Pasture Improvement By Crop Rotation

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 62, Issue 5, 15 May 1941, Page 337

Pasture Improvement By Crop Rotation

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A. D. MERCER

I Fields Instructor, Greymouth. i "iiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiZ

Manuring and Seed Mixtures For West Coast Land

THE rotation suggested in the previous article is as follows: . First Year.—Autumn-sown oats and tares; followed by turnips or rape sown with temporary seeds mixtures. Second —Temporary ley. Third . —Temporary ley. Fourth Year. — to permanent pasture. ' , In adopting a course of manuring over this period, Consideration must be given to the immediate needs of each crop and to securing the maximum benefit for the ensuing pasture. First Essential The first essential on all West Coast soils, once adequate drainage is provided, is a liberal dressing of lime. The most suitable form for application locally is a mixture of burnt lime and crushed limestone, commonly known as “half and half.” The initial dressing, should be at the rate of 1 ton per acre, and the manuring, 3cwt. of basic

slag or superphosphate per acre, which for convenience and to facilitate sowing may safely be mixed with the lime provided that, the mixture is not allowed to stand for any length of time. Seeding should be at the rate of two bushels of oats and one bushel of winter . tares per acre. This crop is ready for feeding-off or making into silage in the spring. It is nutritious and palatable feed either for sheep or dairy cattle, and is at the most nutritious stage, when the plants begin to flower. In addition to their, value for stock, tares possess the property, common to all leguminous plants, of enriching the soil in nitrogen, while at the same time having a smothering effect on weeds.

Turnips or Rape As soon as this crop is fed-off, the land should be ploughed and prepared for a sowing of turnips or rape together with a grass and clover mixture. Manuring in this case should be 2cwt. per acre of superphosphate or a mixture of super and ground rock phosphate. These ground rock phosphates produce their best results on soils deficient in lime, particularly on swampy or peaty soils and in a district of high rainfall. , ' Turnips and rape are among the crops which seem capable' of deriving the maximum benefit from this type of phosphate, which will also, by reason of its comparatively low solubility, prove of benefit to succeeding crops,, which in the system under discussion is a consideration of some, importance. Seeds Mixture The seeds mixture to be sown with the turnips or rape for a short-term ley of two years would be: — Per acre. Certified Italian ryegrass .. 251 b. < -Red clover 41b. Alsike clover ..; 21b. If it is intended to extend the period to three years the seeding should be modified to a certain extent by the addition of timothy, although on fertile soils under West Coast conditions a good strain of Italian ryegrass will persist for a surprisingly long time. The addition of timothy, however, would be a decided advantage if hay is to be made. The mixture would then be: — Per acre. Certified Italian ryegrass .. 151 b. - Timothy 101 b. Alsike clover 31b. Red clover 31b. Feeding-off When grass is sown with turnips care must be taken to ensure that feedingoff the turnips is not too long delayed,

otherwise the grass becomes too rank in growth and possibly musty underneath. A heavy concentration of stock and a quick grazing-off will ensure that the sward carries a comparatively short fresh growth through the winter. The other extreme is also to be avoided, for if grazing is too hard and prolonged the sward is weakened and recovery in the spring is slower than it should be. Provided the dressings of lime and phosphates recommended. for the previous crops have been applied, this seeding. should make good growth for the two years of its duration without further topdressing unless in exceptional circumstances. It should provide two cuts of hay and grazing at that time of year when poor pastures are running to seed. Final Ploughing After the second crop of hay has been taken the final ploughing and subsequent cultivation is carried out through the .summer in readiness for the autumn-sowing of the grass mixture. At this stage a further application of one ton of lime and 3cwt. of basic slag or superphosphate per acre

should be sufficient to maintain the pasture in good condition for the next three or four years. Basic slag is another slow-acting phosphate, the response from which is perceptible over a longer period than is the case with a . readily soluble fertiliser, such as superphosphate, and although the cost per ton is higher in the case of slag, the outlay over a period is not so heavy, as. applications are not necessary at such frequent intervals .as is the case when superphosphate is employed. Basic slag was used to some extent on the West Coast some years ago, and gave excellent results. Permanent Pasture The seed mixtures to be sown in order to secure a high-producing permanent pasture will vary considerably in a district such as the West Coast, and must be modified in different areas to suit local conditions of soil and climate. In this matter farmers can always obtain individual advice, but a typical mixture for the rich lands of the river-flat type may be given.

On Lighter Lands On the lighter terrace lands of totara country the following mixture could serve as a guide. Cocksfoot is included in this mixture and omitted from the previous one, but either mixture may be modified to suit particular systems of management. It is useless to sow cocksfoot unless the pasture can be but lightly grazed by cattle for the first two years; it is easily eaten out under hard grazing, while establishment is often prevented by a too heavy seeding of ryegrass. Unless, therefore, it is intended to give the cocksfoot some consideration in order to secure its establishment it is better omitted from the sowing altogether and the ryegrass and timothy increased accordingly.

Lotus major has a distinct sphere of usefulness on practically all soil types on rough unploughable country, where its establishment is the first step to-

wards stock carrying and subsequent breaking in, but on good level pastures it should be replaced by more productive species. Mixtures somewhat similar to these, sown on land in good heart and adequately prepared by thorough cultivation, will treble the stock-carrying capacity of the greater part of the present West Coast grass lands. Summary First-class permanent pasture must be the basis of West Coast farming

practice, and the plough is the sole means of establishing it.

Pastures cannot be maintained in first-class condition without an occasional use of the mower, demanding the reasonably smooth surface resulting from ploughing rough grassland. A definite system must be evolved, necessarily in most cases on a small scale, by means of which a planned rotation of crops will ensure a preparatory period of cultivation. During this period the crops grown will increase the stock-carrying capacity and provide feed at different seasons, at the same time maintaining the fertility of the land and bringing it to a fit condition for a seed-bed. Adequate lime must be supplied, and phosphates of a slow-acting nature, such as basic slag or ground rock phosphates, are likely to prove the most economical under the prevailing conditions. The inclusion of cocksfoot in any seed mixture depends on whether the system of stocking and pasture management is such as to give it a reasonable chance of establishing. In the majority of instances, this is not the case at present.

Manures for Maize

“HOKIANGA” (RAWENE):—

(1) I have been using super and lime for topdressing applied in autumn and have had good result?; would I definitely have as good results in 1941 spring if I applied the lime in December, 1940, and the super in 1941 autumn? (2) What is the best manure or manures for maize in Hokianga district soil sandy clay second class? FIELDS DIVISION:— Following your previous practice of applying super and lime in the autumn with good results, equally as beneficial results should be obtained , from your , proposal to apply the lime in December, 1940, followed by the super in the 1941 autumn. For the manuring of maize on your class of country I would recommend the following mixture:Superphosphate, 3 parts; blood and bone, 1 part; sulphate of ammonia, 1 part. If, however, sulphate of ammonia is not available and ammoniated super is obtainable, the mixture could be modified to: —Ammoniated super, 4 parts; blood and bone, 1 part.

Either of these mixtures could be applied at the rate of 5 cwt. per acre.

Per acre. Certified perennial ryegrass 121b. Certified Italian ryegrass .. 41b. . Timothy . 81b Meadow foxtail 31b. Poa trivialis ............ 21b. Crested dogstail 21b. Alsike clover 21b. Certified Montgomery red clover 21b. Certified white clover .... lib. Total 361b.

Per acre. Certified perennial ryegrass 101b. 101b. Certified Italian ryegrass . . 41b. 41b. Akaroa cocksfoot 101b. 101b. Timothy 61b. Crested dogstail 61b. 21b. s Certified Montgomery red clover .. 21b. Certified white clover ...... 21b. Total .7 ........... 361b. ■;