Page 22 Advertisements Column 1

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21417, 8 March 1935, Page 22

AUCTIONS. H. MATSON AND CO. HELPING THE STOCK FEED POSITION, jv Mr Geo. H. Holford, Advisory Officer to British Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd., Christchurch.) Another drv summer and early autumn is aggravating the stock feed position in Canterbury. Whilst the 4 nvera"c rainfall of Canterbury approximates 23 inches, the precipitai.on has not reached this figure for a i-umber of years past, also, it has been vcrv irregular: For the first six months of 1933 less than 5 inches of rain was recorded in Mid-Canterbury - over a similar period in 1934 there v. :i< ]<) inches ot rain. Despite the verv heavy fall over the first six i :<;nths of last year we have a position, which, unless good rams are experi- < :i'vd' very shortly, will mean a serious .'■• tale el allairs for a large munjii r el tanners. The position certainly siv.mld speed up the development of irrigation on the Canterbury Plains, iriit ibis cannot be considered to help t ;;< the present season. There is no doubt, also that there is vx-rn for greater expansion of the «•:!•'. a tinder hiceruc ■--ttie plant whicn laps the sub-soil moisture. It does look also, a.- if more use could be jnade ot red clover as a plant which ttands, better probably than any other ■\■.-jlli the exception of lucerne, dry i.uu;irm conditions. Favourable elements in the situa-t-on arc that a good spring growth j.a- enabled much more nay than usual to be saved, whilst early harvesting made for early ploughing of f-uuble fields; however, during the last two months the rainfall has been so low that even where crops have been town little growth is being made. It looks also as if the turnip crop will be a light one even with good rains iror.i now on, and there is always the possibility—as was the case two years iigo—of insect attacks demolishing the crop completely in some areas. What tTups and methods of top-dressing can 1 e used to help out the present posit.cii'.' Autumn Sown Cereals Cape Bariey—This is a crop which ;tl-'.vs quickiy, but it supplies feed ot a ratner poor quality and is very i;itle grown m Canterbury. Algerian Oats—The Algerian has neen proved the best type of oat lor iowing in the autumn. It provides, it •.'ell-grown, succulent feed, and gives a quick recovery after grazing. Experience is showing also, that early . owing is important to get best re- : ults. A large acreage of autumn sown cereals is drilled without manure and particularly where the oats are sown idler stubble; this does not make for a satisfactory green feed crop. There ; I'tnis to be an excellent ease lor manuring Algerians sown in the autumn, and particularly lor the use of such a fertiliser as Ammomated Super, winch supplies both soluble phosphate and soluble nitrogen, enabling the plant to get well established and to ;nve a good growth early in the season; it also makes for succulent feed which is very important, particularly tor Hushing ewes. Where stubble has been ploughed over for several months tcc-re may be less call for the use o, a nitrogenous fertiliser, but on viops whicn are ploughed out of stuDble and sown wnhm a lew weeks, Ammoniated Super at the rale of not jess than 2 cwt per acre, and drilling j.o with the seed is strongly recommended. On very light land where there may be a siig.it germination injury by the fertiliser it may be possible to increase the seeding to 2j oushels per acre where the usual fceochng is 2 bushels. Top-dressing—Where oats, Cape, or otner cereals have been sown for green feed and Uie growth has not been satisfactory, this may be toptireased with Ammoniated Super—own 1 cwt per acre would help to increase growth as soon as sufficient ino:Sture is available. Italian Puyegrass—There can be no c;nestion that a good paddock of Italian .Ryegrass or Western Wolths provides the best autumn, winter and carJy spring teed in Canterbury. Experience has shown that to get satislactory results it is as well to have the ground cultivated some time prior to .sowing, this is largely because of tne increased amount of nitrogen made available under such conditions. It i= as well to have the soil consolidated to some extent, as grass, like wheat, needs a fairly firm seed bed. Drilling The seed has also been found to be most satisfactory, particularly on the lighter types of soil Manuring—The same remarks apply to the manuring of Italian as applied to the green feed oats. On land in good heart, 1 to 2 cwt of Superphosphate should be drilled with the .seed, and on land sown after stubble ploughing and sowing has been limited—it is as well to sow a fertiliser containing nitrogen as well as phosphate, such as Ammoniated Super. One and a half to two cwt per acre sown with the seed will ensure a v.ood growth of leaf —which will make for earlier and more consistent feeding on the crop—and a good root growth before winter. i WHERE TO GET SEED. | i Often a better crop is obtained ] j from seed grown in another dis- | ; trict, which suggests to your | I mind some reputable seed firm, j I such as MATSON'S, whose efforts j I to select the best procurable seed | I wilh reliable germination and | I pass on the same at a reasonable j ! price to clients, is well known. ) i While on the subject of Top- | ! dressing. MATSON'S would be | I glad to act as your suppliers this j ; season for ali classes of Fer- j i tilisers. including Sulphate of j i Amnioina, and Ammoniated 1 i Super. The usual seeding is from 1J to 2 bushels of seed per acre and some farmers drill a bushel each way. The addition of 3 to 41b red clover has been found advisable in many instances. When feeding Italian, experience has shown that it is inadvisable to feed too hard and too continuously; a better return is secured if after feeding the paddock is spelled, and a good .growth is secured before the next feeding. Top-dressing.—Paddocks already sown with Italian and Western Wolths, and which have not been manured, can be manured with Ammoniated Super to stimulate growth. Trie writer believes that there is a case for an extension of the growing of Italian or Western Wolths in Canterbury. It has been found that hard grazing of the ordinary pastures in autumn, winter, rind early spring, definitely injures the more permanent pastures, and, as this is the period when Italian provides ■:iich excellent feeding, the growing of more Italian will help materially in the maintenance in a good state of the more permanent pastures on the farm. Italian ryegrass has better feeding qualities than green-feed oats and it i,- possibly the best crop to sow 1o help out shortage in late autumn and --rmler. The earlier the crop is sown ;lie b'?tter, as it is important 1o got it well establis'-cd before the colder v, rather sets in. It has been suggested by veterinarians that a weakness in the feeding <-•! stork in Canterbury is that ewes tire allowed to get info a low conditio,, after the lambs are weaned, this ■"er.'ously affecting them for the remainder of the season. It is also very important to provide feed to flush ewe's m 'he autumn, this making for a higher percentage of lambs. No crop beats Italian for this purpose. Helping Turnip Crops.—The long spell of dry weather has seriously affected the growth of root crops over a large area of Canterbury. A development of comparatively recent years ■with fertiliser, this* being in addition to the fertiliser sown with the seed. A number of farmers now sow lewf cf fertiliser with the seed at sowing time, and cross drill another lewt .Sbout Bij; weeks later; gome farmers