Otago and Southland District.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 58, Issue 1, 20 January 1939, Page 47

Otago and Southland District.

Contributed by the FIELDS DIVISION.

FIELD competitions were again conducted in the Otago and Southland district during the 1936-37 season. In Southland competitions were conducted in connection with (a) prize farms, (b) swedes, and (c) soft turnips. In Otago there were classes for (a) pastures, (b) swedes, : and (c) ewe hoggets, and in North Otago for (a) mangels, and (6) swedes. , AW- : The competition for the prize farm in Southland is divided "into two classes, one being for farms under 250 acres in extent and the other fory areas ; over 250 acres. The properties are visited at least twice a year by three judges appointed by the . Southland . Agricultural and Pastoral ; Association, . and one of these judges is the local; Instructor in Agriculture. Points are awarded under the following ■ headings 1 (1) Steading, yards, &c., 50; - (2) ‘. subdivision and shelter, 40 ; (3) drainage, ■4O ; (4) ? crops, 100 ; (5) stock, 175 ; (6) pastures, 145 ; (7) implements and plant, 25 ; (8) absence of weeds and rabbits, 25 ; (9) economics, 400 : total points, 1,000.

Winners in Farm Classes.

| In the season under review there were four entries for the class under 250 acres and five entries in the class over 250 acres. The winner of the small-farm class * was Mr. G. Lindsay, of Drummond, whose

points according to the above scale were 39, 29, 36, 60, 125, , 136, 22, 25, 288 : total, 760. 1 In the large-farm class Mr. J. T. , May, of Winton, was the winner with points as follows : 49, 34, 38, 70, 140, 145, 25, 25, 290 : total, 816. Mr. Lindsay’s farm, which consists of 199 acres of heavy flat, is utilized principally for the production of fat lambs, while a considerable proportion is used to. produce oats for sale. The area of

Mr. May’s property is 372 acres of partly rolling and partly flat country, and here again the production of fat lambs is the main activity. . ■ : In the soft-turnip class in, Southland there were four entries, compared with six last season, and the winner of this class was Mr. A. O. Fleming, of Mabel, who grew a crop weighing at 48 tons per acre and scoring ■B5 points. This crop was sown at the rate of 8| oz,' on

2nd December after a ton of crushed limestone had been applied to the furrow. Before sowing, 2 cwt. of borated superphosphate ' (containing 20 lb. of borax) was top-dressed on to the ground, . and 3 cwt. of a mixture of equal parts of superphosphate, basic slag, and Seychelles guano was sown with the seed. ; 1 •

Swede Classes.

The winner of the swede class in Southland was Mr. Jas. Stevenson, of Wendon, who grew a crop of Majestic swedes yielding 63 tons and scoring 98 points. The seen was sown at the rate of 11 oz. per acre in 28 in. ridges during the first week of November, and 2-|- cwt. of a proprietary mixture of manure was sown with the - seed. Mr. Jas. Grant, of Bayswater, grew a crop which yielded equally well, but he dropped, a point for evenness. This latter crop was Masterpiece, and 10 oz. of seed was sown about the middle of November with 4 cwt. per acre of a mixture of equal parts of superphosphate, blood and bone, and Seychelles guano. ' In Otago the heaviest crop, which yielded 75 tons 13 cwt., was grown on Chicory Farm, Inchclutha. There were 48 entries, compared with 43 the previous season. Early and thorough cultivation again proved of advantage in the production of high yields, while . double ploughing, were practiced, proved of additional advantage, particularly where the crop followed lea. In North Otago

the winning crop was that of Mr. A. Gray, whose crop weighed out at 48 tons 14 cwt. per acre.

Mangel Classes.

Mangel classes were confined to North Otago, and here seven entries averaged 56 tons 13 cwt. per acre. The winning crop was that grown by Mr. A. C. Hurst at Papakaio, and this weighed out at 70 tons 10 cwt. The mangel crop is one

which might be given more consideration in North Otago. It is a crop that stands up to relatively dry conditions provided it gets a good start in the spring. No other fodder crop would be likely to yield anything approaching 56 tons on the average throughout this district. The greatest interest in Otago centres around the pasture classes. Thirty-four entries were received, and these covered the districts of Central Otago, Lawrence,

Waitahuna, Milton, and South Otago. The champion pasture of Otago was that of Mr. A. Lindsay, of Fruitlands, Central Otago, and this paddock gained 92 points in the spring and gi| points in the autumn, a total of 183 J points. This was a six-year-old dairying pasture composed of a good mixture of rye-grass, cocksfoot, timothy, and white clover. 1 Although cut for hay after the spring judging, it made an excellent recovery, and the main grass at the autumn judging was cocksfoot. Mr. Lindsay adopts a regular topdressing programme, using chiefly 2 cwt. of superphosphate and 1 cwt. sulphate of ammonia per annum. Second place was secured by Mr. E. Iversen, of Earnscleugh, Central Otago, who gained 91J points at both judgings. This pasture is a very, old sheep pasture. Both of these placed pastures were irrigated. Mr. R. Brown, of Wairuna, South Otago, filled third place with a three-year-old pasture, scoring 180 points.

Live-stock Competition.

The live-stock competition consisted of classes for ewe hoggets. Just as three roots do not truly represent a crop, neither does a small pen of sheep represent a flock, and it is felt that the ewe hogget competition will result in a general

improvement to the flock rather than improvement to a few individual members of the flock. Three classes were decided on, and these were—(i) for ewe hoggets suitable for fat-lamb production, (2) for ewe hoggets suitable for wool-production, and (3) for ewe hoggets suitable for dual purpose. Two alterations were made to the rules for the season, and these were—(l) the reduction from 50 to 30 for the minimum flock, and (2) the number of hoggets to be 15 per cent, of the ewes put to the ram in. place of 20 per cent, as previously. Details of placings are as follow : Maniototo— Ewe hogget for fat lamb : Mrs. Vera Blakely. Ewe hogget for wool : ? Mr.' W. Gibson. Ewe hogget for dual purpose: Mr. A. Stringer. Lakes District — Ewe hogget for dual purpose : Mr. J. S. Brown. Millers Flat District — Ewe hogget for fat lambs : Mr. K. - Wright. Ewe hogget for wool : Mr. F. J. Smith. Kelso District— Ewe hogget for dual purpose : Mr. . A. McPherson.

Value of Competitions. These competitions are playing , a useful part in farming in the southern provinces. . They encourage farmers to study one another’s methods, and the judging day, carried out, as it is, with frequent demonstrations, is a field-day from which much useful . knowledge must come. Already the size of the parties accompanying the judges has grown, and many farmers look forward each year to this day’s outing. The general organization is undertaken by the Farmers’ Union, agricultural and pastoral societies, and the Department of Agriculture working in complete harmony, and the judging is undertaken by stockbreeders of note as far as the live-stock classes are concerned, and by officers of the Fields Division in the field classes. ■fr ‘ "fr ... •fl-