GRASS PASTURES.

Shannon News, 14 November 1924, Page 2

GRASS PASTURES.

LECTURE IN SHANNON.

Under the a/uispices of the Shannon branch o.i the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, Mr McCullough, Government Agricultural Instructor, delivered a lecture in the Council Chambers to a lair number of farmers on “Pastures.’’ By the aid of lantern slides he dealt at great length with his subject, showing that the grass lands oi New Zealand are its greatest national asset and future prosperity depends on their careful and proper management. He said the general-" principle of .grass growing is that eyieryope wants! pasture; but this is not always wise as sometimes it is necessary to- have a temporary pasture, as sometimes good grass pastures fail owing to the season. In sowing grasses it was essentia] t ; o have a mixture of grasses as stock did not like one species of grass in pasture as it becomes unpalatable to tbiem. He said New Zealand had a great variety of climate and soil, and therefore the cultivation, suitable mixtures, and top-dressing manures played a big part in obtaining a good pasture. He showed -by the slides the stages of different grasses disappearing out of the pastures and Where by ’top-dressing purely dan,thonia country had been brought back to rye. He also gave a list of mixtures of grass seeds for different classes of country, explaining ihoroughly why the different grasses were used- Suitable manures and their use were' also, given, pointing out that superphosphates have proved the best manures ,in New Zealand and giving illustrations of results as compared with other manures. A good fertilizer he said/ was the feeding out of good hay in the padocks; he preferred that to the rack because the manure was more ■■ scattered round.

A most interesting and instructive lecture was brought to a close by showing lantern slides of the various grasses, cultivation of same, effects of manures and general management Qf pastures. Mr McCullough received, a hearty vote of thanks lor his address.