Wheat Production in the Wairarapa

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 87, Issue 2, 15 August 1953, Page 107

Wheat Production in the Wairarapa

THE world's exportable wheat supply may ■ be regarded as a gigantic bank from which countries unable to provide their own needs draw supplies. With the population increasing in New Zealand and in most other countries the demand on the world's supply .of wheat is steadily becoming greater, and it appears that if New Zealand is to be insured against a shortage in the future, it will be necessary for a greater proportion of the country's requirements to be grown here. In this article W. 8. H. Smith, Fields Instructor, Department of -Agriculture, Masterton, discusses wheat growing in the Wairarapa and gives reasons why it is considered the area used for this crop could be considerably increased in that district. IN the Wairarapa there are approximately 30,000 acres of flat to undulating land with soils of medium to high fertility well suited to wheat growing. The climate of this area, which is situated in Masterton, Wairarapa South, and Featherston Counties, is suited to cropping, rainfall being in the 30 to 40in. range and most summers being hot and dry. Approximately 1200 to 1500 acres is sown to wheat annually, although during the war an effort was made to obtain a greater acreage, resulting in a maximum of 3728 acres in the 1942-43 season. It is considered that the area of wheat in the Wairarapa could readily be increased to 3000 acres without any difficulty and without any appreciable reduction in the production of meat and wool. In the following table the acreages of wheat grown since 1935 are expressed as 4-year averages: —

Area of wheat in the wairarapa, SHOWING ACREAGES BY COUNTIES WairaAverage 4-year Master- rapa Featherperiod ton South ston Totals 1934-35 to 1937-38 498 96 138 732 1938-39 to 1941-42 1008 66 224 1298 1942-43 to 1945-46 1479 381 549 2409 1946-47 to 1949-50 789 261 252 1302 High production from arable soils can be obtained only by sowing pastures with the improved strains of grasses and clovers. A rotation which involves periodic renewal of pastures is necessary if the highest possible level of production is to be maintained. A wheat crop included in the rotation helps in the receiving of some return from the built-up soil fertility and, at the same time, more than covers the cost of resowing. In this way wheat can be beneficial to the fat lamb producer, and the increase obtained from sowing down in new grass more than compensates for the loss of grazing. Soil and Climate Wheat does well on good loams and similar rich soils, but it can be grown on a wide range of soils, its success on some of the lighter types being of course largely dependent on an adequate supply of' moisture in the soil during the final stages of growth rather than on the soil fertility. Three distinct types of . soils suitable for wheat growing in the Wairarapa valley are:—■

1. Takapau silt, loam, containing 6in. of dark, grey-brown silt loam over stony gravel. This soil structure is typical of the main cropping areas of the plains surrounding Masterton and parts of the Carterton and Greytown districts. It is a highfertility soil and the presence of shingle in the subsoil allows free drainage. 2. Kairanga silt loam and . clay loam, containing 6 to 12in. of grey, , heavy silt loam on clay loam. It is a young, fertile soil which is to be found on the flats adjacent to the Ruamahunga River and near Lake Wairarapa. . ' 3. Wanganui loam, a - greyish-black loam overlying 6 to 18in. of , greyishbuff clay loam. A medium-fertility soil typical of the Taratahi Plains and the rolling country in the Martinborough district. ' The climate in these districts is generally favourable for wheat, with plenty of rain for growth, and except in the occasional difficult season conditions are quite satisfactory. , In the lower Wairarapa valley the average rainfall is approximately 30in. yearly and in the northern part of the district it is about 40in. yearly. The distribution is somewhat uneven, most of. the rain falling in winter; summer is usually, dry enough to ensure good harvesting conditions. Land Preparation The methods and amount of cultivation required in preparing land are dependent on soil conditions and the previous crop. A well-prepared seed-

bed is essential for the best results. Most crops are spring sown on lea land which has been ploughed and worked down. With this one-furrow method of handling the lea early ploughing is essential. If the ploughing is done early, weathering agents greatly assist in producing a more mellow soil. Grass paddocks for spring-sown wheat should be ploughed in June to a depth of 6in. A preliminary skim ploughing is not necessary if the turf is thin, as is often the case with old grass stands. When pastures are of a twitchy nature it is often advisable to roll on the furrow to ensure a firm bottom and hasten the decomposition of the turf. Subsequent cultivation should be designed to secure consolidation without too fine a surface. If the surface is very fine, it is liable to cake, especially on the stiffer soils. During July and August the seed-bed is prepared with the discs and harrows by successively shallow working up to sowing time, when the soil texture is coarse and loose on the surface, but fine and firm underneath. Sowing and Manuring Most of the Wairarapa wheat crop is sown during July and August, with a portion of the later sowings extending into September and early October. All wheat sown in spring requires a heavier seeding than if it were autumn sown, because less - tillering takes place with spring-sown crojjs. In higher-rainfall districts, too, thicker seedings can be made, as the necessary moisture is present to bring the

greater number of plants to maturity. Usually 2 to 2| bushels per acre are sown, the heavier seeding rate for heavy land and the lighter for drier soils. • The seed is drilled through every coulter to a depth of about 2in., with light harrows following the drill. Care should be exercised in the setting of the drill to obtain the desired seeding rate, as the quality of the seed affects the seeding rate per acre. Seed wheat which has been slightly sprouted or which contains chipped or broken grain needs to be sown at a heavier rate than well-developed wheat which has been machine dressed. Wheat intended for seed should be machine dressed to remove weed seeds and poor, unprofitable grain and the seed should be treated for control of stinking smut. This is done by dusting the seed with organic mercurial compounds such as “Agrosan” and “Ceresan”. These preparations are in powder form. Treatment consists of thoroughly mixing the powder with the seed wheat, and is usually done while the grain is ' being machine dressed. Dry dusting of the seed does not in any way affect the keeping quality of the grain or injure germination if the wheat , is in good condition when treated and is afterward properly stored. Growers are recommended to use Certified seed, each sack of which carries a Departmental seal and a tag bearing the name of the variety and the registered number of the line. Such seed is the produce' of crops of high purity which are virtually free from

loose smut. . Each Certified line of seed is covered by a purity and germination certificate and growers should examine the certificate before sowing. The use of phosphatic fertilisers with the sowing of wheat is essential to ensure well-grown crops and high yields. The opinion is held that payable results are obtained by using up to 2cwt. of superphosphate per acre. In place of superphosphate, “super, compound” or , serpentine superphosphate can be used with equal results. Trials carried out during the last 6 years have' shown that serpentine superphosphate sown at the same rate per acre as superphosphate will give yields equally as good as those from superphosphate. Varieties to Sow The most suitable wheats for sowing in the Wairarapa must possess . the quick-maturing characteristics required of spring-sown crops. In addition,- they should be good milling wheats with high-yielding capabilities and should be resistant to lodging and grain loss. These characteristics are to be found in Cross 7, Hilgendorf, and Tainui, which have proved to be consistent croppers and ideal for direct heading. .They have replaced Jumbuck and Hunters, which are not heading wheats. Tuscan, a one-time favourite in the district, has now been replaced by Cross 7, which matures about a week earlier, is more resistant to lodging, and is very suitable for heading. Cross 7 is used for earlier spring sowings on the heavier soils or generally where fertility is high, such as after a clover or lucerne crop.

Hilgendorf matures about a week earlier than Cross 7 and does well on medium classes of soils. Tainui is a true spring wheat and ripens fully a fortnight earlier than Cross, 7. It is not suitable for early sowings on heavy land, where it is liable to grow rank and lodge, but for late sowings on lighter land it has distinct advantages. Tainui offers the best prospects of success when sowings are delayed by wet weather or through late preparation of the ground. As it yields well and its resistance to shaking is good, the variety has completely displaced Jumbuck, which is quite unsuitable for direct heading. Tainui, Cross 7, and Hilgendorf hold the grain well in the head and this factor reduces loss caused by winds so prevalent in the Wairarapa at harvest time. Crops can be left standing for up to 4 weeks with surprisingly little grain loss while favourable harvesting weather is being awaited. Harvesting Since the introduction of the header harvester to the Wairarapa (there are now over 50 machines in the district) harvesting of the crops presents little difficulty. Header harvesters are of comparatively recent introduction to the district, and . although the general opinion at one time was that headers were unsuitable, most of the wheat is now handled by this equipment, either by direct heading or by the windrow method, mainly the former. Heading reduces harvesting to a single operation and cuts the per bushel cost to a minimum. In addition, less mechanical energy is expended per bushel of grain

threshed, as a smaller bulk of material has to be dealt with. In a normal season harvesting usually begins toward the end of January and continues into February. Under good harvesting conditions there is no advantage in cutting the wheat crop for the pick-up machine to thresh, . except for those varieties which shed badly in windy weather. Direct-headed crops must be left later than those cut with the binder or mowing machine, but if the weather breaks, the , standing crop will go through with much. less loss than the cut crop and will dry out for direct heading in the next fine spell much quicker than the stocked or windrowed crop. Crops ready for cutting in early February have been direct headed as late as March in very unfavourable seasons with no appreciable loss of grain. A Wairarapa Wheat-growing Farm . Three miles west of Masterton there is a 171-acre cash cropping and fat lamb farm which has specialised in wheat . production over the last 10 years. During this period up to 30 acres of wheat were grown annually and the average yield of the crops was 50 bushels per acre. This yield is much higher than the average yield for the Wairarapa district, which is 36 bushels per acre. The soil type on this farm is classified as a Takapau silt loam over stony gravel, which is a high-fertility soil, and the presence of shingle in the subsoil allows free drainage. Rainfall varies from 35 to 40in. a year and the country tends to dry out during summer. December, January, and February are usually dry months, with the weather breaking in March. Such a climate suits the pro- , duction of wheat and under normal seasons some excellent lines of wheat are harvested. In the cropping programme grain crops claim first place, followed by small seed production, and these are made to blend in with fat lamb production. A crop rotation has been worked out to enable the farmer to receive some return from the fertility built up by high-producing pasture, yet it is wide enough to avoid undue depletion of the soil fertility or impairing of the physical condition of the soil, which would make it difficult to re-establish and maintain good pastures. The types of cropping rotation favoured are:— Old grass; spring-sown wheat; spring-sown wheat; barley or oats; autumn pasture (ryegrass and white clover). Old grass; spring-sown wheat; spring-sown wheat; greenfeed oats; spring-sown pasture with rape. Under the above rotations ■ Cross 7 has given consistently good yields and a second crop following a first crop shows only a small decline in yield. Pastures are maintained for 3 to 4 years before they are ploughed and sown back to wheat. Costs and Returns The price paid for wheat in the North Island was fixed at 13s. 3d. per bushel for the 1952-53 season and this price was arrived at after due consideration had been given to costs of production and in an endeavour to secure a greater acreage in wheat. The margin of profit, from wheat production compares favourably with fat

lamb raising and the price should be an inducement to farmers to bring wheat back to its former important place as the main cash crop in rotational farming practice. The following assessment based on a 40-bushel crop illustrates the costs and returns from wheat growing on a typical Wairarapa farm. COSTS OF WHEAT GROWING AT RULING CONTRACT RATES Per acre £ s. d. Ploughing out s of pasture .. 1 10 0 Discing2 cuts with tandem discs .. .. .. .. 15 0 Harrowing—2 strokes .. .." 7 6 Drilling seed and manure .. 12 6 Seed —2 bushels .. .. .. 2 0 0 Manure2cwt. .. . . ..100 • Chain harrowing .. . . .. 5 0 ■_ Header harvesting .. . . 2 10 0 Loss on sacks Is. 4d. each .. 18 8 Cartage and incidental expenses 10 0 Total expenses .. ... ..11'8 8 X ■ ' Weed control — spraying (if necessary) .. .. 1 10 0 Returns: 40 bushels at 13s. 3d. 26 10 0 Margin per acre to cover portions' of items such as rent, interest on working capital, sundry overheads, rates, depreciation and maintenance on buildings, and owner's labour reward .. .. 15 1 4 If wheat is taken once in the rotationor twice on heavy land — can be no possibility of any real lowering of soil fertility. With’ the use of improved strains of grasses and clovers and the more general application of lime and fertilisers, rotational cropping is now an excellent fertility builder, and the growing of wheat in a suitable rotation can be regarded as a sound practice.

Bulletins on Farm Management Free Bulletins Nos. 219 Home-made Cooler. , 221 Harness Repairs. 234 Shearing Machines. 240 Lime Requirement of Soils. 255 The Farm Tractor. 256 Liquid Manure. 259 Spin Your Own Wool. 265 Erecting a Seven-wire. Fence. 271 Farm Shelter. 284 The Rabbit Pest and Its Control. 286 Farm Drainage. 307 Tractor Inter-row Cultivators. 308 Rearing and . Training a Sheep Dog. 315. The Mixing of Fertilisers .for Single-dressing Applications. 322 Disposal of Sewage‘from Farm Homesteads. . 344 Farm Water Supplies. 345 1 Concrete. 346 Homestead Shelter Planting. 353 Design and Construction of Sheep-drafting Yards. Chargeable Bulletin No. ' 249 Killing Your Own Meat. 6d. The above bulletins, ■ part of a series of over 350 on all aspects of farming, are available post free from the nearest, office of the Department of Agriculture, or from the Head Office of the Department, Box 2298, Wellington.