Farming in the Catlins District.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 57, Issue 6, 20 December 1938, Page 489

Farming in the Catlins District.

Conversion of Bush Land into Farms.

A. F. Greenall,

Instructor in Agriculture, Balclutha.

THE Gatlins District, or what is more commonly known as the bush district of Otago, is that part of South Otago beyond the Molyneux River, extending to the southern provincial boundary of Otago and , inland for some twenty to twenty-five miles. The subj ectmatter of this article was obtained in connection with a survey of ninety farms in the district. Various details and statistics were obtained from these ninety settlers, and general observations were made over a period of twelve months. For convenience the district has been examined in two sections, the main portion dealt with being the area from the Gatlins Lake and River to Chaslands, as representing one type of development, as apart' from the area north of the Catlins. River. Dealing first with the main area ; this covers the survey districts of Tautuku, Woodlands, and Rimu, which are situated in the coastal region south of the Catlins River and bounded by the Coast, the Southland provincial boundary, and the tussock runs of Kuriwao and inland Catlins. Generally speaking, the climate is wet, cool, and dull. Temperatures are . not 32 —Ag. Journal.

extreme, being fairly cold in winter and fairly warm in summer. Frosts are experienced,. but; are not severe. , Mists and misty rains are frequent during certain seasons. Rainfall is high for

Otago, being in the vicinity of 40 in. to 45 in. Last' year the fall was 55 in. Winds are frequent during certain seasons, but not strong or regular. . The soil is very similar over the whole area, though variations do occur. Only a geologist could confidently state the composition, but one would not be farwrong in classing it as a clay loam, high in clay of a coarse friable nature and high in humus and undecayed vegetable matter. Signs of a hard ironstone pan are present in numerous places, sometimes combined with a black layer of a peaty nature, particularly in low-lying swamp areas or on some of the slopes previously covered by kamahi and birch. Without doubt, a considerable amount of leaching due to high rainfall and slow surface movement of water owing to dense forest-growth has taken place. As the result of this leaching and the presence of undecayed organic matter the - soil is inclined to be sour and low in fertility, and consequently responds to lime manure and adequate and deep cultivation. Movement of soil moisture, up or down appears tor be slow as a result .of peat and hard pans. The parent rock is hard, being probably ironstone, sandstone, &c.

Addition of lime, aeration, and thorough cultivation result in a fertile soil. Although the soil may have been formed during another period of vegetation, it has evolved under rain forest.

From Bush to Grass.

An outline of the evolution of grassland farming in the Catlins district will convey the right impression of what is being done now, and what will be attempted in the direction of 'deforestation in . the future. . Felling the bush is the first step. The criterion of good bush-felling is to provide eventually a dense network of dry timber that will carry a fire and burn fiercely. ' When undergrowth is heavy this . entails underscrubbing to deal with lawyers and creepers, for when the bush is felled these will grow and prevent a good clean burn. In the case of deciduous trees cutting when in full leaf is desirable, and this work should be carried out as quickly as possible to ensure uniform drying. The cutting and felling is hard toil, being mostly axe and saw work. It is essential that two or more men work together, however, as accidents may voccur in spite of every precaution. Partial scarfing of trees which are crashed by the . complete felling of a large .. tree on a higher level is not generally, practised, as lawyers and creepers survive and • : prevent a good burn.

Best Time for Burning.

The time at which evergreen trees are cut is immaterial, provided felling is carried out early enough to ensure that the fallen bush will be dry when burning weather is experienced. It is considered that late spring is the best time for felling as the trees have rushed up soft, sappy growth and are then entering a more dormant period. The time of burning is influenced mainly,by. the weather. Burning in the autumn, following a spring

felling, is the most popular in this district, and is most reliable as a rule, though the most spectacular results are obtained from an early spring burn following a summer felling, provided a wet winter and spring has not hastened weed-growth. In the latter case the solid wood . appears to burn well and there is much less “ tracking ” of the burn to do to enable stock to work over the area efficiently. The cost per acre of felling varies considerably from one area to another and is largely dependent upon several factors.

These are accessibility, density, and amount of undergrowth, these last two factors . being dependent upon whether the area has been previously milled or not. Averages are unreliable, but £3 per acre might be accepted as an average, cost. ... ■ Burning the fallen bush is a tricky task. It is advisable to wait for a hot day with a favourable wind. The wind should be strong enough to fan the flames, yet not of such force to rush the fire over the area or endanger adjacent unfelled areas of forest or fields of. grass. Forest fires are necessarily a feature of all bush districts, but care should be exercised to ensure reasonable safety.

Clean Burn Desirable.

Although the desirability of a clean burn may be emphasized at this stage, there is another point that requires emphasis. The cycle of bringing bush land into grass may be compared with the work of a bricklayer. Upon the firmness of the previous bricks depend the strength of subsequent layers of bricks, moreover the whole plan must be carefully planned, keeping in view the purpose of the component bricks. ; • Similarly the system adopted for felling must provide a firm foundation for burning, both of which must be properly

executed before successful establishment of pasture can be expected, all of which are of little use unless suitable management and type of grazing animals is adopted. A fault in any one step will cause a partial break in the chain and the whole process will be retarded for several years. A good, clean burn is the keystone of success. Following on the burn, and depending upon its effectiveness, a system of tracking or opening up must be carried out. This is done to facilitate seeding and to allow the grazing animals to “ work ” the burn, controlling weed-growth as well as the growth of pasture. This is the first important phase in the control of secondary growth.

Surface Sowing of Seed.

The next process is the surface sowing of the seed on the bush burn. Seeding should take place as soon as possible after burning in order to make use of the warmth and cover of the ashes for germination, and to take full advantage of the fertility of the ashes before the rain leaches it out. If this is done the grass gets an equal start with the weed-seeds present and the pasture has a better chance of establishing. The method of grazing adopted is in most cases influenced by the location and condition of the burn. Usually the seed is sledged or packed up leading ridges and deposited at intervals along the top

of the burn. Sowing is carried out by hand, the seed being broadcast from a tray or canvas container carried in front of the operator. It is essential that the container should be of such a style as to allow freedom of action for both arms. The containers are filled from the chain of sacks and replenished as required. In some cases sighters are used to ensure that all the burn is being covered. Perhaps the most important point in surface sowing is to see that the right grassmixture and strain of species within the mixture is used.

A Typical Mixture.

The following mixture represents the average type of pasture mixture adopted in the Catlins district - Pounds per Acre. Cocksfoot . . ..17 Perennial rye-grass . . 13 Timothy . . . . 2 Dogstail .. .. J White clover . . .. 2 J Total .. .. (35 Italian rye-grass, when included, is sown at from 5 lb. to 10 lb. per acre.

Trefoil, Lotus major, or red. clover are sometimes sown either alone or mixed to the extent of i| lb. per acre. The above figures emphasize the importance that was placed on cocksfoot .and white clover in the mixture. As indicated, the average rate of seeding is in the vicinity of 35 lb. per acre. . This figure varies considerably and depends largely, on the density of stumps and logs, &c., but generally the seeding is quite high. This analysis of the pasture mixtures reveals the fact that first-class pasture mixtures suitable only for very high-class soils subject to ideal management have been largely used in the past. As already indicated,’ the soil types in this district are not very fertile and can be classed as second and third class. It is a wellestablished fact that to maintain a firstclass pasture in a productive state soil fertility must be .high. It is obvious, then, that the use of such pasture mixtures has been one of the main factors bringing about deterioration in the Gatlins.

Second-class Soil.

On a second (or third) class soil a grass mixture suitable to this standard of fertility should have been employed, for with such a mixture there is a reason-, able chance of holding , the country and preventing secondary growth. There are valleys throughout the district where very fine pastures can be maintained providing liming and top-dressing are practised, but on the hills a second-class mixture should have been used. Cocksfoot does exceptionally well under suitable management and should be included in all mixtures, but the inclusion of some of the other high-fertility grasses at the rates mentioned is a doubtful procedure.

Obviously, brown-top should be included in mixtures for sowing all but the most favoured spots, while Poa pratensis is another species which should be given consideration. No doubt, opposition to the inclusion of such species as browntop and Poa pratensis will be met with by settlers in the district, for they are not grasses suitable for the production of butterfat, but the point is that with an option between a second-class pasture or secondary growth the choice must go to the second-class pasture. A mixture somewhat along the following lines for country subject to rapid deterioration should be adopted : - . ' Pounds per Acre. Certified cocksfoot . . 10 Certified perennial rye-grass 11 Certified brown-top . . . 1 Certified white clover ... 1 Poa pratensis . .. . . 1 Timothy . . ' . . 2 Crested dogstail . . . , 3 Lotus major , . . .. ■ > 1 Total . . . . 30

Inclusion of Turnips.

The inclusion of turnip-seed in the mixture depends upon the season of sowing. In a spring or summer burn the inclusion of i lb. of swede or soft turnip is a sound practice. In several instances a good crop of swedes has provided an attractive bulk of feed without interfering with the establishment of the pasture. With such a crop stock penetrate the burn much more efficiently and so help to remove possible cover for weedgrowth. In autumn burns late sowings are inimical to the development of a heavy crop of swedes or turnips. The inclusion of from 5 lb. to 10 lb. of Italian rye-grass to serve the same purpose is worth considering. It is perhaps unnecessary to emphasize the desirability of bringing in only an area as large, as can be effectively stocked with the number and type of cattle necessary to control young growth of fuchsia, wineberry, fern, &c. Where a large area is being developed stock concentration is rarely high enough to cause effective control by eating and trampling developing scrub. Where an area is heavily stocked during the early life of a recently sown burn, by using the area as a night paddock, a run-out from swedes or chou moellier, or a concentration camp for hay feeding, all leafage is readily removed and an area clear of scrub results. The concentration is conducted at the expense of the already clean areas, but it is preferable to make a good job of a small area, rather than an indifferent job of a large one. Concurrent with this concentration of stock should be the frequent piling of logs and decaying wood around the stumps of trees harbouring bidi-bidi, ferns, &c. The piles are fired when climatic conditions are suitable. One becomes more convinced of the importance of hard work and prolonged effort at this critical stage, the more one sees the success that has accompanied such effort. (To be continued.)

I The problems of | | converting the heavily | I timbered country of the j | Catlin’s district of Otago j | into farm lands are dealt | I with in this article, which | | is the' first of a series | i resulting from a survey | I of the area. Many of the | I difficulties encountered are | I common to all areas | j where agriculture has t | superseded the New Zea- | I land native' bush and the | | practical advice contained | | in these articles will no I doubt prove of great | . value beyond the confines f I of the investigation. | (fiiiKimm