To Increase Production

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 11, 27 September 1929, Page 5

To Increase Production

Points from 3YA Lectures SOME interesting points of value to the man on the land were touched upon in the course of the special lectures given from 3YA in the past week. A particularly interesting summary of features in the "Journal of Agriculture" was givgn by Dr. C. Chilton va Iriday, September 20. It was explained by Dr. Shilton that many of these articles were too tectnical and too full af figures for successful broadcasting, but his purpose was to summarise interesting features £0 that tbose affected might tollow up the points of interest made. The effects of rabbits in denuding the Mackenzie Country grass lands in large part of the natural coverage was summarised from an article by Mr. R. McGillivray, Fields Superintendent, Christchurch. The rabbits had first of all detrimentally affected the vegetation of the district, and this, together with indiscriminate burning and over-stocking, resulted in marked nakedness of the soil. This in turn limited the water-holding capacity of the lands, with the result that the sparse rainfall was not retained, -but ran off rapidly. Remedial measures in controlling rabbits and encouraging the growth of pastures were effecting decided improvement and increasing the carrying capacity of the district; so much so, that the number of sheep in the Mackenzie Country had grown from 455,888 in 1922 to 548,781 in 1928. The article gave details of the remedies adopted, and in particular, urged the provision of shelter belts. HE’ importance of mineral content in cow pasture land was the theme of a special article outlining Mr, B. C. Aston’s researches on the phosphate deficiencies of the Wairarapa. Yhe outstanding feature of this article was to stress the fact that the poorer pastures in this district were about the lowest in phosphorous content that had been encountered. Mr. Aston warned the local farming public and agricultural officials that this deficiency was serious, and should be remedied by adequate top-dressing. On the hills near Masterton there was only 0.27 per cent. of phosphoric acid in the nonphosphated pasture, and sleepy sickness occurred in ewes, At Hukenui, where there was only 0.2 per cent. of phosphoric acid in the soil, Waihi disease occurred in cows. Even at Hamua, where the pasture showed the highest phosphoric acid content, it was still too low for a normal cow pasture. The farms in this locality. except those on distinctly recent alluvial _soil, were much affected with temporary sterility in cows, and the use of superphosphate was earnestly recommended. Other points touched upon by Dr. Chilton were the experiments in control of dry rot in swedes, the chief point made here being that some farmers deliberately chose to secure a small yield by sowing thickly after midsummer. than risk the almost certain loss of a better crop obtainable by sowing earlier. RCHARDISTS were informed that two two years’ practical experience at Te Kauwhata justified the conclusion that a stationary spraying plant on undulating and heavy land is 100 per cent. more effective than a portable one. ON Thursday evening, September 19, orchardists were given an address by Mr. J. D. Carolin, of the Orchard Division. Owners of even small orchards found much of interest in this talk. Methods were outlined by which people growing fruit for domestic purposés only could effectively control the codlin moth. Details were also given of the treatment for controlling the pear slug or leech by spraying with arsenic of lead, from about the middle of November at intervals of from 17 days to a month. Brown rot, a series of fungus attacking all stone fruit,

was best controlled by spraying in summer months with lime sulphur at the rate of 1 gallon to 125 gallons of water, at petal fall, and again when the fruit commences to swell. Summarised, the best treatment for the different diseases was: For black spot, blister disease, powdery mildew, bladder or pocket plum, brown rot, die back, leaf eurl, leaf rust, peach scab, and shot hole: control by spraying in winter with Bordeaux mixture, 8-6-40, and with either lime-sulphur 1-125, or atomic or atomised sulphur, 10-100 as summer sprays. For chewing insects, such as codlin moth, leaf roller, leaf roller caterpillar, pear slug, rasp bud, weevil, and tomato caterpillar, spray with arsenic of lead, 2lb. to 100 gallons of water. In concluding, Mr. Carolin said: "I would like to point out that in spraying, time and material are often wasted without obtaining the desired results. This is mainly due to either direct carelessness or want of judgment on the part of the person who is carrying out the work. It is necessary not only to use right material, but it is equally important that a thorough application should be made at the right time, also to repeat certain sprays throughout the season, otherwise those applications made in the early part of the season may have been wasted.