Value of Superphosphate

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 32, 8 February 1937, Page 2

Value of Superphosphate

Striking evidence of the value oi superphosphate as a mammal dressing tor lucerne in Hawke's Bay is provided jy the experience of Mr H. Heffer, who arms an area at Pukekuia, Opapa, In 1932 Mr Heffer had a paddock on ight country which was only carrying danthonia, suckling clover, hair grass and a little crested dogstail. The production from this area was poor, so he decided to try lucerne in the paddock. The seed bed for the lucerne was obtained by a single ploughing and the ordinary working; IscWt. of super per acre was sown with the seed, which was not inoculated. Marlborough seed at the rate of 201bs. per acre was sown. For the first two years the lucerne did very well, but by the third yea* deterioration had set in, and during the spring of 1935 the crop looked yellow and sickly, and Mr Heffer made* up hie mind to plough the paddock. Hie neighbour, Mr D. Campbell, persuaded him to try a dressing ofsuper, as the stand had not received any manure since if had beon sown. Mr Heffer took Mi Campbell's advice and gave the stand 3cwt. of super at the end of October* 1935. As there was not sufficient super tc top-drese the whole paddock, an area oi approximately one acre right in the centre of the paddock was left untreated. The results were amazing* and provided a most striking top-dressing experiment. The lucerne on the treated area was nearly three feet in length, a deep rich colour, plenty of leaf end no flowei heads; a magnificent crop, in fact. The lucerne on the area which had not received any super was yellow, stunted, non© of the plants being 18 inches long, very sickly, practically no leaf, and all the plant* w'ell in flower. The jremarkable difference between the lueernt from the manured portion of the paddock and that from the non-mannred was an outstanding feature. After the crop was cut, the lucerne was put up into edeks, which wore all built about the same size. The acre which had not been manured produced six and n-half cocks, while an equivalent nottion produced 36 cocks of bar*