GOOD WORK IN MAORI SCHOOLS' ESSAY CONTEST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 92, 8 September 1948, Page 5

GOOD WORK IN MAORI SCHOOLS ' ESSAY CONTEST

Sound Farming , Knowledge Shown Recently the Provincial executive of the Bay of Plenty Province of Federated Farmers conducted an essay competition in conjunction with the East Coast farm school week. Competition was amongst pupils of Maori District High Schools on the Coast, and the winner was a third former from Te Kaha. Here is his essay:— There on a distant hill one could see a man sitting on his horse, silhouetted against the sky. Following his gaze, one would see that he was admiring the magnificent scenery below. There was a little red farm house roof peeping at him from behind a tall, green barricade of macrocarpa. Surrounding the neat little homestead was a carpet of green grass. The farmer below had told him how to obtain these luxuriant pastures. These were the points given to him .by this farmer, who himself had been given this advice, and had made an excellent farm out of a weed infested area.

The farmer had told him that good pasture was 4 to 6 inches in height and that the long, dry, rank growth which he once had on his farm was useless for stock feed. . “To obtain these • good pastures,” said his neighbour, “you must reduce your big paddocks into pastures 3 to 4 acres in size by means of increased fencing. The reason for this is that smaller paddocks mean less wastage and fresher feed.’” “Throughout the year,” continued the farmer, “stock leave droppings all over the paddocks. Get your light harrows out and spread those droppings, for if you leave them there in a heap usually ragwort or long rank growth will,’ in the course of time, take their places. If paspalum is blotting out rye and clover use your heavy'- harrows and open up the ground. After you have finished sow a mixture of 151bs Certified Perennial Rye, 21bs Certified Clover, and 21b of Crested Dogtail to the acre. “Top dressing,” said the man, “is very important. As you will see for yourself if you try out what I am about to tell you, I suggest that y r ou should do the same as I did and use Serpentine Superphosphate. It is better than superphosphate because it does not cake while stored, it contains magnesium and it also contains trace elements. “Topdress in autumn and spring,” said the farmer, “and on each occasion up to 3cwt of fertiliser should be applied to the acre. * “Another important fact is winter feeding,” said the man. “A cow should have at least 1601bs of grass a day during ihilking season, and 1301bs of feed a day during winter. In winter, feed is difficult to obtain, but this difficulty can be avoided, by storing food beforehand in the form of, hay or ensilage. Lucerne is an excellent crop for hay and ensilage. When cutting hay do not wait until it seeds.” As he sat there on his horse, he heaved a sigh of relief and said: “Well, it was worth my listening to that chap. Look at my farm now.” I