ENSILAGE AND HAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1082, 20 September 1930, Page 10

ENSILAGE AND HAY

NITROGENOUS FERTILISERS INCREASING YIELD Besides providing an early spring growth ‘of grass and improving the composition o£ the pasture, sulphate i |oC ammonia, when applied in the ~ ; spring, has been proved by many New ; j Zealand farmers to give a greatly in- j creased yield of ensilage., and hay j I crops. In some instances farmers | assert that by the use of this valuable | fertiliser they have doubled the crops. | The last year showed a very marked | increase in the amount of ensilage ! saved, particularly in the North | Island, although the practice of ensilage making Is slowly progressing in the South. By cutting pastures for ensilage farmers have found that they secure a feed which js invaluable for periods of pasture scarcity, either in the summer or winter, ■while, at the same time, the taking off of the surplus grass early in the year has a very beneficial effect on the aftergrowth of the pasture. In this connection it may be pointed out that experiences showed that ensilage made from grass when fairly short Is much better than where the crop is allowed to maintain full growth before cutting. This also applies to ; tlxe making of hay. Now that ensilage-making Is becoming a standard practice, the question farmers are asking is how to get the maximum crop from a given area. Bast year quite a large number of farmers tried sulphate of ammonia, applied usually at the time the paddocks were shut up from' stock, for I he purpose of increasing ensilage and j hay crops. Not only was the yield of ensilage and hay increased, but it was possible | to cut crops from three to four weeks earlier in the spring hv the use of this nitrogenous fertiliser. It .was also i possible to feed the pasture from three ito four weeks longer and still get ; splendid crops—both points farmers : will appreciate. Further, it was demonstrated that the aftermath growth j on areas treated with sulphate of am- '• monla for ensilage, and 1 hay crops was | very much superior to where this feri tiliser was not used. Some farmers have tried out the value of sulphate of ammonia in stimulating aftermath growth—that is, after the ensilage and hay crops have been taken off. Provided suitable weather is experienced fshowery), the : use of a nitrogenous fertiliser such as ! sulphate of ammonia is extremely valu- ! able ill stimulating tho growth of pasj tures after they have been cut.