NEW MANURE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 September 1941, Page 8

NEW MANURE

SERPENTINE SUPERPHOSPHATE EXPERIMENTS IN DOMINION. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USE. Experiments with serpentine super-1 phosphate have shown that, applied at the same rate as superphosphate on grassland, ,it has given equally good results in a number of districts, and the same effect is seen on most of the common farm crops throughout the Dominion. The saving of phosphate where the new mixture is giving such satisfactory results under the conditions described is of considerable practical importance. An article in the September issue of the ‘'Journal of Agriculture,” by A. G. Elliott and P. B. Lynch, crop experimentalists, summarises the first year’s result of experiments with the new mixture, and gives preliminaray recommendations regarding its use. Farmers will no doubt be greatly interested in the degree of success that has been obtained with this fertiliser. While no magical properties are claimed for the manure, the trials suggest that it has a definite place as a fertiliser, and that in certain districts its use should rapidly become widespread. The investigation leading up to the production of this .material on a commercial scale has been a good example of team work between officers of several Departments, who have been generously assisted by the fertiliser manufacturers and by numerous farmers who have participated in cooperative trials. The total of 237 field trials laid down by the Fields Division is a creditable achievement, which has produced fruitful results. In the coming season the help of Young Farmers' Clubs and pupils of District High Schools will further extend the scope of field experimental work with the material. The summary and recommendations are: — (1) Present information indicates that serpentine superphosphate should prove a useful fertiliser for pasture topdressing in the heavier rainfall districts of New Zealand. In North Taranaki, Waihi, and North Auckland, the new mixture is giving better results than superphosphate. (2) Serpentine superphosphate has proved a safe reverted, phosphate for sewing with the seed of turnips, swede, rape, chon rnoellier, and other crops liable to germination injury. (3) Serpentine superphosphate gives equivalent results to superphosphate on most of the common farm crops. (4) Superior physical condition of the mixture makes it easier to sow, more pleasant to handle, safer to store, and less damaging to bags than superphosphate. (5) It is possible that the magnesium and cobalt-content of serpentine superphosphate may be valuable under certain conditions.