HAURAKI PLAINS SOIL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4500, 6 December 1922, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS SOIL.

• AND HEALTH OF THE HERDS. ESSENTIALS FOR RICH GRASS. The Hauraki Plains fanners have often wondered if any deficiency in their soil is responsible for any of the illness experienced in their stocks. Two veterinary clubs are operating in tile district, and are doing good work, but it is thought that perhaps there is some method of reducing the amount of sickness. Samples of soil have been taken, and it is understood, that the N.Z. Co,-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., has the matter, in band. More samples, however, were required. It has been contended by some that the Hauraki Plains soil is excessively rich in humus or vegetable matter and that this' in its decay causes an excess of nitrogen to be liberated in tiine soil, promoting a rankness of growth which is so characteristic of the district. Other evidence, however, appeared to indicate a deficiency in available phosphates in proportion to the nitrogen. The presence of sufficient phosphates is essential for continued successful dairying and. is a necessary base for bone building and milk production. Without lime and phosphate /.he bony skeleton of the youpg animal could not be built and no cow could produce hei* maximum of milk without tihe necessary mineral, base for the manufacture of, milk. In 80001 b of milk there is actually removed sClb weight of mineral matter, or the equivalent of mere than one cwt. pf high-grade commercial fertiliser, such as pure ground Nauru phosphates. It is the cow’s nature to sacrifice herself both in the building/of her calf’s frame and the production of milk. It is essential that the calf’s skeleton should have phosphate and limeCarefully conducted experiments have shewn tha/ a cow fed on foods deficient in phosphate and lime had yet built a reasonably adequate skeleton by the removal of the necessary elements from /her own skeleton, the estimated amount being 281 b of mineral matter. Similarly, heavy milkers grazing on pastures deficient ire the necessary available mineral matter would, on the same law, tend to dr,aw upon the mineral in their own frames to continue production. This is possible only over a comparatively limited period, and such a cow would not tend to have a long life..

Some farmers have the idea tibat the sole reason for top-dressing was to make the grass grow, but this is not quite a correct statement of! tlm case, although mainly so. Fertiliser is merely applied to make good grass : that is, grass rich in mineral matter

and feeding quality. On t|he Hauraki Plains fertiliser is not necessary to make grass grow, but it may possibly be a payable proposition if it were shown that it would improve the mineral matter content in the grass, and accordingly its quality. It is a proved fact that the mineral matter in grasses varies according to the soils in which they grow, and the feeding value of; grass finally depended upon the amount of mineral matter or bone building and flesh and mi'k forming material contained in it. . . Analysis of the soil and grass will, no doubt, give valuable evidence bearing on the problem facing the farmer, and arrangements are being made to have this work done. It >s thought that lime and phosphate could be recommended for Hauraki Plains land, not with the idea of promoting growth, but of rectifying rankness, improving the flavour, and adding quality to the pasture. The cheapest fertiliser for the Plains is the finely ground Nauru phosphate, containing 80 per cent, of tricalcic phosphate. The vegetable matter in the Plains' soil and the amount of moisture present presented ideal conditions for making this phosphate successful. It is not desirable to use superphosphate on the Plains because the condidtions of soil referred to made pure phosphate the cheaper proposition. Lime is l bulky and the roads on the Plains are not yet of the best, so until labour' and transit costs of. lime decline it would be a commercially sounder proposition to use concentrated fertiliser when grass grows as it does. A point worthy of emphasis is that the aim is not to promote growth, but to improve quality in proportion to the succulence .available. This' might check some of the illness complained of. It is to be hoped that the investigation of; the Plains soil will be carried through, as the matter is of vital importance to the Hauraki P’ains dairy farmers. A committee of Ngate.i farmers, Messrs T. McClean, G. T. Davidson, and W. McDuff, are coI operating with Mr Tattersail, of the N.Z. Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., 30 ! as to take typical soil samples'.