Untitled

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1938, Page 3

To get a satisfactory strike of clovers, especially of white clover, it is essential that the seed bed be firm. Good consolidation can be obtained by working the seed bed over an extended period, but generally the use of the roller is relied on to get the necessary firmness at the surface.

On many small farms where only a few acres are sown down to new grass each year, a roller of the weight required to consolidate the seed bed on light volcanic or sandy soils is often not available. This difficulty has been overcome on a farm recently visited in South Taranaki, with very satisfactory results. After thorough preparation of the seed bed, the final stroke of the chain-harrows prior to sowing is delayed until the land is wet. By harrowing the land while wet on the surface and immediately sowing the seed excellent strikes of white clover have been obtained, with

no apparent detriment to the 'strike and early growth of ryegrass, cocksfoot, and other grasses. The same marked improvement in the strike and early growth of white clover has been noted elsewhere on sandy soils where the final harrowing has been done while the land is wet after a good shower . The light harrowing of the wet soil gives the necessary surface consolidation and prevents too deep burying of the fine seed.