SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 8 January 1931, Page 2

SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER

RESULTS FROM MANURING Tasmania has had experience of the advantages of using subterranean clover and superphosphate on the types of soil. A definite instance’is supplied by Mr A. E. Gorririge, a prominent land owner, of Kempton, in the south. Some ten or twelve years ago Mr Gorringe decided to-sow the clover on a small area and apply a top dressing of' from 90 to 1001 b of superphosphate.- He has been so successful that lie has extended the practice and now lias some 250 acres of the clover, which is. t°Pdressed each year. He finds that lie can carry for considerable periods up to 20 sheep per acre. Mr Gorringe’s practice is to divide the stock between the manured fields and his back runs. He estimates that the 250 acres of treated pasture is able to carry three sheep to the acre all the year round. Prior to treatment the soil, which is of a light sandy nature, and in a district with a rainfall just under 20ins per year, would not support more than half a sheep per acre. Since the improvement of the pasture by the methods has had to put on cattle, up to 25 head being necessary at periods to keep the growth down. No other grass has been sown, but the subterranean clover is supplemented by natural grasses. Mr Gorringe finds that when the subterranean clover goes off early in the summer the stock eat the dried herbage and the seeds readily, and that they thrive on the diet. At that period he brings the back runs into action.