YOUNG FARMERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 September 1939, Page 3

YOUNG FARMERS

' CARTERTON CLUB MEETING. ; DEVELOPMENT OF PASTURES. (“Times-Age” Special ) ! At the last monthly meeting of the i Carterton Young Farmers’ Club, held

in the P. and A. rooms, Mr A. D. Fisher presided over la disappointing attendance. I A letter from Mr N. Lamont was read, stating that a fleece competition would

i be conducted by the District Commiti tee this year. I Several members indicated their wil- • lingness to support the competition. i Mr L. H. Smart, secretary of the j Wairarapa- P. and A. Society, wrote i stating that two stock judging competitions for young farmers would be 1 held at this year’s show. The classes ’ are to be for Southdown sheep and i dairy heifers. Mr Fisher extended the congratula- ; tions of the club to Messrs M. Knuti son and G. Wadham for winning sej cond and third prizes respectively in j the essay competition held recently. Mr E. Bruce Levy, Director of Grasslands Divisions of the Plant Re--1 search Bureau, gave an extremely in- ■ teresting and instructive lantern lecture on the development of pastures on ; the more difficult soil types. Mr Levy stated that, while in some districts all- : grass farming could be practised, the ' plough, followed by short or long ro- ; tation pastures, was still the best in ; districts such as Canterbury and Otago and to. a lesser extent in the Wairaj rapa, where the winter was hard and the summer rather dry. The necessity I’ of sowing good strains of white or 1 subterranean clover in pastures was , stressed. It was essential to have a . good mixture of clover in order io ■ make full use of fertilisers. Another very important point dealt with was I the stocking of pastures. Adequate stocking plus topdressing played a ’ very big part in building up a pasture. ' There was, however, a difference between adequate stocking and overstocking which brought about a harmful effect. The development of the pumice land at Ngahuru was dealt with. This land, in its natural state, grew only stunted scrub and fern. After being ploughed, fallowed and sown in good pasture it was capable of carrying up to a cow to the acre. Consolidation by heavy rolling and stocking with beef cattle and liberal topdressing had worked wonders with this country. The various manure , trials carried out by the Department were dealt with. It was stated that in the majority of cases lime and super had proved the most satisfactory. At the conclusion of his address Mr Levy answered several questions and was'accorded a hearty vote of thanks.