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Hokitika Guardian, 31 August 1928, Page 2

Tub value and virtue of top-dressing is beginning to impress Coast farmers more and more. Going about the district examples .are to be seen of the effect of fertilisers, especially where the comparison can be made with adjacent paddocks or holdings. At this sea to n of the year the effect of liming or top-dressing is the more noticeable in the greener appearance of the fields, indicating the grass is getting an early start. Fertilising is now recognised as a payable proposition, and is in general vogue. As a result of intense competition among manufacturers, exceedingly low prices have boon ruling lor fertilizers. There lias been an increase in prices, and the “war’’ may be said to have resolved itself into an armed truce. It was begun by a eoopertive company. But the country as a whole lias greatly benefited by the competition, inasmuch as farmers took the utmost opportunity of top-dressing their pastures, with excellent resultis and they are not likely now to allow them to go “hungry” again. An official estimate of tile quantity of fertilizer used during tlio twelve months ended March 3Tst. was 219,150 tons., Of this quantity 53 per cent, would be superphosphate, and tlio rest would be. lime, basic slag, and other artificial manures in that order. Eight times more manure was spread iu the North Island than in the South, where general or mixd farming is followed, additional to the large wheatgrowing areas of Canterbury and North Otago. In the North Island land has been more recoil tv won from the virgin hush, but it has been evident for many years past that the use of artificial fertilizers will of necessity have to be increased in the dairying and sheep-fattening pastures. There arc eight fertilizer works in operation in New Zealand, and plans for a largo undertaking near Dunedin are under eonideration in order to meet the SI mt 1 1 Island demand. These works are additional to the output of blood and hones and animal manures from tlie freezing works. The output of the Dominion fertilizer works last year was 180,940 tons superphosphate, 2.239 tons guano, 1,519 tons acid.