SUB. CLOVER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 13, 30 January 1937, Page 19

SUB. CLOVER

Widespread Interest In Possibilities VALUE IN HAWKE'S BAY At the 1936 conference of th© New Zealand Grassland Association a group of four papers on subterranean clover was read by • field offacers of the Department of Agriculture, giving the experience with this clover as a pasture species in North Auckland and South' Auckland (excluding the KingCountry, the pumice lands of the central plateau, and Bay of Plenty), Manawata and west coast,- and Hawke's Bay. Dii/Jng the subsequent discussion of the papers the position in Taranaki, Wairarapa, Poverty Bay, Bay of Plenty and other parts of the' Auckland province, including the pumice country round Rotorua and Taupo, was indicated, writes Mr C. J. Hamblyn, in, the New Zealand Joui'nal of Agriculture., General Characteristios. Subterranean clover is a strongly . growingj and very palatabie annual clover, which buries its seed in the surface soil, ensuring its permanence when onCe established in a sward. The seeds germinate with the autumn rains, and the plant grows and develops through the autumn and winter and comes away earlier than m'ost pasture species in the spring, giving its maximnm growth in the North island from August to November. • Flowering takes place during the period of maximum growth, and the plant Uies off with the approach of hot, dry, summer weather. The seed which is | buried as the plant develops lies dorj mant - in the soil until the autumn rains come. An essential condition to free reestablishment is the opening-up of the sward to scAne extent through the summer, while essential conditions to good early spring productibn are early autumn establishm&nt, freedom from water-loggiug in the winter, moisture and warmth in the spring, and, above all, adequate pbosphatic manuring. As with all pasture-plants, the more fertile the soil the higher the produe tion, but subterranean clover has a surprisingly wide range in regard to soils, and, with adequate phosphatp supplies, will easily outyield all other annual clovers on most second and third-closs land. Recent Interest Though subterranean clover has been known in certain districts of the North Island for the past fifty years, particularly at Mangara clover on the volcanic soils near Auckland and on similar soils in the vieinity of Whangarei, it is only in recent years, following its wider use and extensive propaganda in Australia, that a similar realisation of its possibilities in this country has been developed. While in the past subterranean clover has been mainly conflned • to dairy pastures and high-rainfall areas, it is in connection with sheep-farming and in districts of lower rainfall and dry summers . that present interest is chiefly centred. *

It is undoubtedly in Hawke's Bay, with its occasional very dry summers and vast areas of light freely draining soils extending from Woodville throngh Norsewood, Takapau, Maraekakaho, to Tutira, Putorino and Mohaka up to the Wairoa flats and beyond, that subterranean clover has espeeially demonstrated its wonderful potentialities as a valuable pasture species. Right through this belt. of country, estimated at upwards of 500,000 acres, the introduction of subterranean clover, whether it be by inclusion in the seed-mixture after ploughing, by surface-sowing with topdressing after severe harrowing of the existing sward, or by surface-sowing with fertiliser on open danthonia or brown-top turf, has resulted in a very definite increase in carrying-capacity. The xesponse the subterranean clover to superphosphate has been remarkabie, and the ability of this clover to produce feed for lamb-fattening just when rcquired is appreciated. The doubt as to whethor top-dressing pays on rnuch qf the rolling to steep hill country has been removed by the introduction of subterranean clover, and in Hawke's Bay, as in Manawatu, Wairarapa, and Poverty Bay districts, some outstanding increases in carrying-capacity have been recorded. Other country snitable to the exploitation of subterranean clover in Hawke's Bay are the Takapau Plains, the lighter soils of the Hawke's Bay flats, much of the limestone country which has shown reversion, and the extensive area of eoastal and southern hill country. It is indeed diffieult to visualise the result of the full exploitatioh pf subterranean clover in the province. The quantity of seed being sown is rapidly increasing. Last season some 30 tons was used, sufficient at 41b per acre to sow over 15,000 aeres. The fact that when fully utilised it gives its greatest resturns, that setstoeking with ewes and lambs is a relatively simple matter when once the carrying-capacity is gauged, and| further, that subterranean clover wel] j Utilised is helping to bring back rye- | grass and white clover, are points which are likely to bring about a rapid extension of the area sown to this clover. On some of the lightest pumice country in the district increases from one dry sheep to the acre to five and sex ewes with all lambs away fat are recorded. East Coast Area. In both Wairarapa and Poverty Bay largo qxianties of subterranean clover rced are being sown," the quantity increasing rapidly cach yoar. In the

Wairarapa, subterranean clover is being used with excellent results on the lighter shingly soils of the plains, and is having a very marked effect on the carrying-capacity both for dairying and sheep-farming. Recorded experience has shown that much of the rolling hill country, espeeially the eoastal belt, could be rapidly and profitably improved by subterranean clover, which allows so definitely for the profitable use of top-dressing on swards that probably do not pay for manure. In the same way in Poverty Bay, subterranean clover is destined to play an important part in the regeneration of much of the hill country. Many farmers are now exploiting subterranean clover, and it is evident that this clover is likely to overeome the diflieulty of the relatively high cost of top-dressing in this district. The Use of Sub-Clover. It appears from the discussion at the conference of the New Zealand Grassland Associaition that in the North Island on all the lighter soil types subject to drying oi>t in the summer, subterranean clover can be used to advantage. Its ability to give rapid and eft'ective response to phosphatic manuring and the subsequent improvement in the conditions for rye-grass and white elover through heavier stoclcing are the main eontributing factOrs to its suceess. The Bay of Plenty, with its extensive areas of light soils and dry summers, should find in subterranean clover a valuable pasture species likely to outyield the suekling clover and Lotus hispidus prevalent on much of this country. In the King-country, the Waikato, Rotorua, and Taranaki the satisfactory reseeding of subterranean clover may be hindered from time to time by the closeness of the sward in January and February in seasons of good summer rainfall. In the Waikato and the eoastal areas of Taranaki, however, subterranean clover is proving a valuable additiopal clOver, and on the poorer soils in these districts, if fully exploited is capable of improving the fertility up to rye-grass and whiteclover orequirements. A discussion of the altitude range of subterranean clover skowed that it was being successfully grown at an altitude up to 2000 feet in the Raetihi and Poverty Bay districts, and it is evident that the possibilities in the central tableland to tbe south of Taupo are well worth investigation. While considerable detail was available at the conference as to methods of establishment and utilisation under widely varying conditions, such information is best obtained from the officers of the Department of Agriculture in the districts covered by this review. Position in North Island. Reviewing the position in regard to subterranean clpver in the North Island in the light of the papers read at the conference and the discussion on them the main points can be sumniarised as follows: — • (1) In the Wairarapa, Manawatu, Wanganui, Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay districts an area estimated at upwards of 1,500,000 acres of grassland could be converted rapidly and economically from dry-stock to fattening land by the use of subterranean clover and phosphatic manuring. In the Auckland, Taranaki and Bay of Plenty districts, while the value of subterranean clover in fat-lamb production has not been tried out to the same extent as in the southern half of the Island, and the soil and . rainfall conditions generally are not so well suited to subterranean clover, there are indications that this clover could well replace inferior annuals such as suekling and Lotns hispidus on considerahle areas of second and third-elass country, particularly where the returns from top-dressing are .doubtful.

(2) The seasonal production from subterranean clover contcides exceptionally well with the seasonal reqnirements of the ewe and lamb, and setstocking in the spring to the limit of what the paddocks will carry is the best method of utilisation. • The clover re-establishes well, when once thicjk enough to form a sward, nnder heavy stocking. (3) Phosphatic manuring is essential to subterranean clover on poor soils. Lime is not nearly so" important as it is witb white clover/ Subterranean clovet, therefore, responds well to superphosphate, and lime is required onjy in exceptional circumstances. (4) Subterranean clover fully utilised is & valuable soil-improver, aad can. be used as a forerunner . to good ry4gxass ^ and white cl'iver establishment, with which it combines well When adequately stocked.'

Executive Meeting. As reports of the executive meeting have already appeared in this paper, repetition will not be necessary. Resignation. As I have bean offered and have aecepted another position, I Tegretfully sent in my resignation to the Dominion secretary at the end of last month. I have said regretfully, since I have enjoyed the work, although there have been dark moments. May I take this opportunity of thanking all those farmers who have helped me and who have given me hospitality. Annual Meetings, It will not be long now before brancbes will be required to hold their annual meetings. May I take the liberty of noting some points which I trust will be of assistance to branch officials and members generally. (a) Notice of meetings: 1. In no case shall the notice be less than three days in respect to any meeting. 2. Meetings may be called at any time deemed advisable by the chairman by individual notice to the inembers of a branch. - (b) Voting power: 1, Yoting on all questions shall be first on the voices; a show of hands may be demanded by any qualified memberj provided that the eleetion of officers shall be by ballot. 2. Members shall have one vote each, and the chairman shall have a deliberative and a casting vote. S. Those entitled to vote shall be ordinary members (a) whose annual subscriptions have been paid, or do liot remain unpaid six months after the end of the financial year. (b) Life members, under Rule 3c or 3d. Conduet of annual branch meetings: 1. Branches shall hold their annual meetings during the month of April or such earlier month as shall be decided by the province concerned. 2. The chairman shall give a resume of the past year 's work. 3. The secretary shall give a report and balance sheet duly audited, a copy of which is to be sent to the provincial office. 4. The branch officers shall then be elected. (a) chairman. (b) two vice-chairmen. (o) secretary. (dd) emergency committee. 5. Appointment of a delegate to the. provincial conference. N.B. One delegate for 100 members or less. 6. Consideration of xemits.

(d) General remarks: It is hoped that the various branches will lose no time in forwarding their remits to the provincial secretary after their annual meetings. These remits are then classified by the provincial office and sent back to the branches again. This is to enable each branch to consider all tho remits from all the branches. Then at the provincial conference eaeh branch delegate knows how to act. 2. Looking forward to another year of meetings, we must not allow ourselves to put everything on to the secretary and then turn up or not as we please. It is better to elect at the beginning a programme committee and have them responsible for a definite list of meetings and the various lectures, etc., to be held. 3. We must, of course, remember that the supply of suitable speakers is not inexhaustible, but now that funds are in a better state it will be possible to buy suitable books and members might be pursuaded to give short papers, or read aloud relevant chapters followed by general discussion on the subjeet matter. 4.' Sections a, b and e above are quoted from the Rule Book so may be taken as offieial.

Conclusion. ' ' There is no end, indeed, to making books or experiments, or to travel, or to gathering wealth. Problem gives rise to problem. We may study for ever, and we are never as learned' as we would. We have never made a statue worthy of our dreams. And when we have discovered a continent, or ctossed a ehain of mountains, it is .P.piy to find another ocean or another plain up.on the farther side. In the infinitq. universe there is room for our swiftest diligence and to spare. Even ffi a eorner of it, in a private park, or ■™ t]J® aeighbourhood of a single hamlet, the weather and the seasons keep so deftly cKanging that although we .walk there for a life time there will be always "something to startle and delight us."— R.L.S.