THE USE OF FERTILISERS

Shannon News, 26 February 1926, Page 4

THE USE OF FERTILISERS

IS IT PROFITABLE? THE QUESTION ANSWERED. . One often hears the question asked*; "Is it profitable to fertilise pastures?" The following r.esults obtained from a test carried out on a Southland farm sown to pasture 25 years ago proves without doubt that "pasture land can b e profitably fertilised. The test was carried out over three plots of 'l acre each in area, the plots being treated in the following manner:— Plot I.—No manure, check plot. Plot 2.—Basic super. 2 owt. per acre, supplied in the late winter. Plot S. —Basic super. 2cwt. per acre,, applied in the later winter. Also, nitrate of soda 1 cwt. per acre, applied as a top-dressing in the early spring, just when the young grass commenced to shoot. When the plots were cut, the following yields Vt dry meadow hay were obtained: — Plot 1.-—3 tons 13owt 561 b per acre—increase nil. Plot 2.-4 tons lOcwt. 841 b per acre—increase, 23.5 per cent. Plot 8. —5 tons 12cwt. 401 b per acre—increase, 52.8 per cent. It is therefore seen that the plot receiving phosphates alone gave an increase of 17cwt, 281 b per acre equal to 23.5 per cent, over the check plot; while the plot receiving in; addition to the phosphates, a topdressing of nitrate of soda at the rate of lcwt per acre, gave an increase of 1 ton 18cwt. 961 b per acre, equal to 52.8 per cent, over theunmanured check plot.,The area treated with nitrate of soda, up till the end of December, was fully 100 per cent, better than either of the other plots; the growth was much stronger and the grass was healthier in . appearance. During the growing period one could observe distinctly by the colour and density of the crop, where the different manures "had been applied. The grass on Plot 3 was very even; while that on Plot 1 was patchy. Considering the age of the pastures the results are most surprising.