RESEARCH WORK

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1931, Page 2

RESEARCH WORK

LINCOLN COLLEGE. REPORTS OF TESTS. Tlie report of research work con-, ducted at Lincoln College for the six months ending March 3ist, 1031. covers a wide field, and provides a mass of useful results. Following are a number of extracts dealing with different branches of the work. COCKSFOOT AND RYEGRASS. A series of experiments has been conducted with cocksfoot, th t > must interesting being in the form of small yield trials. The plots were cut on January Bth, February 18tl>, and Alarch iOtli. The greatest air dry weight was given by the pedigree strain C 23 in all three cuttings (213. 28-5, 97). Southland Plains commercial gave 219. 239. ,17 ; AkarOa commercial 203, 207. 87; Canterbury Road, side (commercial) 198, 283, So: Burnham Plains (old pasture) 183, 222, 53; A 7 lOl, 142, 264, 94.

One of the characteristics for which ryegrass is being selected is permanency. The plots sown down with ryegrass from old pasture from Canterbury, together with commercial Canterbury, Hrtwkos Bay, poverty Bay, and yearly Canterbury once removed from Hawkos Bay, have been grazed with sheep throughout the last season. The plots are now one year old, a lid show that perennial ryegrass from old pastures from Canterbury is as good as any other, while ryegrass from mixed yearling or mixed young pastures may not ho perennial ryegrass at all. The trial emphasises di” fact that farmers using perennial ryegrass for nCrmanoiit pastures must use seed from old >v>«+nri>s provided no Italian has been sown in t'm mKtui'e. The trial also demonstrated the fact the yearly Canterbury one'’

removed from Huwkes Bay was as good as original Hawkes Bay seed.

Plots of different lines of commercial ryegrass laid down in triplicate have been cut and weighed at regular growth periods during the year. The totals indicate the variation in productiveness. - Low . producers from December 18th to February 18th contained over 80 per cent, of Italian ryegrass. They have almost died out, and it is easy to understand that the sowing of such lines as perennial ryegrass will result in a very poor ryegrass pasture in the second and third year after sowing, Such pastures have been known to improve in the third and fourth years owing to the reseeding of any perennial ryegrass plants which are present. RED CLOVER, The red clover plots were rearranged during the winter and are now being selected under grazing conditions, Growth hfis been slow owing to dry weftthe t - since planting, However, the plants are coining away IVe|]. Sheep have a distinct preference j'qr those red clovers which aro practically hairless— one very hairy selection they scarcely touched, eating dry cocksfoot in preference to it. Not such marked differences in palatability lie tween the different selections have heen noticed in ryegrass o r cocksfoot.

Pure sowing of different grasses and clover have been cut, and weighed at regular growth periods, to obtain information on thp seasonal productivity of the different grasses and clovers. The results to date show the importance of rod clover and cocksfoot as producers during our dry periods in summer. Even in the first year, cocksfoot yielded over 100 per cent, more dry matter per plot than perennial ryegrass during December January and February. Red clover yielded ’about 200 per cent, more than ryegrass during the same period. This trial will he carried on for another year.

THE MINERAL CONTENT OF PASTURES. Collection of pasture samples w«s begun during 1930, and this will be continued over a twelve months peiiod. A commencement has been made on the analyses, but the greater portion of the time has been taken up in collection work and preparation of the samples for analyses, Moisture determination on soil samples collected by Dr O. H. biunkel has also been carried out in connexion with research work on different strains of wheat. GRASS MANURIAL TRIALS In the grass manurial trials two separate investigations are under way including the use of young glass sil age as a substitute for green feed in poultry- production, and a digestibility trial with sheep. The compared manures have been : Super fl ewt per acre). Super (1 C wt) 1 phis ammonium sulphate (lewt per acre,) leunaphos (1 cwt per acre), nitrophoskn (1 cwt per acre.) Production to date for this season is given in the following table (in lb 0 f grass per acre): — Time of Treatment. Production; application. July. Oct. Jan. Apr: Super 9.637 8,720 10.555 8,31.) Nitrophaska 8,313 8.548 8.822 9,260 Leunaphos 11,436 8,445 9,023 9,2.1 Amm. sulph. plus super 9,766 8,894 8.205 i ; 6B. The control index was 5407.

PASTURE INVESTIG ATIONS. Pasture investigations reported on concern chiefly the second farm. The results to date are very encouraging especially from a financial point of view In the worst- of bad years it is anticipated that the income will almost equal tlie expenditure (including interests), whereas in the past three years the loss has been from £3OO to £4OO per annum. The crops have been harvested under practically ideal conditions. The ryegrass yielded 47 bushels on one field and 37 bushels on another; cocksfoot yielded 27-21.1) per acre off the mill, and oats gave -an average of two tons ol chaff per acre. The wheat was disappointing yielding an average of only 27 bushels, the best field (Hunters) resiling only 29 bushels. The linseed is not yet threshed. Pastures during the spring (Septem-ber-January inclusive) averaged as high as 4.87 owes and their lambs per acre on super plus n.itrochalk topdressing. Four 10-acre fields, rotationally grazed, averaged 4$ ewes and their lambs per acre from September Ist to January 31st, while in November and December these fields carried up to eight ewes and their lambs per acre, SHEEP DO WELL, Ihe sheep have done very well, anu 66 per cent, of the lambs were fattened on the mother* on m- Hi-g year. In order to utilise mb* .-H .i.-.- 'Ved, 880 stud ewes were taken la. yr- ng on February 9th and are ,; : mi the property. It is expected that the stubble feeds will be eaten out by the end of March, The flock has been increased from 400 to 550 ewes by t*.e addition of 'four and six-tooth ewes purchased this autumn. The cropping programme for the coming season consists of (Wheat, 100 acres; oats, 55 acres; cocksfoot 30 acres; ivcgrass seed, 55 acres; rape, 20 acres. The third farm consists of 110 acres at Fairfield, near Ashburton, and has just been taken over. The land is light and shingly, overlying shingle. It is hoped to gain some information on irrigation on the Canterbury plains from the experience on this farm.

On the B farms the work has been continued through a very difficult period, in which, however, much information has Leon gained regarding the limitations of controlled grazing and top-dressing. USE OF FERTILISERS. The investigations concerning the use and economies of various fertilisers principally those of a nitrogenous nature, have been continued, The details of sheep days in each experiment. are given in the following tables, also the value of the increased grass growth reckoned at per sheep day. Factors, other than the increase in carrying capacity, which must also be taken into consideration in connexion with economical top-dressing are.—

(1) Palatabilitv and health of stock—composition and mineral content as It affects food value per unit of dry matter,

(2) Improvement of sward—cumulative effect which may mean maintain-, ing a high-producing permanent sward and the avoidance of tlie high cost of renewal.

(3) Real value of ont-of-senson grass —in Canterbury the cost of Italian rvo and green-feed oats for autumn and soring feed must bo considered, and also turnips and dry feeds as alternatives.

Those throe sections arc at present being investigated.

The report also contains tables showing the results of trials for periods covering the autumn npnlication and the July application of leunaphos. nitroeholk, potash, and sulphate of ammonia.

Farm implement, research has been continued, being concerned ehioflv with drilling trials. If the co-operation ot manufacturers can lie obtained, it is intended to repeat the trials again this year, with autumn sowings. Information gleaned from this season’s trial should result, in » more fnctorv and a nun* imai ! < -al being laid down.