ON PASTURES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1367, 19 February 1912, Page 8

ON PASTURES.

INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS,

"I am pleased to be able to report," writes Mr. J. M. O'Hagan, "that the paddock sown down iu grasses and clovers (and'previously ' mentioned in your columns as. an experiment carried out by Messrs. ([odder and Toiley) ha.s turned out a complete success. It had nothing in its favour as regards weather, and our cold wet spring was against the clover seeds 'in particular. 1 fully expected that they would just swell and burst, as often happens under such conditions owing to the temperature of the~eai'th being too low to help on germination. It Ins already been eaten''.off twice, and is how carrying' a lovely sward of evenly mixed grasses and clovers, just about equal at present to new sown paddocks in their second season.

"This experiment has demonstrated two facts worthy'of'note in a dairying 'district. First, that grass paddock's can be sown down and renewed profitably in A time of year when they do not produca much grass of any sort, move, especially if the paddocks are run out pastured. Secondly, that it is economical to tiso artificial manures under such circumstances, which' supplies an available source of food to the tender rootlets of the seeds while they are struggling fot a hold of the soil, very oflen with the weather against them which is usual with spring sowing in this island. "Apart from this experiment altogether I am informed on all sides by practical fanners, too, that being compelled to break up and lay down new paclures they find that they cannot get anything like the improved grazing from such pastures that'-they expected and relied upon. After spending from £2 to ,E5 per acre on stumping and clearing, this is a very serious admission and will make men chary of undertaking such wOrk if a solution is not found.

"I am of opinion that the method of sowing down is generally "at fault and the , position is something like this: A farmer has a paddock convenient to his homestead that has been in grass since the bush was felled, perhaps; he finds after 20 years' grazing (hat it is failing (and no wonder!) and he makes up his mind to clear it. Tie does so in winter and sows it down in spring in rape or turnips or other crops with grasses. That soil turned, up never having seen the light of day or felt the influence of the sun or weather before, is cold and raw and quite unfit a.s yet to give any support to small seeds, such as grasses and clover, and tho consequence is that only about 2a per cent to W per cent of seed is able to live in such unnatural surroundings and the paddock is only about covered in one-third of its surface, and its carrying capacity -will not compare with its former state, and the majority jump to the conclusion that sowing down does not pay.

"Land of this sort will require either to be fallowed and tilled or a few crops for feeding-off purposes taken off it and. thoroughly aerated and cultivated in order to get a proper seed-bed before sowing down and then at least 2cwt. of manure suitable for that particular soil sown with it. Farmers have said repeatedly to me: 'This land does not require manure; it never has been cropped.' Put they forget that Ihe.naddock as it stands turned up for the first time in its history is a dead, lifeless mass of soils, pressed solid by generations of stock, which helped to manure the roots of the grasses on the surface'and used up to produce grass for the following season. No doubt we are progressing, but slowlv, in such matters. "It is becoming more evident everyday that this question of grasses and pastures is the principal item in mailers agricultural in this island for there seems no way of avoiding the iiilluence of the dairy "cow nowadays. I have no hesitation in s-iying that, the majority of small farms are overstocked, and this will very soon .become apparent on. all sides. f know it is being severely felt already where dairying has been carried on for some time, for there is no form of grazing so severe as dairying on small areas. Unless the soil is -replenished by rotation of. crops, soiling, surface sowing of manure or other means, it has the. same effect in the end—diminished returns, low tests, etc. Herd-testing and culling are of- no use unless you provide the feed— and suitable feed.

"Contrary to the nccepted opinion I am .inclined, to believe we ore near our maximum of production in the matter of dairy produce in this island under present." conditions of farming for this reason; that during the past five years an extraordinary extent of country has been brought under dairying formerly devoted to sheep and dry stock. Much' of this is not true dairying country and will not last many years devoted to such purnoses and will be converted to sheep and dry stock again as soon as it is found unprofi.tn.Mo for dairying. This factor, however, has bellied to balance diminished returns from heavily-slocked pastures, and even accounts for most of the advance made in dairy exports; but os I explained, this is not lasting.

"Another serious feature of this business is becoming evident, viz., that heifer calves, as a rule, are not half nourished which means a weakened constitution as a dairy cow. No nutter what (lie breedin:,' may be. constitution is the first consideration in milk production, but as every farmer wants to rear his calves a.s cheaply as he can, while sc-ndiii!? the last pound of milk to the factory, he thinks 'the other fellow' will pay for it in some ivnv or other, which fact alone, will mako culling an everlasting business,"