ON THE LAND Prosperity’s Agent

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 566, 19 January 1929, Page 25

ON THE LAND

Prosperity’s Agent

VALUE OF FERTILISERS

Auckland’s Striking Testimony

Till- piaetical man who moved about the province lately must have been struck with the beneficial results which have iollowed the judicious use of manures. Each year the quantity of fertilisers going out on to Auckland farm lands has shown an increase. Each year production has moved toward new high levels, and much country that a decade or so ago appeared to be scarcely worth handling is now highly productive. The correct use °t fertilisers has made this possible, and it is realisation of this that is moving to create new sales records for manures for autumn top-dressing purposes over the next two months.

Despite its present state of productivity, Auckland is largely a “made” province. A shutting off of supplies of top-dressing manures would see an immediate falling off in production, and within a few years much country that to-day is supporting rich pastures would be back to scrub and fern, or, perhaps, carrying a light covering of native grasses and weeds. Each year iu different parts of the province wider areas are being bought into a state of high fertility as a result of judicious manuring, and the present era of increased prosperity among the farming community should see a far greater use made of what is undoubtedly one of the biggest factors for increased production and greater prosperity. In rectmt years the Auckland farmer has developed largely into a “topdressing” man. He has tended to rely

more and more on the top-dressing of his pastures to supply the fodder requirements of his stock at all seasons of the year. Agriculture and the growing of supplementary .odder crops has fallen into disfavour. While the writer is not prepared to discuss the latter phase of the situation at the moment, it must be admitted that in the management of his pastures the Auckland farmer has made big strides over recent years.

There are many who would condemn the Northern farmer when comparing his methods with those used in the South. To them the writer would suggest a trip down through the southern part of this province, particularly through some of the poorer country in at the back of Morrinsville and Cambridge, or through any of that country, which, within the memory of many farmers, was little more than waste

land covered with stunted scrub and fern.

That country bears striding testimony to what can be done with fertilisers properly handled. Only recently the writer passed through the Lower Waikato down through Morrinsville to Rotorua, and in all parts saw striking evidence of what fertilisers can do. For miles along the road in some parts stunted scrub grew on a hard clay soil. Through the fences highly productive herds thrived on rich pastures. Fertilisers were responsible. More —in many parts where, judging by experience elsewhere, light native grasses could be expected, rich clovers and English grasses flourished. All the result of judicious manuring.

Right in the heart of the much criticised Taupo-Rotorua country, however, several properties gave the best testimony to fertiliser values to bp found anywhere. The writer visited one property wrested from some of the worst of the pumice land, to find rich fields of clover yielding several cuts a year. Healthy growth and big stacks testified to the truth of this statement.

On others again cows were grazing on comparatively rich pasture which had been built up on land that a few years ago had justifiably been called “desert.”

So on throughout the province. Auckland to-day owes the greater part of its prosperity to the increasing quantities of fertilisers that pass out through its trade channels every year. Orders already booked for autumn delivery are heavy. It is to be hoped that fresh records will be created in the future, for such will be a sure indication that the productivity of the province is on the increase, and that its farmers are alive to the fact that the best resources of the territory are as yet scarcely touched.