WINTER GRASS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 June 1938, Page 3

WINTER GRASS

SHORTAGE OF NITROGEN. Mainly because of a shortage of nitrogen, most pastures produce little during the winter. Either by buying artificial nitrogen or by making the best use of that natural nitrogen which is available, we can partially make up this shortage, points out Mr E. R. Marryatt, of the Ruakura Farm. The weather and the farmer’s management both before and after the artificial nitrogen has been applied will together decide whether the purchased nitrogen will pay. To obtain profit from the use of artificial nitrogenous fertilisers, and particularly from sulphate of ammonia, prior and adequate phosphating and liming of the pasture —at least 3cwt. of each to the acre each year —are essential. For winter grass, artificial nitrogenous fertilisers should be applied in April or early in May, and, particularly, only when the grass is still growing and when it has some little growth—say, 2in. Keeping stock off the treated pasture until the growth has reached about Bin. is equally important. The top of'the spelled pasture should then be grazed on, leaving about Sin. ungrazed. Do not graze the pasture bare. The pasture should again be spelled until the next Sin. stage. Should the farmer wish to attempt to grow winter grass without purchasing artificial nitrogen, he may make the best use of the natural nitrogen which is available by refreshing the clovers with a March or April top-dressing of super, and by strengthening the grasses by long spells from grazing after the manner just described. Whichever method is chosen, hay and other supplements must be fed out before they are actually required. Feeding out normally begins when the pastures have been grazed bare, but to grow winter grass feeding out must begin some weeks before it actually becomes necessary. Only in this way can fields be closed up while the grass is still growing; and only by closing fields while the grass is still growing can winter grass be secured.