BETTER GRASS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 3, 26 April 1939, Page 7

BETTER GRASS

• < —o * BENEFIT FROM DROUGHT CLEANER HAY CROPS VALUE OF HARROWING L One result of the drought eondi- -• tions which have prevailed in Taranaki for the past two months should ' he better and cleaner hay crops next season. A splendid opportunity lias been offered for a drastic. clearLup of fields intended for hay or ensilage next summer and many progressive farmers have made full use of in the way of harrowing and top_dressing. The out-of_season care of grass is better explained by using the term - cultivation and experiments and experience show the great possibilities there are in this direction. It is only natural to suppose that grass laml requires cultivation at times, just like any other crop, if it is to be main - tained at the highest point of produe tivity for many years. Where there is a mat of fog or (.3d undecaj r ed vegetation t the pasture - should be well harrowed before lint- " ing or manuring is carried out, if full benefits are to be obtained. In • cases where a very heavy mat of tin. . • grazed, grass has been allowed to re--1 ■ • main it may even be necessary to - mow this off before attempting the Tiarrowing. Not only is harrowing , valuable because of the means it pro-

vides ot' cultivating the gras-;, but it is valuable in the spreading of stock manure. It thus serves tlie double purpose of cultivating a nil fertilising. ROUGH TREATMENT ADVISED No injury to the pasture need be feared, even if the surface of the I land presents an earthy appearance after harrowing; in fact, this, in the opinion of many is the ideal condition to be aimed at, as such eultiva. tion facilities the thorough incorporation or phosphatic manure Avith the soil. The rough treatment of pasture in winter imparts benefit in many ways. When', owing to the presence of matted dead root fibres, moisture is pre\'ented from reaching the root:; of grasses, cultivation aids percolation. BENEFIT TO PASTURES The pasture benefit also from soil. Avhich is thrown up in the manner of Avorm castings and the improved aeration Avhich results from mechanical treatment is decidedly advantageous to the herbage. Then, again, on. pastures containing old mats of accumulated A-egetable material, the response to applications of artificial manures is not the maximum. It i- c < agreed also that cultivation tears out coarse grass, and giA'es liner grasses and eloA'er a chance. As a result of th'-s the botanical composition of the sward may be radically changed for the better. If onfy grasses Avere . treated more like a crop and consequently cultivated on more economical lines, for there would not be tho Avastage of fcjrass that occurs to- : day.