic manures and lime on permanent pasture. Two of these series are on undulating fern country, in one case on very poor light land, and in both cases on decidedly deteriorated pasture; the third is on a river-flat carrying a comparatively good turf ; and the fourth is on Field E, a steepish slope where the bracken-fern is fast overshadowing the weakening grasses and clovers of the original sowing. The manure was applied at the end of July. In every case the value of the phosphates has been fully demonstrated in the improved colour and vigour of the turf, the increased clover content, and the decided preference shown by live-stock for the manured plots. At the time of writing (January) there is little to choose between super and super plus lime : basic slag has given gratifying results, but has not yet proved so potent an agent as super. Further observations will be made later. GENERAL. There is ample scope for experimental , work, in the King-country, and farmers are keenly alive to the necessity for improved methods. A new local committee has been formed, and the more energetic settlers have readily come forward to assist with the erection of fences and other work. A considerable amount of pasture top-dressing is now carried out in the district, and on this point, as well as others, the advice of the Fields Division officers and the evidence of the plots'are frequently sought. It is always difficult to conduct careful experiments on a co-operative basis, however helpful (as in this case) the co-operating farmers may be, but in the meantime the Aria experimental area is serving both as an object-lesson and an encouragement to a district that needs and appreciates both.

* The writer is indebted to Mr. E. Tolme, Aria, for assistance in preparing this map.