LIMING FOR WESTLAND SOILS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 June 1923, Page 4

LIMING FOR WESTLAND SOILS.

TESTS AT WAIMAUNGA EXPERT.m extab fa mi. ((’. S. Dalghesh, Fields Instructor, Hokitika, in the N. 55. Journal of Agriculture). Analyses of South Island Mest Coast soils show that their lime-re-quirement in carbonate of lime ranges from 1 ton to ti tons per acre. The practical experiences of many farmers ami the results of work carried out by the Department of Agriculture at | Waimaunga Experimental Farm and in other local districts clearly demonstrate that liming is the basic princinle of agriculture on this coast, and that only a meagre amouTff of cultivation can lie undertaken without its use. Waimaunga Farm soils sho-.v a limedeficiency of 2 toils to A ton- per acre. This farm i.- situated in the northern end of Drey Valiev, thirteen miles south of Rcefton. The laud brought under cultivation since the Department took possession is fight, ami very fairly representative of the lighter lands of the West Coast. The grassland mainly consisted of iiorin and sweet vernal, there being a complete absence of clovers and the bet-ter-class grasses. The capacity of 1 such pastures, either for stock-raising ! or milk-produetinn, is very low. Sub- ! sequent in the breaking-in of the land .by provioe ■ owners of the property ! good crops of oaf,-, and turnips were J grown, hut the heller grasses did not 1 hold for any length of lime, and clover.-, never did thrive. Field 1 :il Waimaunga—light, shallow land, stony in places—was ploughed in the winter of 1021, cultivated in the spring, and given L ton of ground burnt lime per acre. The area was

sown in temporary pasture of ryegrass and clovers in November. 2 ewt of superphosphate per acre being used ns a mnnure. An excellent pasture resulted, with clovers prolific. The field was grazed with stoclv from January to the beginning of .September, 1022. and then closed up to the end of October. From .'list October to lltli November it carried store bullocks at the

rate of one per acre ; fioin then to the last day of November it carried two bullocks per at re. l! was then spelled with the intention of again stocking in three weeks’ time, but plenty of other feed being available it was not until 1-lth January last thin stock was again put on. There was a great growth of feed—an idea! clover-hay crop. From then to the middle of February the lield was heavily stocked with .-.tore bullocks and sheep, then given three weeks' spell ; it ha.- carried since six sheep per acre and more than held its own. Field 2 was ploughed in January, 1921, cultivated during February and -Wnrcb, and limed at the rate of 2

tons per acre, with the exception of a strip 1 chain in width lengthwise through the field, this being left unioned. The field was thus left during the winter ; in I lie spring it received light cultivation and va- again ploughed. and ‘U acre.- made ready and sown in root crops in December, the remainder of the field being; fallowed. The crops grown were swedes, turnips, •and caiTot-. also Thou-aml-hcaded kale. Ten days previous (o these

crops being -own. purely as an experiment, an additional 12 ewi of lime per acre was (applied to a certain area on OH> b ,-idc of the field. The manure used Vi- 2 tw; sttperphosphate per acre. The root crops gave the following av-rriei. -, iold- per aer* :

2 Tons Dime in Drops 2 lons Dime in Autumn with 12 ewt. Autumn additional previoiu No l.'.m. to sowing. 'funs Cwt. Toils C-.VI. Tor.s (Art. Swedes 2b i by p IP 'if Turnips 2;j 7 20 i) ! ;

. ' Ti.c carrots v.crc a poor crop all through, being sown -rather late to ensure a good result, ami a complete .allure on the unlimed land. The Ihousaiul-hcaded kale gave a very air crop on the timed areas, but there was a complete absence of plants ui the unlimed land. The root crops were fed off with lot k during the winter, and the land houghed in the spring. With the seeption of acres reserved for cede manorial trials, the field was anvil in Algerian oats and temporary ■astiire of Italian rye-grass and cowtrass. A proprietary fertiliser was ’sod at the rate of 2 ewt per acre; a trip 1 chain in width running across he field was left without manure. From the commencement of growth lie oats on the unlimed strip lagged Vr behind, being poor and yellow in clour in the early stages of growth ml finishing as a very poor crop inTed. The uniiiamired part showed , very awkward growth for the first

lvo to site weeks: niter that it came ui remarkably well, hilt at time of a west was of shorter growth and invo « smaller yield than did the uanured area. Tiie yields of chaff per ere H ere us follows : Idmed and manred area, fi”ewt : limed, without :a mi re, 32cv.-t-; unlimod, with manre, Oewt : unlimed, and no manure, ewt.

The temporary pasture made great growth on all hut the unlimed strip, and on the lighter parts of tiie field seemed to retard tho growth of the oat crop. On the unlimed parr, the pasture is extremely poor—in fact, can scarcely he termed a pasture, the grass sown being thin and weak, and the clover sparse and yellow in appearance. The line of difference in growth between the limed and unlimed land is strongly defined. The two acres reserved for . swede mahurial trials in this same field was -own with Superlative in the second week of December, and twenty different manures given a trial. The results have been a failure oil the unbilled part, swedes failing to braird on many pjots and very poorly on others, with subsequent stunted growth. Phosphoric manures gave the best, braird: basic slag gave much the best result on the unlimed land : the nitrogenous manure plots were slow to start growth, and a complete failure oil the unlimed land.

Field 3 was sown in permanent pa.— hire-in the autumn of 1922. with n 2 ewt superphosphate per acre. Half of the field had received 1 ton of lime Per acre and the other half 2 tons during the previous late winter and early spring when in preparation to be sown in oats and vetches and oats and

peas ; the manure for the latter crops being 2 ewt per acre of one part superphosphate and one part Ephos phosphate. Very heavy crops of oats and vetches, and oats and peas, were secured. Tho pasture is excellent, with a good sole of clovers, and is carrying stock well. Both parts of the field—l toil and" 2 tons of lime respectively—have given equally good results.

Field ■] was sown in pasture in February, 1921, 2 tons of lime per acre being applied during preparatory cultivation operations. Manure, 1 part superphosphate and 2 parts Ephos phosphate, was applied at 2 ewt per acre. This is now a first-lass pasture, carrying stock well. A very good crop of clover hay. averaging 2

ions per acre, was harvested in Janunrv, 1922. Field 5 differs in formation from the major portion of the farm, being of river-flat formation of a free sandy nature. This field was cleared of gorse and blackberry, ploughed in late autumn and winter, and part .sown in a broadcast swede crop in December. The greater part received a second ploughing in preparing the land for the crop. The field, with tlie exception of a strip 1 chain in width in the centre, received an application of 5 ewt of lime per acre, and was manured with 1 ewt hoiiedust per acre. The crop was only medium. The braird was very lmtt'h poorer and growtu stunted on the unlimed in comparison with the limed portions. Field 7 was ploughed in the winter of 1921, preparatory to being sown in oats. It was intended that one-half of the field be limed at the rate or 1 ton per acre and the remainder be not lint-, d. Owing to the full quantity not being available "hen required only a few acres received the application of lime. Dun oats were sown in the spring with 2 ewt of superphosphate a- a manure. A very lair crop resulted, being better on the limed portion. with stotiger grow lit. This field has not been ploughed since, and has reverted to a liorin and sweet-vernal pasture. The striking ami prominent feature of this natural succession is the growth of superior pas-ture-plants on the few acres which were limed, also its preferential treatment by stock, both facts emphasising the great value of lime for such soils. These few acres are carrying what can be' termed a good secondclass pasture (white clover. Duetts major, and a fair proportion of ryegrass), which is kepi closely grazed down by stock. It also carries a vigorous growth of Scotch thistles. '1 lie remainder of the lield is comprised of a liorin and siveei-vernal pasture' in full sped at time of writing', not being relished hv slock. There is also an ,absence of thistles. An account of liming and manurial experiments in other districts of the Vest Const will follow.