FARMING NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 284, 17 March 1941, Page 6

FARMING NOTES

MORE HAY FAVOURABLE GROWTH M AX A (< FM EXT OF PASTURE, The very favourable growth experienced in most districts during the winter and spring has permitted the saving of bigger areas for hay and silage. It will also mean that bigger areas of pasture will have got out of control, thereby becoming rank and unpalatable to stock. Such rough, stemmy pasturage, seed hcad.s, and also weeds such as thistles, buttercups, docks and rushes, should be cut with tire moAver to allow the more nutritious cloA'crs and grasses breathing space. Wherever possible the aim should be to keep pastures short and leafy, not a very easy .task" during' the dry autumn period. Where grass groAvth is insufficient to giA T c an adequate nutritious feed for high producing dairy cows and there are no reserve paddocks available for autumn use, it 11 be ncccssary to feed out good quality silage at this period of the year. The maintenance of dairy production usually forms a management problem at this time. The flushing of the cavc flock preparatory to putting out the lams is another problem also dependent upon the provision of suitable iiutritious feed. On sheep farms it should, be possible to close up for several Aveeks at least some paddocks which haA r e been prcA r iously well grazed. At a convenient time these paddocks may then be made a Available to the cavc flocks. If the cavcs haA'e been in fat condition they should be put on short rations previous to being placed in the "flushing" paddocks. Careful Treatment Necelssary Pastures in their first year require careful treatment if their future production is not to be harmed. Unless they are being used for specialised seed production should not be alloAved: to go to seed. If necessary, topping should be practised rather than too severe grazing by sheen. Avhich might harm the finer grasses and clovers. For those pastures on the farm which require improvement, there

are .several methods which jnay be adopted. Firstly, jjloughing up and re-sowing is always the quickest and most satisfactory method, if

also the mosts costly. Preparatory cultivation Avock should be carried out as soon as soil conditions permit, for a good pasture' cannot be established on a hastily prepared seed-bed. Secondly, the improvement of pastures by top-dressing may be carried out now, if practicable, in the. higher rainfall districts. Pastures cut r or hay or silage may require a dressing now. Thirdly, there is the possibility of the improvement of thinned and deteriorated pastures by allowing them to run to seed, provided they contain a. sufficient number of useful plants which may beneficially be increased by re-seeding. Fourthly,, surfacc sowing of deteriorated pastures when the first good rains occur in the autumn is another method of

past ure imp rovcrac nt

THE FRUIT SEASON

It is expected that the fruit crop for the current season Avi.ll show a slight decrease on last year. However. as the possibility of export of apples and pears this year is negligible, it is considered that the local market .supplies Avill be in excess of preA'ious seasons.

Military duties have brought about a shortage of labour on fruit farms and with the advent of the harvest-

ing season grower?: are experiencing some difficulty in replacing those who have joined the fighting forces. This applies particularly to skilled labour Avhich is required for the grading and picking of fruit.

Fruit packing classes have been held throughout the Dominion during the past few months with a view to having trained packers avail able for the coming fruit season. These have been well attended, and the pupils havj made good progress under the tuition of orchard instructors of the Department, with the result that a list of recommended trainees has been furnished to the head office of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation for dissemination among growers who will require skilled labour.