Making Most Efficient Use Of Phosphatic Fertilisers

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 63, Issue 1, 15 July 1941, Page 19

Making Most Efficient Use Of Phosphatic Fertilisers

■:■■■<>■■■■■■ By ■■■■■■■<■■■■■■>■>»■»■■»■■>■•£

I. L. ELLIOTT,

s Supervisor of Fertiliser i I Supplies, Wellington. 1

ALTHOUGH it is to be regretted that it has been necessary to restrict the use of fertiliser, there is hardly any real need to remind farmers that the position might well have been much worse. On many farms, however, there will be considerable areas which will not suffer greatly through lack of fertiliser, and once again' the point must be emphasised that each farmer must give very careful consideration to the use of the fertiliser he receives as efficiently as possible. In general the rationing scheme is divided into three sections, the first catering for the supply of superphosphate for topdressing purposes, the second for the supply of phosphatic fertiliser for cropping, and the third for the supply of fertiliser in small quantities such as are required by town dwellers for use in their vegetable gardens. The amount of each order that will ultimately, be delivered to the farmer will be determined on the completion of returns of the last two years’ usage of phosphatic fertiliser for topdressing purposes. With regard to crops, the amount which will be available for each crop has been set out in the schedule and will be rigidly adhered to, as it is felt that the allowances made are sufficient. it must be realised that these restrictions have become necessary and that all classes of farmers will to some extent be affected, although all crops have been afforded the best possible allocation in the circumstances. Obtaining the Best Results In normal times it was realised that, to obtain the best results, fertiliser must be used in its most efficient manner. This is emphasised more than ever now that onjy restricted supplies are available. Farmers should therefore use the supplies they can obtain only on their best pastures and on those which are, in general, well supplied with clovers. Any other features,

such as good grazing technique, which tend to make more efficient use of pasture growth automatically assist in making more efficient use of fertiliser. On the farm, too, a certain amount may be done to preserve and utilise fully materials which are at present wasted. Particularly is this so on dairy farms, and readers are referred to an article by the Crop Experimentalist, A. G. Elliott, which appeared in the “Journal” for August, 1939, page 113, and to an article in this issue by G. A. Blake. In this connection the

following estimate made by the Scottish Department of Agriculture of the value of liquid manure from dairy herds is of , interest. According to this authority, the liquid manure from a herd of forty dairy cows would,-in twenty-five weeks, be worth £SO, or 25s per cow. Three and a half tons of potash salts, 21 tons of sulphate of ammonia, and half a ton of superphosphate would be necessary to supply the same quantity of plant food as provided by the liquid manure of the forty cows. Just another example of the value of farmyard manure, which is now more often wasted than utilised. On sheep farms the use of harrows will greatly assist in the efficient distribution of any animal droppings. The farmer would also be well ad-

vised to ensure that/the pasture itself is in the best state of growth for the application of the fertiliser. Distribution of , fertiliser on paddocks on which much rough, old growth has accumulated will result in much wastage. Some Fertilisers Not Affected It has to be stressed that the rationing of phosphatic fertilisers applies only to phosphatic fertilisers as defined on the form which farmers have to returnthat is, superphosphate, reverted superphosphate, basic slag, compounded slag, Heskett slag, Seychelles

and Walpole guano, Kotkur and K-phos, Nauru phosphate, and any other phosphatic guano or rock phosphate. The term . “phosphate” does not include such other organic phosphatic fertilisers as bonedust or blood and bone, nor any of the potash manures, nor purely nitrogenous fertilisers. These materials, . together with - lime, which are unaffected by rationing, will form a useful basis with which to bulk up supplies of phosphatic fertiliser. Before making up a mixture, however, it would be wise for the farmer, if he feels it necessary, to obtain advice to help him to

do this in the best possible way. Where supplies of lime are available cheaply and near the farm, it may be better to consider making the mixture himself rather 'than, having this . done at the manufacturers’ works or by some mixing agent in order to avoid double railage on the lime. The farmer would be wise, also, to ask for a careful statement of how the price of such a mixture is reached. An average of all swede and turnip mixtures registered this year indicates that approximately 70 per cent., of the mixtures consist of phosphatic fertiliser as defined above. In the schedule, however, an amount of IJcwt.. per acre is allowed for turnips and swedes. If a mixture is made up which approximates to the average registered turnip and swede mixture, it will be possible by the use of fertilisers not affected by the rationing to increase this IJcwt. per acre to 2£cwt. per acre. In other words, the ljcwt. of phosphatic fertiliser allowed in the schedule is the equivalent of 2|cwt. of the average mixture sold for fertilising roots and forage crops.

Radio Broadcasts

RADIO broadcasts to farmers will be given from IYA Auckland at 7.15 p.m. on the following dates: — July 28. —Young Farmers’ Club Notes: Mr. J. M. Smith, Fields Superintendent, Hamilton. August “Spring Cropping”: Mr. H. Woodyear-Smith, Auckland. August —“Feed Flavour Control in the Bay of Plenty”: Mr. A. V. Allo, Instructor in Agriculture, Tauranga. August “Brooding of Chickens”: Mr. E. C. Jarrett, Poultry Instructor, Auckland. August —Young Farmers’ Club Notes: Secretary of the Auckland Council. PIG INDUSTRY BROADCASTS. The following programme of radio broadcasts for farmers will be given under the auspices of the National Pig Industry Council:— k , IYA, August 21, 7.15 p.m.—“Elimination of Pig Losses”: N. W. Carter, Bay of Plenty District Pig Council. 2YH, Napier, August 14, 7.30 p.m.— “Housing and Equipment”: I. Owtram, Tairawhiti District Pig Council (Gisborne). 3YA,. July 17, 7.15 p.m.—Subject not decided: H. W. Mclntosh, Canterbury Pig Council. 4YA, August 11, 7.15 p.m. “Pig Feeding”: N. Macdonald, Otago District Pig Council. , 2ZA, Palmerston North, August 19, 8.30 p.m.—“Care of Litters”: L. Marsdon, Wellington District Pig Council.