Silage Making, Subterranean Clover, Fertilisers for Potatoes

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 81, Issue 4, 16 October 1950, Page 309

Silage Making, Subterranean Clover, Fertilisers for Potatoes

SEASONAL NOTES Contributed by the EXTENSION DIVISION SEASONAL work for the provision of supplementary feed for next winter should now receive attention. North Island farmers will be concerned with the provision' of ample hay and silage, while South Island farmers will rely largely on root and green forage crops, although the practice of wintering ewes on lucerne hay is expanding in Canterbury. In both islands the wider use of short-rotation ryegrass would improve winter livestock feeding on both dairy and fattening farms, and all plans.for autumn pasture sowings should be made with due consideration for a wider use of this valuable winter feed producer.

SILAGE The earlier a pasture is cut for silage the higher will be the feeding value of the material ensiled and the better the grazing secured from the aftermath. Every endeavour should be made to cut pastures for silage before the flowering of the chief grasses present. * * * STACKING With dry material, harvesting and stacking SILAGE should proceed as rapidly as possible; with succulent material, harvesting need not proceed so rapidly except toward the completion of the stack, as the last portion is always liable to overheating. In making stack silage the sides of the stack should be kept perpendicular to avoid excessive waste, and in windy weather a tarpaulin placed round the windward side of the stack will assist in maintaining even temperature and settling and reduce the risk of the stack falling over. * * * COVERING Though most silage stacks are covered with STACKS earth, it has been found in certain districts that if the grass ensiled is in the leafy stage, good silage can be made without covering it, provided that for three successive days after completion the stack is tramped for 15 to 20 minutes to exclude air from the top layer. * ■ * * SUBTERRANEAN Subterranean clover is being used CLOVER increasingly to improve the production of dry-land pastures. Subterranean clover is an annual, and there are three main essentials in the successful establishment of the plant:' Sowing at the right time, adequate topdressing with phosphates (and lime if necessary), and spelling in the first flowering season. ■ * * * FIRST-SEASON As subterranean clover is an annual, SPELLING it is essential to obtain a good reseeding the first season. For this reason it is imperative that the stand should be spelled in late spring and early summer, when the plants

are sending out runners and forming seed. Even a moderate strike of subterranean clover can be transformed into a good stand in the following autumn if the area is properly spelled. On the other hand if an excellent strike is heavily grazed in late spring and early summer, it may result in ultimate failure or at best a patchy sward. The importance of allowing a first-season seeding cannot be overemphasised. * * * . PROLIFIC • Once a good cover of subterranean clover RESEEDING as been established by reseeding no further special treatment need be given - in future years. The reason for this is that one good reseeding will allow several hundred pounds of seed to the acre to be shed compared with an original sowing of 4or 51b. Well-established stands of subterranean clover have been known to re-establish and still provide a good cover after two successive years of grass-grub attack.

FERTILISERS FOR The average increase in yield of POTATOES potatoes from an application of 3cwt. per acre of superphosphate in 93 experiments has been I4cwt. per acre or a 14 per cent, increase. A hundredweight per acre of sulphate of ammonia in addition to 3cwt. of superphosphate raised yields in 105 trials by an average of a further Bcwt. per acre or a 7 per cent, increase. Sulphate of potash at lewt. per acre in addition to 3cwt. of superphosphate and lewt. of sulphate of ammonia raised potato yields in 97 experiments by an average of 2cwt. per acre or a 1J per cent, increase. Based on these figures the standard fertiliser recommended for. potatoes is a 3:1 mixture of superphosphate and sulphate of ammonia applied at varying rates per acre according to the type of crop and locality. Where a potash response is likely the mixture usually recommended is 3:1:1 of superphosphate, sulphate of ammonia, and sulphate of potash. A series of trials conducted in recent years showed that the effect of sulphate of ammonia in increasing yield was most marked where it had been applied with the seed. It is recommended, therefore, that all the fertiliser be applied in the furrow with the seed.

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