ON PERMANENT PASTURES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2600, 28 December 1893, Page 4

ON PERMANENT PASTURES.

The following is the concluding part of Mr M. W. Moore's paper, read at the last meeting of the Geraldine, Farmers' Club, which deals with permanent pastures : He tried experiments to ascertain what grasses were most abundant in the best old grass lands in England and Ireland, and to enable him to do this he procured turfs, cut 2ft x Ift by 9in deep, which were sent him from twelve counties in England and seven in Ireland. These were planted separately in a plot of ground, the .grass allowed t.o grow, then cut, the different kinds separated, and each lot weighed when green, and the percentage of each kind noted. The results are very astonishing. He divides the herbage into three kinds, viz.— gramneous (or grasses), leguminous (or clovers), and vetches, and miscellaneous, which are chiefly weeds or inferior vegetation. I will give you a few samples. Unfortunately in most caßes H is Dot stated how long the land had been in.,grass* but the turfs were representative Of the best old pastures of their respective districts. , (Mr Moore here gave details of the samples mentioned,) The famous pastures of Leicestershire are composed chiefly of rye, which has been in them more than 40 years, but which has »e?gr been allowed to seed, and them are said fa owe their reputation to the ryegrass and white clover that are in them. Much other evidence is given of the perennial natural <of ryegrass, and the general resu H seems &° be that if ** * fl ;,,' a favourable climate with Sffident rain *"■ *»* .** ,to seed, that it is a grass. But in other circumsta*. Z,. m doubtful whether it is so or not. juio farmer states that he sowed a field down without any ryegrass at all, with the exception of a strip of 1 \ acres, on which he puts 161bs to the acre. The result was that for the first year's hay crop and after grass and the second year's pasture, the rye grass portion wasmuch the heaviest crop. In 2 years more there was no difference of appearance in either part. Where the ryegrass had been sown it had to a large extent died out, and where none was sown a small quantity came naturally. The natural grasses and clovers had made just as good and thick a pasture where the rye had been sown as where it had not. He would therefore for the future always sow 14.161 b of it in any mixture for permanent pasture. This seems to confirm my opinion that where conditions are favorable, rye will grow and last. I do not think, however, that the climate about here is suitable for it, there is not euough moisture in the summer. As, however, it does not apparently interfere withthegrowth of other grasses, I should not altogether leave it out of the mixture for a permanent pasture. Before dealing with clovers, I want to say a few words as to the germinating powers of different grasses, because on this must depend the quantity to sow. Of late years the germinating powers of seeds obtained from reliable men have greatly increased. For instance, some years ago only about 20 per cent, of meadow foxtail could be guaranteed to germinate, owing chiefly to the grass being cut before it was properly ripe. Now, however, the standard has been raised to fifty per cent., and even 60 and 70 per ceut. have been known to germinate. This makes a vast difference to the farmer. It is necessary to know the germinating powers, because if you consider, say, 21b per acre of any seed is the proper quantity to grow, but only 50 per cent, of that seed will germinate, it is manifest that to grow your 21b per acre you must sow 41b. Perhaps the fact of these powers not being generally known may account for the apparent failure of some grasses to grow out here, aud the consequent disappointment aud disgust of the farmers. Of the most valuable grasses for permanent' pasture, meadow foxtail will germinate 60 per cent.; timothy, crested dogstail, and meadow fescue, about 90 per cent.; tall and frau fescue and cocksfoot, about 80 per cent.; rough meadow grass, about 90; the clovers generally, about 100 per cent.; and ryegrass about 90 per cent. So that, knowiDg this, and knowing how much you want to grow, you can easily calculate how much per acre to bow. New as , to the clovers. Ido not think a great | quantity should be sown in permanent pastures, because, firstly, with the exception apparently of white clover, in pasture they are not permanent; 2nd, they give no feed in the winter; and, 3rd, in a permanent pasture yo : u can't have too much grass, but you were conduettd # years ago at Home to find the duration of Ji£e of the various species of clover, and to find the vaiue Jo . the plant of various kinds of manures, and whether any light could be thrown on /' sQy.er sickness "in land. These experiments ;»;e£e .conducted on plots 12 feet square, ewsu j#,<s# jt,o saeh species of clover, oil? being witfconjl; #ny r manm^,, the other six treat? 4 W M* variftp kinds's manure. The results show t. ha: * iwennial red clover had practically disappeared * u two years. The produce cut in 1883 amounting jto I3cw£, in 1885 to lewt; cow grass produced nearly in 1883, and scwt in 1885, being a little mora enduring than red clover; alsike produced 27cwt in 1883, 6cwt in 1885; white English clover l'2cwt in 1883, scwt in 1885; white Dutch clover, 12cwt in 1883, &cwt in £BBS. There is also an interesting tafrlej showing the difference in the two years in on# ljal£ the p|ofcs which were cut when coming into flower, and $9

other half cwt when in seed. This showed that if cut when coming into flower it gave a larger crop 2 years after than if left in the first instance to come to seed, so that clovers in pasture would have a longer life than if cut for hay or allowed to ripen their seed.

Now as to the time of sowing and the seeding, I consider that here, where we frequently have a good deal of hot dry weather and parching winds in the summer that grass should be sown as early in the summer as possible, or in the spring. That is to say as early as you can manage to have the land well worked and clean. I am speaking, of course, of laying land down without a crop, which, I believe, is the best and safest way if you want a good permanent pasture. If the land is very dirty or wet, aud requires more time to get into condition, the sowing must be postponed, but if it has to be postponed till the haat of summer, I would rather put it off till later, till after havest, and sow as early as possible in the autumn, and take the opportunity to give the land a little extra working in the summer, so as to kill all weeds, that germinate. I would rather sow in November, but if the land is not heavy I would put it off till March, rather than sow in the heat of summer, unless, of course, the weather was wetter than usual. As you would not sow much clover there would not be the same danger of losing grass by. the frosts, and if the land was well rolled as soon as ever it was dry enough in the following spring (which ought to be done anyhow, whenever sown) the grass would I think have a fair chance of doing well. But, as I have said, for choice I would prefer to sow in the spring A great deal depends on. the season, and if you have a "dripping summer" the .seeds might do,well whenever sown, but you cannot by any means depend on that out here. As to the seeds and quantities these must vary to a certain extent according to your soil and position, whether dry or wet, rich alluvial soil in the valleys or dry land on the down b, but for a general mixture and to have grasses which will succeed each other ingrowth through the season I should sow meadow, foxtail which comes earliest of all and is good for lambing upon. Cocksfoot and timothyboth of which come fairly e^rly; rye grass, meadowifescue,,and for,, the finer grasses, crested dogstail, hard fescue, and if you like it, rough meadow grass. Crested dogstail is a late grasß, aud.as the Btock rarely eat the flower head, the seed iipens and it increases by seed and root. Meadow fescue, timothy and cocksfoot appear to be relished at all times and rarely allowed to seed, unless, of course the land is understocked. The flower heads of meadow foxtail are also greedily eaten. In addition to these 1 would sow a small quantity of clover, and, if the land will grow it, a lot of rape. The quantities depend on the position. On dry land It would be best to use less foxtail and meadow fescue and sow more cocksfoot and dogstail. For a general mixture suitable for average land, I should be inclined to sow the following, viz:— Cocksfoot, 101 b; ryegrass, 101 b ; timothy, 31b j meadow fescue, 41b; Ann fescue, lib 5., rpugh stalked meadow grass, lib; crested dogstail, 21b } meadow foxtail, Gib; red clover, lib; cowgrass, 21b; alsike, lib; white clover, lib; rape, 1; total, 431 b. This seems a heavy seeding, and perhaps you might cut off lib each of foxtail and ryegrass and meadow fescue, but you mugt remember that all of this will not grow, aod you ipust consider the gerpowers and the number of seeds iu" 4. ' *"* expected to grow, which the that may . * $ h ' table I have drawn uj. VYIU ouuw '

This table, I think, shows that a proper selection of the qualities depends on two things; firstly, the size of the seed, and therefore, the number that go to the pound weight; and secondly, the germinating power, and consequently the number of seeds that may be expected to grow in a pound. I have drawn up on a separate sheet for convenience, a table showing the number of seeds in a pouud of the various grasses, the germinating power from the latest authority I have been able to consult, viz. (the report of the Consulting Botanist to the Royal Agricultural Society in 1888), and the number of seeds in a lb that may be expected to grow, I would finally urge you never to buy any prepared mixture, as you cannot tell what it is composed of, nor how it may be adulterated. Half of it may be noxious weeds. Buy each kind separately; examine them carefully, and mix them yourselves. Take only the very best you can get, and if necessary buy a smaller quantity of superior, rather than a larger quantity of inferior seed. In conclusion, let me suggest that ! it wcyld be an excellent thing if the Department of AgrJLCujtura would undertake to examine and tesfc'seeds or appoint consulting botanists in each centre, who would do so, and set up a standard of germinating power for each variety; and \. n some Tf ay encourage the growth and'sajp'of seeds of a sM'hjgher power of germination V publish, tfre rekuUs' oi' their tests 7«arly in time for farmers to make use of the examl::. ati ° n i *ty ln ß F hore th ° seeds Avere obtained and the pr. ,ce s ; and take steps generally to diffuse more widely j&'an Jhijy #ow do all the information they collect which may be useful to farmers. I hope the information I have given you may be of some service, and that I have not wearied you with many figures and statistics.

Mr Outhwaite's paper we will publish }atsp 08,

Description of lb No. of Percentage Number of seeds | Amount to sow to grasses. per seeds in of that will grow, get same number acre. quantity, j germinating power. in quantity. to germinate. Ryegrass ... 10 2,935.110 90 per cent. 2,641,598 111b Cocksfoot 10 4,532.310 80 per cent. 3,625,848 12ilb Timothy 3 2,438,853 90 per cent. 2,194,967 3 l/31b Meadow fescue 4 934,120 90 per cent. 840,708 4 1/911) Flan fescue ... 1 403,656 80 per cent. 322,924 1P> Rough stalked meadow grass 1 1,085,021 90 per cent. 976,518 1 1/911> Crested dogstail 2 1,371,550 90 per cent. 1,234.395 2iU> Meadow foxtail 6 1,862,190 60 per cent. 1,117,314 101b Red Clover 1 231,203 100 per cent. 231,303 lib Cowgrass 2 600,000 100 per cent. 600,000 21b Alsike 1 656,511 100 per cent. 656,511 lib White Clover Rape 1 1 656,511 100 per cent. 656,511 lib lib Total 43 17,707,035 15,09S,597 5im