NITROGENOUS MANURING

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1932, Page 3

NITROGENOUS MANURING

USE IN GRASSLANDS PRODUCTION lj : i MIA 1 f- '>* V •It is only- recently, that; the value of nitrogenous .fertilisers on pasture land has been realised and exploited. So far as New Zetland is' concerned ’it is, now -just oven, three years gillie the first, shipment, of. synthetic sulphate of amoriia came. into. New Zealand for commercial usey anil since then thousands of tons- have been applied as top-dressing to pastures either as straight sulphate of aniouia or amoniated super.

As-might lie expected of a new development in grassland' production, there was necessarily an experimental stage to discover when, where' and how the nitrogen should be applied to best meet local conditions, and "' sulphate of anionia • has now emerged from this stage a® a very definite factor in the securing of increased,'profits from grass. The Government trials extending over the three years have defined the value of nitrogen for the securing of early spring grass and .late autumn and early winter .feed with all its benefits to the dairy' .farmer and shefcp farmer. In addition iluse improved -.the composition and balance of the pastures in regard to ryegrass and clover. .... ; The experiences of hundreds-of .farmers all over New Zealand ... confirm strongly the -advantages of applying nitrogen not only for pastures, but: lor farm crops. In fact it is obvious from many reports that its use makes for the increased production that just turn® the scales in tiic fanner’s favour -at times when low prieffs affe> Tilling. The use of nitrogen alone "is-not. advocated and the best retiirns'oome: from land that has a sufficient supply of phosphate, lime and potash. Tee absence of these factors in "the soil bus sometimes lei! to an apparent' failure of nitrogen, hut is an - established fact that a response must lie obtained if the conditions are right. ’Die new reductions announced in the. price of sulphate of .amdiiia aiid in aminoniated sumo- in proportion should have a considerable effect in inducing, farmers to use nitrogen oiiTat- least a mart of their pastures; and'so"increase, WW, productjwM a *U > W