Pasture Notes.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 24, 27 August 1920, Page 13

Pasture Notes.

Experiments and new ideas carried out with enthusiasm will giye a new impetus to work, will lift a man's farming out of the ordinary r.ut, and give him something better to live for Two reasons for keeping down weeds. They deprive crops of moisture, and draw on the soil food that crops need. In other words, weeds rob crops of food and drink. The importance of a supply of pure water for all kinds of live stock, more especially dairy cattle, cannot be overestimated, and when selecting a dairy farm this . question should receive most particular attention. Without an unpolluted water supply, it would be impossible to preserve young and old stock alike in a perfect state of health. Within one rnonth recently four American Guernsey cows, owned by W. Marsh, Waterloo, Ia., made records as the leaders in the respective classes. Imp. Prospect's Rose des Hd'uardes pror duced 13,1571b of milk, and 7261b of butterfat. Lillia of - lowa 2nd produeed 14,2391b of milk, and 7731b of butterfat. Lily of the Prairie. has a record of 11,6611b of milk, and 6201b of butterfat. Imp. Ladock Jenny's record 15,4531b of milk, and 8091b of butterfat, The ordinary bad-tempered bull seldom does ha-rm other than irritating men's nerves and keeping the womeni'olk anxious ; but the quiet, docile, ' 'kind as a kitten" bull is the one to keep an eye on. Years may pass without anything happening to injure his reputation, but all the while he may be waiting his chance. Every bull should be handled and managed at all times, as thoUgh he were known to be dangerous. He is dan. gerous, whether he has shown symptoms of it or not, and some da,y may make the fact sorrowfully manifest. Some interesting figures are noted on the economic results of land drainage in various parts of the Continent of Europe. The average increased returns from drainage are shown in the reports from twenty-two estates in Germany for the ten years ending in 1914, as : — Rye, 37 per cent ; oats, 42 ; wheat, 30 ; potatoes, 50, and in the thirty years, 1887-1917, the average increase in yields are shown by an Austrian Land Commission as follows : — Gereals, 8031b an acre ; potatoes, 26771b ; roots, Ife, 6001b ; hay, 2231b, straw, 12491b. The cost of farm seed, at present prices, is a serious item of .expense. Some of this may be avoided — turnip seed, for instaoce, is comparatively simple to save. A seleciion should be made of well-grown roots. These should be lifted when they are about matured and replanted in a protected situation. July is a favourable month for this transplantation. ihe plants should not be close than twelve inches apart and the rows twenty-four inches. The roots should be planted fairly deeply. It is also desirable to provide some protection from small birds. As turnips hybridise freely, the selection should be confined to a single variety. Investigations and a series of experiments very definiteiv prove that the quality of a pasture is not primarily deqjendent on , its botr.nical composition, though, as a rule, the presence of white clover and other leguminosae is generally indicative of liigh feeding value. That poor pastures, especially on clay soil, can be rapidly and profitably improved by the use of phosphates, especially basic slag. That, as a rule, phosphates alone are sufficient to effect and maintain the improvement, and that, of supplementary substances, potash and lime are worthy of attention. That the improvement of poor pasture is very dependent on the presence of luguminosae, and especially of white clover. That renovating with the seed of wild white clover may, in tlie absence of natural leguminosae, be a necessary operation. Tha%nitre>gen, when added to phosphates for pasture, is unnecessary and frequently detrimental. That in the case of hay or permanent grass land, equal weights of produce may have very different feeding values. That few forms of agricultural expenditure are more certain in their results on grass land, and that the meat and milk producing capacity of the country can be largely and rapidly increased with great pecuniary gain to the farmer, with advantage to the nation.