CROP EXPERIMENTS

Press, Volume L, Issue 14888, 30 January 1914, Page 10

CROP EXPERIMENTS

EXPERIENCES AT TE MOANA. In "The Press" of the 17th inst., there appeared an account of a visit paid by about twenty South Canterbury farmers to Mr R. Hammond's farm at Te Moana, about nino miles out from Geraldine-, where a number of crop experiments aro being conducted by Mr Hammond in co-operation . with the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture. Some criticisms of tho experiments which appeared in the account above-mentioned, and in accounts published elsewhere, were replied to by Mr, A. Macpherson, Fields Instructor, South Island, in tho course of a talk with a representative of "Tho Press." Mr Hammond is one of the best farmers in South Canterbury, and he farms his land well. He. believes in draining and liming, and has drained very extensively, with the result that tho crops show a uniformity which is absent in most crops grown on undrained land. His crops are, without doubt, amongst the best in the district, and Mr Macpherson feels certain that the threshing returns will prove the value of draining and cultivating tho land in the manner Mr Hammond has adopted as compared with the returns from crops raised on areas where these methods are not adopted. Mr Hammond has conducted experiments in cooperation with tho Fields Division for the past four years, and lias carried out tho work excellently, and has proved most reliable. Mr Macpherson visited Te Mqana on Tuesday last for the purpose of inspecting the experimental plote.. The experiments are being conducted on down land with a clay eubsoil. To each variety of oats one-sixteenth cf an acre is devoted, and to each variety of wheat one-fourteenth of au acre. Referring to the statement that too much oats seed had been sown, Mr Macpherson explained that tho Division supplied sufficient seed to meet maximum requirements, and it did not necessarily follow that all the seed" supplied was'to bo sown. The amount to be sown depended on the season, tho time of year that it was sown, and the condition of the hind. As to the statement that too much manure had been used, he explained that tho Division does not supply manure, and in tho case of the experiments at Te Moana Mr Hammond had applied fertilisers for experimental purposes on his own account. It was impossible for anyone to say that too much manure had been applied, because all tho plots had been manured, and there was no unmanured plot wherewith to compare those which had been fertilised. As to the experiments with oat 6, the majority of the varieties had been introduced by the Fields Division from other parts* of the world, and had been sown in the Dominion for the first time this season. In introducing now varieties of wheat, oats, or barley, it was found that in the majority of cases it required two or three years before they beenmo acclimatised, and during tho period mentioned it was difficult, if not impossible, to say whether or not they would bo successful. During the first year a very good variety might show very bad results, yet, subsequently, it might be found to be one of the best varieties. Consequently, during the first year at any rate, only indifferent results were expected. The oats sown afc To Moana which have not yet become acclimatised are Red Rust Proof, New Kerson, Shadeland Challenge, and Tarn Finlay. The non-acclimatised wheats are: Prolific White Winter, Burgoyne. Dreadnought, and Perfection. . In the account in "The Press" it was remarked, in connexion with the oats experiments, that "Garton Yielder, Garton Record, Garton Regenerated Abundance, and Tarn Finlay: very small, much like wild oats." The comment ought not, Mr Macpherson said, to have been applied to the different varieties of Cartons. On Tuesday, when he inspected the experimental plots, he found that the straw of the three varieties of Cartons mentioned was clean and well-headed, and the flag was only very slightly affected by rust. Hβ took tho follawinji measurements of all tho

different varieties of oats, the height given being tno average:—Uoldniiuor, iJt i)in; i>unuer, 4tt lOin; Triunipn, 4it; \\averiey, 4ft i)in; Dun, 4ft dm; Sparowbill, 4it -in; lieesher'e Proliiic, 4it Win;. Oarton iielder, 4tt 4in; Garton Record, 4ft &i"; Garton Regenerated Abundance, oft; Tarn Jfinlay, 4it 3in; Ruakura Rust Resistant, ott 4in; Red Rust JL'roof, 4rt; .New ivereon, 3ft JOin. All were sown on October 4th, 1913; 6ome should havo been sown m May, and this accounts for the differences shown—the climatic conditions at the tirao some of the varieties were sown being unfavourable.. The Tain Finlay oats were stated to be "the worst ot the lot, being very small and more like wild oats than anything else." Mr Macpherson explained that this variety was adapted to high country, and was grown for the purposes of chaffing, whilst the other varieties were grown for producing grain. The Tarn Finlay was described as being "'a very superior oat for high lands in the Old Country, producing a fine straw and yielding a large bulk of grain, but the average weight per bushel is less than other sorts, though the bulk is greater." As to the remark that all the varieties at Te Moana had taken the rust with tho exception of the Red Rust Proof, Mr Macpherson pointed out that tho present season has been favourable for the development of rust in oats. There was no oat yet discovered that was absolutely rust-proof—some resisted rust more than others. The Ruakura Rust Resistant oats at To Moana were slightly affected, but not to tne extent mentioned. This oat was not impervious to rust—no oat or wheat was impervious to it. Referring to the Red Marble wheat being grown on Mr Hammond's farm, ho stated that it was introduced by the Department some five years ago, and the crop at To Moana was expected to yield about 60 bushels to the acre. Speaking generally of the criticisms of the experiments at Te Moana-, he said that if those who made them had known the conditions under which the experiments are being conducted, much of their criticism would havo been unnecessary. Such a statement as the one that tho wheats Comoback and Perfection were absolute failures would not have been made. The Division did not know anything about failures. If a crop did not grow, thp officers of tho Division had to find out tho reason. That was the object of the experiments, and once tho reason was found, they had to avoid or prevent tho recurrence of the conditions which resulted in the crop not growing. It was by experimenting that they found out whether the so-called failure was due to climatic or soil or other conditions.