ROUND ABOUT RAETIHI.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1737, 30 April 1913, Page 10

ROUND ABOUT RAETIHI.

. QUALITY NOT VERY STRIKING. Signs are not wanting to prove that the settlers in .tho. Waimarino are putting ■ into prnctico up-to-date methods to improve the carrying capacity of their holdings, .and at-the same .timo conserving the, quality ,of the pastures. For many years-the want-of proper facilities for transit rendered it most difficult and expensive .-.to convey heavy -machinery and manures- into that part of Itlio country, and.-cohsc-tfueritly, very littlo was done in the way of'agricultural-farming, the pas-tares-sown after the bush had been removed providing practically itlie only source of revenue. AJthougli dairying has always been carried oil to a, considerablo extent—sufficient to maintain a flourishing dairy, factory—there has not been any systeiif;itii;"iltitonipt to provide supplementary foddsr until lately:' For tlm reason 'alreail^stiifetl,"'cultivation, except on a limited ■ scalo has been restricted, but tho railway, better roads, and a recognition' of "tho cash value of better feed for cows is bringing nbou't'n decided change. .Another factor that makes for progress "i (Jiis dirjotion is the gradually diminishing area of. standing bush that has been .used.as a standby for wintering purposes,- -It was 'tho usual prnctico of many at tho close".of tha milking period to turn tho bush until the following . spring" when -tlicy returned to the :pastiires"l:'llat had been renewed by . the .'spell.;,. Tha'Ohis is becoming a practice of tho past is shown by the activitieg'Wiat hiay',KS' : 'Obsßrved from, the roadside between Ohakuno and Raetihi, wlicro considerable area's have been stumped and put under .ropt.and fodder crops. A representative of Tim Dominion who mado a hurried" trip through that locality re'ccn'ily' was : told : that the same activity is observable..all over the country, especially in the: older settled parts. The land is 'for- tho most part a free chocolate'loam,'and is specially suited for tho cultivation of root and fodder crops, when 'assisted-. ; .by- a. : moderate application of s'uit<ible"mahiires. ' This is borne out'by the appearance of -the swede and rape crops, as,.seen from the roadside. Potatoes, too, s?em to thrive wonderfully well, although , frosfe are severe at times. A Crop, of,' Northern Stars now being lifted is .yielding ■at .the rat® of, 18 tons per acre, but the ..prevalence of blight this year has reduced the quantity of marketable tubers considerably. In conversation with a . leading Waimarino pastoralist, our representative learned that duo recognition wa? .being taken of the necessity .'for'preserving the original pastures, by the application of fertilisers in tho form of top-dressing and judicious stocking. Most of the country in the neighbourhood'is; hilly,'and covered with logs 'and "stumps,' thereioro any top-dressing would have to 'bo done by hand, but ho is satisfied; that even this expensive method' will pay' handsomely both l>y immediate results and the preservation of ■the ■-.quality:.of the herbage, which must . necossarily, lose some of its essential properties; unless-assisted by artificial manure or judicious resting. In his opinion, there are only two ways of dealing-with hill pastures, one as already mentioned, by top-dressing, and the other by feeding and testing: ~By feeding and resting tho farmer' in question explained that the best way to ; get, results was to feed the enclosure very close with sheep in the early spring, and then allow the permanent grasses to seed and ripen thoroughly. The farmer should then stock\heavily, so as to pnsurq that the seed ia well scattered ad trampled in. The stock .should be again removed so <"W to permit the :yourtg • grass to-got well established. Although this method entails a considerable amount of earej and limits tho uso.of the particular area under treatment for •the. time.-,being, tile immediate results and future effoe'e on tile Wsturo fully 'compensate for the 'With reference to feeding off at the beginning of tho season,- it is explained that hard grazing.-is essential for complete success. If this course is not followed, the sheep will pick out dainty bits of the pasture, which usually consists of the most desirable grasses, and leave weeds anil other useless herbage alone. The result is that the latter coine away and deter the- growth of. tho grasses that it is desired to foster. Tho lucal branch of the Fanners' Union and the A. and P. Association, which havo their headquarters at. Raetihi are-accomplishing good work in -promoting the moro advanced systems of agriculture, and now that farmers generally are alive to the economical benefits that follow' the application of scientific methods, according t,o their needs, th« district should show a still moro rapid .and ' permanent advance than hitherto, when, .all tho pioneering difficulties of backblack settlement- had to be contended against,.'."",'