Farming During The War Period

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 60, Issue 6, 15 June 1940, Page 425

Farming During The War Period

FOR the duration of the war all farmers are subject to the patriotic urge to increase production of the necessary and vital foodstuffs demanded by the Allies. This effort is, and will be, handicapped to some extent by lack of manual help and, at the very least, by less efficient labour offering. Consequently, the farmer’s efforts must be directed towards reducing this handicap to a minimum, although, of necessity, efficient farm labour will become ever decreasing. This shortage of labour may be minimised to some extent on many farms by the increasing use of machinery, and in this connection the tractor has already played a big part,

- By -

A. STUART,

Instructor in Agriculture, Invercargill.

and will, before long, play a still bigger part. On the other hand, tractors have been acquired on many farms where the size of the farm really does not warrant the expenditure. An Appeal It is to this class of tractor-owner that an appeal is made to assist their neighbours in whatever contract work should be offering. In many cases two or more farmers could co-operate to advantage in the purchase of a tractor. Co-operation in the harvesting of crops has already reached a very high standard, and there is no reason why. this valuable co-operation could not be extended in other directions. Increasing Production As far' as Southland is concerned, once the land has been adequately drained and is carrying a reasonable sward of - grasses and clovers, the greatest increase would result from the increased use of lime and fertilisers. Production on many farms has been doubled and even quadrupled this last

decade due to this, one factor, but even on farms where this has occurred it will be found in many cases that the whole farm does not receive an annual topdressing. The first necessity is to check upon your lime requirements. No province uses more lime than Southland, but at the same time no province requires it more, associated as it is—particularly

on the coastal districts with a relatively high uniform rainfall throughout the year and with a clay subsoil. Other things being equal, it is found as a general rule that dairy farms will require more lime than sheep farms, as evidently greater quantities are removed with the milk supplied to cheese factories than with lamb and wool. Generally speaking, it will be found good farming practice to apply one ton of carbonate of lime when the land is broken up for swedes, and a second application of a similar quantity before sowing out to grass. This should be sufficient to carry on for four to five years unless the land is very deficient. At the end of this period light applications of lime to coincide with the anA

nual dressings of phosphate should be started. s Two Important Points Where grass mixtures are sown with a nurse . crop, as is often the case on the coastal 'districts referred to, excellent results are achieved by the phosphate topdressing of the grass in its first autumn following the removal of the crop,' that is, after harvesting in the case of a cereal, or after feedingoff in the case of rape or turnips. This topdressing frequently makes all the difference between an excellent pasture for the next ten years or an indifferent one throughout its life. A second mistake too often made is in not increasing the number of livestock in accordance • with an increased topdressing programme. Unless this is taken into consideration, the sheep farmer in particular may find himself in a very much worse position at the end of the season, not only by the amount expended on topdressing, but he may also have a liability of more lambs which have not fattened due to inadequately controlled, pastures. The

dairy farmer may be more fortunate as adequate supplies of hay and ensilage are essential for the winter period, and extra quantities of these materials, if conserved, provide an excellent form of insurance. Take Advantage of Certification On a dairy farm of average size pastures do not remain down for a period greater than eight years, but on a fat' lamb farm pastures remain down for at least double that period. Consequently, the cost of the seeds mixture can be spread over a period of from eight to twenty years, and this fact should be kept in the foreground. The farmer’s main requirements in seeds can i now be obtained as certified —perennial ryegrass, Italian ryegrass, cocksfoot, white clover, Montgomery red clover, and broad red clover. It is false economy to sow a so-called perennial ryegrass which would disappear in eighteen months when a true perennial is obtainable at double the price. The same applies to imported cocksfoot in comparison with certified lines. Perhaps the greatest contrast of

all is obtained when a poor strain of white clover is sown. in the mixture as against a certified strain, and yet many farmers do not sow white clover, being content to wait for volunteer growth. This growth is, in most cases, of the annual type, and is late away' in the spring. In some seasons it may be prolific in February, but the following year practically non-existent. A good strain of white clover is indispensable, and is the nitrogen factory of the farm. It should be there at the beginning and remain throughout the life of the pasture, and the farmer should not have to wait at least two years for it to increase, for all this time production is being reduced by its absence. If true perennials are sown the need for the inclusion of certified white clover becomes more imperative, as there is stronger competition from these perennial grasses. Without adequate clover representation in the sward, grass starves from lack; of nitrogen and becomes unthrifty and unpalatable, and the grazing, livestock suffer accordingly.