Top-dressing Practice in Southland.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 58, Issue 3, 20 March 1939, Page 261

Top-dressing Practice in Southland.

IT has been truly stated that a good farmer leaves his farm in a better state of fertility at the end of his term compared with the state at which he commenced operations. While farming in Southland is essentially mixed in character, there is no doubt that the grasslands are playing an ever-increasing part in the production of lamb in particular, and, to a lesser extent wool, mutton, and dairy products—mainly cheese in the lastnamed case. The value of top-dressing pastures has long been realized, but there is still room for extension with profitable results. Liming. Unlike farmers in other districts, the average Southland farmer need have no hesitation in applying lime, and the consensus of opinion is that lime is more effective when applied during the course of cultivation. Many progressive farmers have adopted the practice of applying 1 ton - of carbonate : of lime at each ploughing during the cropping rotation. This results in the application of two or three tons of carbonate of lime before sowing out to grass. When it is considered that on the larger farms these pastures may remain down for from twelve to twenty years, this quantity is not excessive, although in addition to this the fairly general practice of applying small 'quantities of lime with the annual application of phosphate is not to be condemned. On the dairyfarms where pastures may be broken up after a period of six to twelve years, lighter applications before sowing out

may be deemed advisable, and where liming has been consistently practised over a life-time the farmer would be wise to obtain a lime-requirement check test of his arable field. This test is carried out free of charge by the Department of Agriculture on application to the local instructor. Phosphates. The next consideration is the phosphate to apply and its time of application. The . choice will lie between superphosphate and basic slag, with the price in most cases being the main consideration in the higher . rainfall districts. Farmers who are obtaining excellent ■ results from either phosphate are not advised ' to make any change. If a trial is desired, divide one paddock, and for each half keep grazing and production figures, which, extended ■. over a number of years, should provide interesting and reliable results. In regard to the time of application the autumn is becoming increasingly popular, and January to March dressings should be the rule in Southland. Dressings after March could more profitably be held over till early spring. In a wet season, such as has been experienced this year, grass-growth has been excellent, but this in turn means a heavier drain on available fertility. Autumn dressings rectify this drain and, in addition, bring about an appreciable increase in growth before the dormant winter period. Coupled with this important advantage lies the fact that early spring growth is also stimulated,

while late spring growth may not provide the same embarrassment to the farmer concerned, as it undoubtedly does with spring top-dressing. The pastures to be top-dressed in the autumn should be the better - class pastures on the farm, and this will mean, in the majority of cases, the younger pastures. Potash. In certain districts of Southland, notably the Edendale Plain, potash salts in addition to phosphate have given very good results. In general, the 30-per-cent. potash salts are used, and these are applied with phosphate in the autumn. In certain instances the palatability of certified perennial rye-grass has been improved by applications of potash, and a number of farmers claim increased fattening capacity from pastures so treated. Nitrogen. Autumn application of nitrogenous fertilizers has made no headway in Southland, but in backward seasons spring applications of ammoniated super to young pastures dominant in rye-grass and on land adequately limed have given excellent results. Generally speaking, provided a pasture has adequate clovers growing throughout the sward, nitrogenous fertilizers are not necessary, the clover-plant itself supplying sufficient nitrogen to ensure adequate growth of grass.

—A. - Stuart,

Instructor in Agricul-

ture, Invercargill.