Aprils, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W, 241 



Fertilisers for Green Winter Fodders. 



H. WENHOLZ, B.Sc. (Agr.), Inspector of Agriculture. 



With the approach of the season for sowing wheat and oats for green winter 

 feed on the coast and tablelands, the experience gained by the Department 

 in fertiliser trials on experiment farms and farmers' experiment plots will be 

 of interest. Farmers are advised to take the results given hereunder as 

 being more thoroughly reliable and representative than individual results 

 obtained even on their own farms, the figures given being an average of 

 sevei-al tests, extending over many varied seasons. Individual records are not 

 always quite reliable owing to seasonal differences and to experimental errors 

 not being entirely eliminated on farmers' plots. 



Most of the figures obtained for coasta-l plots are from alluvial soils, for 

 which many farmers ai'e still of the opinion that no fertilisers are needed. In 

 all cases where recommendations are made, care has been taken to consider 

 the cost of the fertiliser and to determine the profitableness or otherwise of 

 the application, based on the value of the increased fodder produced. For 

 this purpose the green winter fodder has been valued at 15s. per ton, which 

 is considered an average figure for this produce on the farm, though possibly 

 lov/er than recent values when comparisons are made with other foodstuffs. 



Coastal Districts. 



In an average of nine tests, 1 cwt. superphosphate per acre has given an 

 increase of 5 cwt. green fodder over the application of 2 cwt. superphosphate 

 per acre, so that the larger amount appears to be unnecessary. Likewise, 

 1 cwt. superphosphate produced an increase of 4 cwt. per acre of green fodder 

 above that obtained from 2 cwt. P7 mixture (equal parts of superphosphate 

 and bonedust) which has done so well for maize on the coast. The addition 

 of 28 lb. of sulphate of potash to 1 cwt. superphosphate has produced an 

 average increase of 6 cwt. of green fodder per acre, but the value of this 

 increase is more than counterbalanced by the cost of potash fertiliser at 

 present, so that it cannot be recommended for this crop. The application 

 of 2 cwt. Thomas' phosphate ha?5 given a greater increase than 1 cwt. super- 

 phosphate, and also a higher net profit per acre (taking pre-war cost of 

 fertiliser), but unfortunately this fertiliser is not quoted on the market just 

 now. 



The addition of h cwt. sulphate of ammonia to 1 cwt. superphosphate has 

 meant an increase of 1 ton 6 cwt. per acre of green fodder, valued at 19s. 6d. 

 With a cost of 13s. for the extra nitrogenous fertiliser, a profit of 6s. 6d. 

 per acre has been made from its use. Owing to the small number of tests 

 made so far with sulphate of ammonia (for which nitrate of soda could also 

 be substituted), the Department is disinclined to recommend the use of these 



