FARMING PUMICE LANDS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 535, 19 May 1933, Page 10

FARMING PUMICE LANDS

C.

Dalgliesh,

SOME "ASPECTS OF THE WORK I * RESULTS JUSTIFY CONFIDENCE ; V BEST METHODS DISCUSSED iV '

Specially Written for the "Morning Post" by

Fields Instructor, Agricultural Department, Rotorua.)

Up to recent years, the words "pumice lantls" conveyed j t-o the minds of the general public a picture of vast areas of waste lands sparsely covered with stimted scrnh and fern of no value except for afforestation purposes and for the benefit of wild horses which at one time roamed at. large throughout the pumice areas.. Then came venturesome farmers, prohably enticed by results secured in ai small way (in all probability the resuRs of gardening efforts), followed by others of the pioneering nature, and these again by additional farmers attracted by results of the first, and finally, the recent farming development carried out by the Government departments— European and Native — and the publicity given to all movement from the time of the first results obtained. Although this development has been slow in its procedure, it has gradually installed an improved picture in the minds of the public, but at the same time1; many h'ave made no efiort to photograph this improved picture in theif. minds.

^S^^^«ITHOUT a doubt, pumice WM^W l'an(is have called forth ( m%mP$Wt) some disparaging re- | marks from all classes 1 community, and , the fxrst man to attempt j farming these lands can truly be des- ! cribed as venturesome. Man is apt to judge lands in gener- j -~al accordin'g to th'e classes of country that be has been most accnstomed to. It is a recognised fact that where yon find the natural growth of good quality and vigour, the land also is considered to be of good quality and vigour. In the main this is quite correct. But instances can be quoted where farming results have not been successful on land which indicated good promise from the general appearance of its natural growth. The same rule applies to land which, from its general appearance and virgin vegetation, might be considered of no value. There are many instances throughout New Zealand of land which, when judged on appearance, has been labelled of no value, but is now being quite successfully farmed. Pumice soils, with their light soil condition and irregular covering of manuka, and manoao scrnb (dracophyllum sabulatum) with open spaces covered in tussock (poa caescitosa) danthonia (danthonia semiamulario var.), and other growth of

the lower order, such as (leucopogon fraseri, gutheria antipod, pomaderris phylicaefolia, strathmore weed, (pimella prostrata) left nothing for one to assume that there was a productive possibility ahead. Management Tells. As previously mentioned, where virgin land with good depth of soil, carries growth of good quality and vigour, such lands, in the main, prove good farming propositions, and under very ordinary farming methods will produce and maintain good pastures and crops, and often it is the quality and vigour of th'e land that is the principal agent of success and not the management of man. Again there are many farmers who have made a success of farming, mainly due to their knowledge of stock and their ability in stock management. In the other cases, where the natural growth is of the lower order of vegetation and the soil type is poor in appearance, man is the key of the situation, as this type of country can-

not be farmed satisfactorily without study and proper management. An analysis of returns and stock carrying capaeity of farms througout the Rotorua pumice area will indicate as to whether _ these lands are the hopeless proposition as is pictured in one's mind when we hear or read the words Rotorua Pumice Lands."

i Sample Farms Here are some examples of what can be accomplished: — 1 Area 310 acres; stock, 156 miiKing cows, 50 head young stock. Previously 'carried one dairy herd o± cows and 300 to 400 breedxng ewes. • 2. Area, 77 acres; 37 milkmg cows, 18 head young stock. 3. Area, 44 acres; 23 milkmg cows and eight- head yonng stock. 4. Area, 254 acres; 110 cows and young stock in addition. The New Zealand Co-operative Herd Testing Association's report for . the month of March indicates the position as regards the production ox butterfat: — -

Group average ZB.liflD. Highest herd average 43.001b. Lowest herd average 17.601b. Highest cow • 6,5-00iJj' Figures wibh regard to the Nga- , kuru demonstration farm are published elsewhere. Valuable Guidance. Although the hest records referied to are not of the highest, they a,re quite creditahle and assist one to vispalise the .puhaice lands as they becbme when dealt with' hy stndy and management of man. "With reference to diffetences m .returns, some are undoubtedly too ow to he profitable while others are

eminently satisfactory. This emphasises the fact that the study of the farming methods suitable must he put intoi practice. Unquestionahly low returns are not always the cause of want of knowledge as the most exp'erienced of farmers at times meets with adversity and is unable to proceed with the management of his farm as he would wish. Methods of Farming. Now that we have analysed some of the leading records, it hehoves us to delve into the farming meth'ods adopted to change the natural condition of the pumice soils to one which has been the means of producing the returns of butterfat and stock carrying capaeity as recorded. In the first ventures of farming

pumice soils, without a doubt, varying results occured, disappointing as well as satisfactory, and disappointing results no doubt will occur again, when farmers who have a fixed standard and system of farming, which has brought success on lands totally different, determine to adhere to. these fixed prove d methods of other lands. But one does not antieipate this to happen except on rare occasions, as practical farmers are well aware of the necessity of caution when changing to another district. Early Culti^'ation. The first areas of pumice lands

which were taken in hand were those, which carried a natural growth of tutu and ferit, and which were located on the hills or higher levels. The lower levels, foothills, undulating areas and plateaus, carrying vegetation, chiefly of sparse,stunted manuka, monoao scrub and tussock, with fern on certain areas, and flats chiefly covered with monoao scrub and tussock, or tussock alone, were discarded until later years. The method used in bringing in the tutu and fern country was (and is still, in practice) to burn, disc and surface sow in temporary p'asture of rye and cocksfoot, with a liheral seeding of clover; then in two to three years time, to plough a sufficient area for the growing of swedes for winter feeding of stock, and in the following spring — subsequent to the swedes being fed off hy stock— to sow in a permanent pasture, continuing eaeh year nntil the full area was sown to pasture. In this way much good work has been done and successful farms

established. On the lower levels where stunted manuka, monoao scrub and tussocks dominated, the above mentioned methods have not proved so satisfactory, and the plough is the first implement to he used towards good farming methods after the scrub is cleared by cutting or hurning. Temporary Pastures.

Temporary pastures oi rye anu, clover, turnips and clover, and turnips or swedes, followed by temporary pasture, have been tbe initial crops in the first steps towards the subsequent i establishment of permanent pastures on this type of country. Cereals have not proved satisfactory as rotaaon crops in preparatory measures foi establishment of pastures.

Practically, on most farms wnen breaking in operations were commenced 10 to 20 acres would he ploughed and sown to pasture straight away, to provide early feed, with the idea of later reploughing and -eventnally sowing in permanent pasture. These areas, being most often situated close to the homestead, proved so convenient that in many cases the replough- , ing and sowing to a better pasture did not take place, and although not of the best, the areas are on the average quite reasonably good, and as time I has gone on, with occasionally heavy j stocking, the fertility of the soil has I been raased,

Help From Top-aressmg. In the first farming of th'e puinice soils, slow headway was made, but with the advent of top-dressmg. of pastures more rapid and: more satisfactory progress has heen made, and the annual application of pliojphatic fertilisers has played an imJK^tan^ ' : ^ ■* *" '

part, and always will play this imP'ortant part, dn the establishment of | farms in this area. The experienee | gained hy the pioneer farmers has E also played an important part in the | later development, and has enabled | more rapid progress to be made where new farms are taken in hand. A Bold Experiment. In the development of Ngakurau pumice soils, a bold step was ventured upon, and 1100 acres sown to permanent pasture on the first furrow within twelve months from time of commencement. Before this step was I taken it was recognised that thorougli- ! ness in all cultivation work and pio- j [ per consolidation of the land .must be 1 aimed at, and the methods adopted were as f ollows : — The land was cleared of scrub, then ploughed to a depth of five or six inches, rolled on the furrow with aheay Cambridge roller (the rolling heing done in th'e direction of the f urrows) , then douhle disced, chain harrowed and rolled again immediately, before the sowing of seed. The . seed was covered with a brush harrow, and when time permitted, a further rolling given. Although climatic conditions during the first spring- and summer — 1930 — were drastic in continuous high winds, combined with

dry weather, the conditions of tne pastures at the present time justify the work and methods. Good proved seed and liberal applications of p-hos-phatic fertilisers were used. The next picture which flashes at express speed into the minds of the public is, Cost with visions of heavy manuring. The figures regarding cost have been published previously, but the position can be summed up m the practical mind briefly as f ollows: "The cultivation of virgin pumice lands is more easily accomplished ' than the cultivation of any other virgin land in New Zealand. Seeding per acre costs the same. Permanent Pasture: Italian ryegrass, 51b; certified perennial ryegrass, 21b; cocksfoot, 101b; crested dogstail, 31b; red clover, 21b; alsike, 11b; white clover, |lb.

Three cwt. of superpnospnaie ^ the time of seeding and 3 cwt twice a year (March' and August) were used in top-dressing of pastures. Pastures on Guthrie settlement, ad-jacent-to Ngakuru, are quite good and show what can be done with smaller quantities of fertilisexs. Growth of Clover Clovers, as is well and generally known, do exceptionally well, and I venture to say that the pumice lands clover crops, has been one of the retarding influences towards the more potentiality in the growing of heavy

rapid progress of its development. It | is hard to believe that the prolific | growth as is regularly noticed in the ; clover crops throughout the district, . will tend to check progress, Never1 theless it is a fact that unless means of control are taken, a too ; continuous, vigorous growth of any pasture composition, will result m the more vigorous and growthy species, I overwhelming those of a less prolific , nature and which are equally as im- | portant, in fact more so. Stock will J not thrive satisfactorily on pastures which carry a too liberal growth, particularly where one species, such as red clover is domin&ftt. Practical farmers have long recognised that stock in this district will not do satisfactorily on dominating clover pastures of mnch growth and that they do a great deal better on similar pas-. tures where the clover growth is controlled. It is quite an established fixed farming custom, for practical farmers to quote: "Rye will not est.nhlish for tliree to four. years from

time of sowing," mentioning that it will be quite all right for the first year then to a great extent will disappear and as the clover growth becomes less vigorous, the rye re-establish-es itself in the third to fourth year. The pastures on Ngakuru demonstration farm — now two and a-half years | old — and Ngakuru No. 2 pastures, forcibly demonstrate that rye can he satisfactorily established in much less time when clover growth is controlled. Cereals Cereals grow quite satisfactorily, but is not a suitable crop in farm rotation, when aiming to ultimately i sow down to pasture. i Root Crops

R'otorua district is noted for its success in the growing of swede and turnip crops. The best crops are grown following either a temporary or permanent pasture. , This cannot be classed as a man!gold growing district, but it is suriprising tbe'jjesults obtained where use is made of farmyard manure. I recently inspected and weighed a crop grown in very unpromising looking country which gave a weight of 64 itons per acre. Potatoes provide good to fair crops and are much better in quality than Ithe potatoes brought into the district ifrom other localities which are noted (for their potato crops. | Maize. I Some quite good crops of maize are to be seen, and.deserve more at" tention as a supplementary forage (.crop for dairy cows. I recently mfspected and weighed a crop, showing a growth of over twelve feet and averaging 44 tons in weight per , £crc. . \.- v