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Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1928, Page 2

An interesting address on top-di'ess-ing pastures was given last week byMr it. McGillivray, instructor in agriculture for Canterbury. The lecturer said that the importance of grass in New Zealand compared with the area under crop. The science of grass land farming had advanced greatly recently, and many farmers did not realise its possibilities. The top-dressing of pastures had been taken up in Southland with wonderful success. He did not expect that there would be a great deal of land under grass in Canterbury, with the exception of the districts along the foothills. The most important feature of top-dressing or liming was the increased carrying capacity of the land. In Southland, practical experience had produced gratifying results in this direction. He had examined the lime produced from Mount Somers and was of the opin-

ion that it was some of the best mineral he had seen. He had found that burnt lime was just as good as carbonate of lime in. most oases, but perhaps it did not act quite so quickly. The large amount of fertility that was taken away from the soil each year, in tho way of produce, required replacement, and the time had arrived when something had to ho done and one way was top-dressing. Phosphates were the greatest deficiency of the soil. If they could get nitrogenous fertilisers a little cheaper it would pay them to obtain it. From experiments it had been found that the autumn topdressing was the most beneficial on i.nmp lands, but the application of super on warm soil was best in the spring. He would like to impress upon tliem that top-dressing was an economic proposition. In reply to questions, Mr McGillivray said they had conic to tho conclusion that the first dressing should be 2cwt. of super to the acre, and after that it should lie applied little and often—probably one cwt. to the acre each succeeding year. On the heavy ty’pe of land about a ton to tho aero of lime should be used. On certain types of land they could get quite good results from lime alone, but just about half the result from super. On heavy land he would' not recommend tho application of super without a little lime.