Farm Practice and Management

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 65, Issue 5, 16 November 1942, Page 293

Farm Practice and Management

The Electric Flood Pump

ALL farm production from the Northern Wairoa river-flats is dependent upon the efficiency of the drainage of-the land. Excess water in the soils of these areas not only originates from the rain which actually falls on the land and the water which runs down off the surrounding hill country; but also from the Northern Wairoa River itself when the tide is full. By cutting off the hill water; by removing the surplus ’ rain water falling on the land itself; and by stopbanking out the river water, can the drainage be made efficient, and the full productive capacity of the land realised?

Perhaps the main essential portion of- the drainage system that must be fully considered and efficiently provided for, is the outlet. On most farms the outlet is provided by means of one of the many types of flood-gates through the stopbank. Near the riverbanks, where the water during the low states of the tide drains away rapidly owing to a good fall, well-constructed floodgates work efficiently. However, many farms, through necessity, place the floodgates across or opening onto drains well back from the river itself. The tidal water flows up the open portions of the drains twice each day, and before long the drains are silted up, vegetation commences to grow, the water from inside the drainage system is blocked from free access and the gate is held open allowing tidal water into the farm areas.

The main outlet of the drainage system on the farm of the Northern Wairoa Experimental and Demonstration Farm Society, Dargaville, is one which presents difficulty in obtaining an efficient outlet. The floodgate was situated some 18 chains back from the Kaihu River, a tributary of the Northern Wairoa River. As the drain is right on the boundary of the property it was not possible to place the floodgate at or near the river bank. With the tide coming up the drain twice a day, the cost of maintaining an efficient outlet was considerable. Even after spending more than £5O in some years, the floodgate would not work efficiently for any length of time. The drain would rapidly silt up and- the gate be held open. After due consideration.of reports from other districts and upon consultation with the County Engineer and the Engineer. to the North Auckland Electric Power Board, it was decided to install an electric flood pump and avoid the , costly mainten-

ance of the long drain which was up to 10 feet deep at places. Further advantages were to be obtained, notably the ability to drain 24 hours of the day with the pump if necessary, as against the limited time between tides. Running Costs The work of installing the outfit was performed in July, 1939, and the pump was ready for working on the Bth August, 1939. The annual costs of running the pump for the three seasons to date work out as follows:-

I The season 1939-40 is not a full season as the pump only commenced working on Bth August,. 1939. During the winter of 1941, the rainfall was much more than for the same period during the . previous year. Butterfat Production Increased Each season, particularly during the

early spring months following the installation of the electric flood pump, marked advantages in the drainage condition of the farm have been noted. A study of production figures for the three months, July to September inclusive, will more readily reveal the economical value of the pump. Production of butterfat is as follows: July to September (inclusive) — 1938 . . . . 2,330 lb. butterfat 1939 .. .. 2,392 „

1940 . . .. 2,941 „ 1941 .. .. 3,522 „ „ The average annual cost of the pump amounting to £l7/4/10 is but small when compared with the increases in butterfat production. During the period the herd has not been in-

creased in numbers, but it has been possible to provide them with more and better feed during the spring months. Thus instead of calving taking place from mid-August to the end of September, the herd now calves between mid-July and end of August. The increases in butterfat are not only evident in the months shown above, but also for the remainder of the season- - —E. H. ARNOLD, Instructor in Agriculture, Dargaville. Vegetables Valued at £20.000,000 a Year. BRITAIN’S amateur gardeners are responding to the “Dig for Victory” drive by growing on their 1,600,000 garden allotments vegetables to- the value of £20,000,000 a year. In addition, hundreds of tons of vegetables are being grown on railway embankments .throughout the country. The Southern Railway alone have 13,000 allotments covering an area of 600 acres. Even densely-populated London has found room for over 38,000 allotments, while in the famous parks of the Metropolis an addition 350 acres are

being farmed for food crops and 600 acres set'aside for sheep grazing. London’s railwaymen are cultivating 2,700 of these allotments, covering 100 acres, while other workers of the London Passenger Transport Board have dug up 36 acres from which they hope to get 400 tons of potatoes. They are also working 120 acres of market garden land at London’s chief bus depot. Altogether, apart from this, the London County Council is now farming 4,000 acres in the City’s Green Belt, and today the citizens of London own 15,000 head of pedigree cattle, 3,000 pigs, 7,000 head of poultry, and 550 sheep. Last year the City’s farms had a record production of 360,000 eggs, 550,000 gallons of milk, 351 tons of meal, 1,668 tons of vegetables, and 81 tons of fruit. SUBSCRIPTION RATES. The Journal is issued monthly. The subscription within New Zealand, which is payable in advance and includes postage, is 2s. 6d. a year. The overseas subscription is ss. Subscriptions should be forwarded or paid direct to any office of the Department of Agriculture in the Dominion. Single copies, price 6d., are available from the Department of Agriculture, Box 3004, Wellington.

Year Interest. Depreciation. £ s. d. Power Charges. £ s. d. Total. £ s. d. £ s. d. 1939-40 . . . . 7 0 0 5 12 0 2 0 11 14 12 11 1940-41 . . , . . 7 0 0 5 12 0 4 16 8 17 8 8 1941-42 - . . . . 7 0 0 5 12 0 7 10 19 13 0