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ADVICE FOR FARMERS

APPLICATION OF

IRRIGATION

THREE INSTRUCTORS

APPOINTED

RESULTS ON DEMONSTRATION AREA

[From Our Own Reporter.!

TEMUKA, September 15.

Adequate instruction and advice about the application of irrigation on farms in the new irrigation belts in South and Mid-Canterbury will be ensured by a plan now being developed. The necessity for this service was discussed recently by the authorities, and now a decision has been made to appoint three qualified field instructors who will take up positions on Public Works irrigation schemes in this part of the country and while helping farmers to understand irrigation, they will at the same time learn something about constructional and management aspects as the , several schemes progress. 1 The resident engineer in charge of the schemes, Mr T. G. Beck, told a representative of “The Press” who made a tour of the irrigation areas to : day, that the Director of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture, Mr R. B. Tennent, was so impressed with the desirability of having a plan for the instruction of. farmers in the use of irrigation, that he had _ had appointed three young men, higtuy qualified in their professions, to he stationed on the areas during the construction, so that they could familiarise themselves with all aspects—construction and management of the schemes, and the application of irrigation, and at the same time make personal contacts with farmers to be served, so that advice could be given in the preparation of areas for the water. This new development has been appreciated by the many farmers now irrigating, in areas where the schemes are completed, including the Rede, district, and the Levels scheme, where extensive irrigation is now part of the routine of a big number of progressive landowners. Farmers Impressed Farmers all over the. irrigation belt are greatly impressed by the results of irrigation on the demonstration area on the Ashburton-Lyndhurst scheme at Winchmore. This is on the property of Mr W. Hammond. Thirty-six; acres of land, of only average quality, was selected and sown in pasture in the autumn of 1937. The area was irrigated regularly, and during last season carried approximately 10 ewes and their lambs to the acre. That is not an abnormally high carrying capacity for irrigated land; but what is impressive, according to farmers in the area, is the fine condition of the irrigated section to-day, when compared with the surrounding country. On this Ashburton demonstration area only 36 of a block of 400 acres was irrigated. In the first season carrying capacity had increased from 1000 to 1200 sheep, and it is planned by: Mr Hammond to irrigate next season and increase to a flock of 1600. In the first year of irrigating, this 36 acres carried 7.8 sheep to the acre for the whole year. During the irrigation season the area carried 9.7 sheep an acre; but without irrigation the capacity was only two sheep to .the acre. . A Striking Contrast

To-day this irrigated area, which has had only natural watering this year, stands out in striking contrast to the non-irrigated land surrounding it. Although 1400 hoggets have just been taken'off, ‘it is green and in fine condition, and quite capable, experts say, of carrying and feeding stock for a further period. Surrounding these 36 acres are the brown, stony paddocks which were not irrigated, and could carry only light feeding at the moment.

Other striking results —all certified to by the Department of Agriculture experts—-have been recorded on the other schemes. At the Redclifl! scheme, which has been in successful operation for two years, a farmer who has 1000 acres less land now than before irrigation, is able to carry 1000 more sheep. A 60-acre field carried 600 ewes, and after lambing 300 ewes more, and carries those 900 ewes with 100 per cent, lambing. The area was irrigated twice, and more than 80 per cent, of the lambs got away fat oft their mothers. Some of that draft of lambs gained third prize at Smithfleld. There was no footrot recorded,- and no parasite diseases. This same farmer had an earlier experience of holding and fattening stock when other farmers,. not on irrigated land, were sending unfattened stock to the works.

There is quickening interest in irrigation at the moment because of the way the present warm weather is drying out the country, and it seems certain that if Canterbruy does experience a dry summer, irrigation will be put to the fullest test to date.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19380916.2.132

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22508, 16 September 1938, Page 19

Word count
Tapeke kupu
745

ADVICE FOR FARMERS Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22508, 16 September 1938, Page 19

ADVICE FOR FARMERS Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22508, 16 September 1938, Page 19

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