SUCCESSFUL FARMING

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 3 February 1916, Page 2

SUCCESSFUL FARMING

OF GUM LANDS

Mr M. MaICH, who' for someyears farmed gum land at Te Kopuru, possesses valuable knowledge regarding the treatment of such territory- His holding com- ' prises 300 acres, which was some years ago acquired rrom the> Government at 2s 6d per acre. To-day the land is worth £10 an acre, and is & good payable proposition, and is carrying 300 sheep, nine head of cattle and five horses. Fully one-half of the area is,not properly grassed, owing to the soil being neglected after cropping, and what should be permanent pastures gjfcfe sadly suffered. Neve^thelesP^lie sheep and cattle are in pvime condition arid are fit1 for the butcher. Mr Maich states $*&' oats on his class of land do not do too well, potatoes return four tons to the acre, and soft turnips and swedes always give good results. Cocksfoot does fairly well for the first . year and then furnishes very feed, rye lasts three years and if topdressed will give good growth ' for another three, and maize does remarkably well. He found that on applying 4c wt of bpnedust to« the acre, pleasing crops of swedes always ensue. The grasses he most favours are paspalunv brown top, lotus major, lotus angustissimus, white and, red clovers, and cow grass. Adjoining Mr Maich's farm are waste Crown areas which g-ivejsg the district a desolate appears and if they were availablej settlement, could at small ! be brought into productij To fence such land costs i chain, while clearing and ploj ing costs £2 10s an acre, but; amount of kauri gum unearj by the plough on such j averages in value £1 an a and often considerably more; that to the man with restri Su) ie capital some hundreds of a " can be acquired at relatismall cost. —Dargaville Time:

itnenfc to the " Kaipara & Wail