PERENNIAL RYE-GRASS TRIALS IN CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 43, Issue 4, 20 October 1931, Page 266

PERENNIAL RYE-GRASS TRIALS IN CANTERBURY.

R. McGillivray,

Fields Superintendent, and W. C. Stafford, Instructor in Agriculture, Christchurch.

Considerable quantities of perennial rye-grass seed from certified areas are now available, and many Canterbury farmers have availed themselves of the opportunity to purchase such seed for sowing in fields where permanancy of pasture is desired.

In order to investigate the position further, and to demonstrate the difference in strain, seven Canterbury versus Hawke’s Bay perennial rye-grass trials have been laid down in Canterbury by the Fields Division. These experiments extend to 3 acres of the two types of rye-grass, and in addition there is an area of approximately 3 acres laid down in strains from various parts of the Dominion. The complete experiment in each case is 9 acres, except in the case of the experiment on Mr. L. E. Meyers’s farm at Oxford, where a special trial on a 5-acre block was laid down.

The first experiment was laid down on Mr. Meyers’s farm at Oxford during October, 1929. This was a trial to ascertain the relative merits of Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay rye-grass on a type of soil embracing a large part of the district.

Very dry weather was experienced after sowing, but good rains fell in December and the strike was satisfactory. The Canterbury ryegrass showed the most rapid growth and established with greater rapidity than was the case with the Hawke’s Bay rye 3 but with a recurrence of very dry conditions after the middle of January the apparent superiority .in growth of the Canterbury type was of short duration, and by the end of March it was practically dormant, and remained in this condition until September.

. It was noticeable that as the colder weather approached the Canterbury rye-grass produced less and less leafage. The Hawke’s Bay rye had established well and produced a considerable amount of leafage throughout the winter, and as spring approached the area took on a fresh appearance generally. The Canterbury rye still showed no sign of growth. Early in August sods were taken from both the Canterbury and the Hawke’s Bay blocks for demonstration purposes at the Christchurch winter show, and were objects of interest to all farmers visiting the Agriculture Department’s exhibit. Those farmers who were acquainted with the area fully appreciated the difference in the two types of rye-grass.

It is stated above that the Canterbury rye-grass had been dormant, but that does not now fully explain the position. At the time of writing (September) 90 per cent, of the plants show only a weak growth, irrespective of manuring, and are past their period of usefulness, as they are not now capable of affording any quantity of feed. This state of affairs has no doubt been hastened by the intensive management of the area, which did not afford the plants the opportunity of reseeding that normally takes place in Canterbury pastures under ordinary conditions of management, and which to some extent prolongs the period of ■ usefulness of the sward. With the decreased competition of the rye-grass on the Canterbury area at Meyers’s farm bare spaces became more pronounced, and the clover content increased considerably and provided the bulk of the feed. This factor is important and will be studied further in the later trials.

To sum up the situation at the Oxford trial, it can be stated definitely that the Hawke’s Bay type of rye-grass will hold for a longer period and will stand up to adverse weather conditions better than the ordinary Canterbury rye-grass. The result of the trial brought out various points which necessitated more elaborate and searching experiments, and these have since been laid down, in various other districts.

Canterbury versus Hawke’s Bay Grazing Trials.

With the evident difference in palatability in the two types of ryegrass, further experiments were found necessary. An experiment was designed by the Crop Experimentalist in an endeavour to clear up various points such as permanency, palatability, production, and recovery after grazing.

The conditions were as follows : An area of 9 acres of a uniform field was fenced off into three fields of 3 acres each. The first, Field A, was sown with a permanent mixture containing 25 lb. Hawke’s Bay rye-grass, 12 lb.. Akaroa cocksfoot, 2 lb. Boa trivialis, 2 lb. N.Z. white clover, 2 lb. N.Z. red clover, and 3 lb. crested dogstail. The second, Field B, was sown with a similar mixture, but Canterbury ryegrass was substituted for the Hawke’s Bay type. In the case of Field A thirty-two lines of the Hawke’s Bay seed were blended to secure the sample, while in the case of Field B twenty lines of Canterbury seed were used in the mixture. The third, Field C, was sown with fifty duplicate plots containing various strains of rye-grass, cocksfoot, and clovers from different localities in New Zealand and elsewhere.

As the scheme was not perfected until March, 1930, only two experiments could be arranged for that season. The trial at Mr. I. K. Buchanan's Meadowbank Estate, Irwell, being the first to be laid down, will be dealt with here.

The area selected was part of an 18-acre field of good clay loam overlying a clay subsoil, and had been fallowed since the spring. Each field was pegged out and the seed sown broadcast on a well-rolled surface with a mixture of two parts of superphosphate to one part of sulphate of ammonia, sown at the rate of 2 cwt. per acre. After sowing, the whole was lightly harrowed. The headlands of Field C were sown in a similar manner, but the small plots were sown by hand.

Fields A and B were sown on 30th March, 1930, under very dry conditions, which persisted throughout April. The soil, however, was in good condition and had been well prepared, and was able to some extent to withstand the effects of drought. By the beginning of May there was evidence of a fair -strike of rye-grass on both fields. The Canterbury type had germinated more rapidly and had made better growth than the Hawke’s Bay type.. Throughout the winter both established well, but as spring advanced the more prolific growth of the Canterbury rye was very much in evidence.

The grazing of the fields was carried out on the intensive system —that is, the grass was allowed to grow to a suitable length for grazing with whatever kind of stock was being used, and then grazed off quickly and allowed to recover. In order to obtain control a large number of stock were .used, the fields being stocked at the" rate of 20 to 40 sheep per acre. By September the Canterbury area was ready for the first grazing, some two weeks before the Hawke’s Bay area. However, grazing could not be carried out owing to wet weather. When the field was sufficiently dry to carry stock, grazing was commenced, but was interrupted by rain before complete control was obtained. After the first grazing and subsequent consolidation, grazing could be carried out regardless of weather conditions. , The grazing of these two fields at Irwell was extremely well carried out during the past season, and the results obtained can confidently be taken as a true estimate of the values in the first season of the two types of rye-grass under the conditions prevailing in that particular district.

From various observations of the Canterbury area we have reason to believe that the type of rye-grass sown was better than the average, and distinctly better as a grazing proposition than the usual type used.

. Owing to the first grazing of the Canterbury rye-grass being interrupted by wet weather, the grazings for the first six months under consideration will be better shown in two-monthly periods. In September and October (1930) the Canterbury field carried 12-45 sheep per acre, compared with 10-5 sheep carried by the Hawke’s Bay ryegrass. In November and December the Canterbury rye carried 10-2 sheep per acre while the Hawke’s Bay rye carried 9-6 sheep. In January and February the Canterbury fell to 3-9 sheep per acre, while the Hawke’s Bay carried 8-9 sheep per acre.

These figures tend to show that the poor types of rye-grass give a big flush of feed in the early period of their growth, but production rapidly falls away until the pastures reach the “ run-out ” stage in varying periods of from twelve months onward. Both fields fell in

carrying-capacity, but this was to be expected owing to the season of the year. The January and February period is usually dry with little growth. Taking this into consideration, it is most satisfactory to note how little the Hawke’s Bay rye-grass fell in carrying-capacity. It confirms the contention that under controlled grazing good types of rye have little, if any, actual dormant period.

At Irwell the growth on both fields was well controlled ; consequently, when the usual dry conditions and north-westers came in January and February, both pastures suffered considerably more than would have been the case had more foliage been allowed to remain. Large cracks appeared, and there was an abnormal drying-out of the soil. This condition prevented the establishment of the clovers and the, development- of the rye-grass. From these observations one is led to the conclusion that during the dry months close grazing in Canterbury would have to be practised on thoroughly established pastures only.

At the time of writing the fields ' are most interesting. On the Hawke’s Bay area plants are in healthy growing-condition, while on the Canterbury area many plants are dead and bare spaces in the pasture are prominent. Present indications are that the Hawke’s Bay area will form a good pasture, while the other area will be practically in a run-out condition next season.

General.

In the strains and species area the plots are of one-fiftieth of an acre in area, laid down in duplicate, and consist of various strains of perennial rye-grass obtained from different parts of the Dominion. The trial shows that in nearly all cases the South Island strains are of a- poor type and unsuitable for permanent pastures. The Hawke’s Bay and Sandon ryes are on the whole very good, and have produced a certain amount of growth throughout the long period of dry weather experienced during the past season.

In order to further investigate the perennial rye-grass position in Canterbury, five other trials have been laid down on the farms of A. R. Hislop, Amberley ; G. Hall, Hororata ; H. Wright Johnston, Dunsandel; Hunter Morris, Winchmore ; and W. L. Hay, ■ Waimate. These trials will be reported on when sufficient data are available. Each of the farmers concerned has lent his hearty assistance to the investigation, and have controlled the various fields in an excellent manner.

Importation of Live-stock. The prohibition imposed on cattle, sheep, and swine from Britain as a precaution against the entry of foot-and-mouth disease still exists, and the only countries from which stock may be imported subject' to the regulations are : Cattle from Tasmania, Canada, and the United States (with the exception of California), and swine from Australia (with the exception of Queensland and Western Australia), and Canada, and sheep from Australia (with the exception of Queensland and Western Australia). A prominent feature during the official year ended 31st March last was the heavy importation of pedigree cattle in comparison with former years. The following imported animals were placed in quarantine during the year for ’the respective periods required : Horse's, 7 ; cattle, 87 ; sheep, 9 ; swine, 10 ; dogs, 27. ' ■