MANURING OF POOR PASTURES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 7 August 1929, Page 2

MANURING OF POOR PASTURES

Mr Rigg, in the course of his address, slated that the chemical analyses of pastures—undertaken in connection with the Mineral Contents of Pastures investigation at the, Cawthron Instituteshowed that the more widespread mineral deficiencies in the Waimea County were those of lime and phosphate. These deficiencies were greatly responsible for the low production of large areas of hill pasture, for the poor flora of the pastures, and for much stock ailment. Under such conditions the returns from stock must be poor, giving little profit to the farmer.

The soil of widest distribution, seriously affected with mineral deficiencies, was that named as the Moutere Hills type bv the soil surveys of the Institute. This soil type extended from the Tasman Sea at Mapua and Tasman to Glenhope and Tophousc in the south. It included the Motupiko and Tadmor valleys, and the whole of that country lying between Redwood's Valley and Beigrove in the east and Neudorf and Stanley Brook in the west. .Many analyses of both soil and pasture had' shown that striking deficiencies of both lime and phosphate occurred in this soil type. It was difficult to say which of the two deficiencies was the most serious in its effect on siock returns. Deficiencies of both lime and phosphate had been found in the- granite soils of the Sherry Valley, but in this case the analyses of pastures suggested that deficiency of phosphate was a more serious problem than deficiency of lime.

LIME AND PHOSPHATE

Analyses of improved pastures on the Moutere Hills soil showed that when adequate quantities of lime and phosphates were employed in the treatment of the land, the mineral composition of the pasture compared favourably with that of the best pastures in the Waimea County. Not only was there a great improvement in the mineral composition of the pasture, but its carrying capacitywas frequently quadrupled as a result of the luxuriant growth of grasses and clovers which resulted from liming and phosphatic manuring. For the Moutere Hills type of soil, liming and phosphatic manuring must remain of paramount importance in paslure improvement for many years. Although the less accessible parts of the country covered by this soil type could not, at the present time, be profitably treated on account of high costs, yet advantage could be taken by farmers of the use of bonemeal "licks" to ensure that stock on the back country suffered no lack of lime and phosphate. Such "licks" containing six parts pure bonemeal and one part rock salt had been used by the Cawthron Institute for stock oni several farms located on the Moutere Hills soil with beneficial results. No farm on the Moutere Hills country should be without one or more fields which have received liberal treatment with both lime and phosphate. Such fields could be located near the homestead either on the alluvial soils of the valley or on any gentle slope easily accessible from the road. The provision of even a small area of good pasture well-supplied with all minerals —so vital to growing stock —would result in greatly improved returns from the whole of the farm. The spelling of ewes in lamb and young hoggets even for a short time on good pasture was a matter of the greatest importance to farmers on the whole of the Moutere Hills country. The laying clown of a small area of good pasture or the top-dressing of favourably situated slopes was within the means of many farmers. This constituted the first step towards improvement of the difficult situation which faced litem at the present time. The first step was vital to the success of the stock industry on the Moutere Hills country. If it was not undertaken there could be little doubt that large areas of Moutere Hills country must revert to forestry.

ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW PASTURE

The experiments of the Cawthron Institute, have shown that the best results in the establishment of new pastures on the Moutere Hills soil type could be secured only by: (1) The thorough liming of the land after ploughing and discing. Two tons of ground limestone per acre were required in the initial treatment of the land.

(2) The use of scwt per acre of either superphosphate or basic slag. The manure should he broadcasted and harrowed into the soil before seeding.

(3) The use of a- grass and clover mixture, containing suitable quantities of cocksfoot, rye, crested dogstail, white and red clovers and lotus major. (4) The annual top-dressing of the pasture in the winter with superphosphate at the rate of 2cwt per acre. On loamy soils basic slag could be advantageously employed at the rate of 4cwt per acre in alternate years.

TOP-DRESSING POOR PASTURES

In those cases where farmers could not afford the cost of ploughing and residing pasture land, top-dressing of existing pastures should be undertaken. Under these circumstances, an application of 1 ton of ground limestone per acre was necessary as a preliminary treatment. The lime should be broadcasted in the early winter, so that marked benefit would be obtained in the spring growth. In the early spring a dressing of not less than 4c\vt per acre of basic slag or superphosphate must be applied. A little white clover and lotus major should be sown on all pastures which were greatly impoverished. In subsequent years, an annual topdressing or 2cwt per acre of superphosphate or of basic slag at the rate of 4cwt in alternate years, would quickly effect an astonishing improvement in the pasture. With such treatment it could be safely predicted that the carrying capacity of the land would very shortly be trebled, and that stock would be maintained iy good health ami condition. In those cases where deterioration of pasture had not proceeded so far, and where a sprinkling of' white clover and trefoil still-remained in the pasture, topdressing with basic slag at the rate of 4cwt per acre would result in great improvement. In an experiment of this nature conducted by the Institute an increase of 60 per cent, in the carrying; capacity had been effected in the first season' after treatment. Top-dressing with equal parts of superphosphate and j certain rock phosphates such as Ephos should prove equally satisfactory. Such treatment, however, must be regarded solely as a temporary measure, and a dressing of ground limestone—even if only at the rale of £ ton per acre--should be applied at the earliest opportunity. In the absence of lime treatment, superphosphate on the Moutevo Hills country effected very little improvement in the pasture. USE OF AMMONIUM PHOSPHATE

The highly concentrated nature of this

fertiliser containing;' as it does both nitrogen and phosphate suggests that it might be valuable for topdressing hill pastures. On pastures where lime has : been applied or on pastures where a good natural supply of lime occurs in the soil, this may yet prove to be the case. For the Moutere Hills pastures it cannot, however, be recommended unless lime treatment has already been given. Two experiments with ammonium phosphate were conducted by the Institute last season on Moutere Hills pastuies. Although greater growth of grass was secured from the top-dressed pasture, little improvement in the flora was noticeable. At. the conclusion of the lectures a number of questions were asked by farmers. A hearty vote of thanks to the lecturers was moved by Mr W. Dron and carried by acclamation. Mr T. Rigg, in replying to the vote of thanks, acknowledged the valuable help given by Mr W. C. Davies. of the Cawthron Institute, in preparing lantern slides and in operating the lantern.