1920.] Arable Dairy Farming ix North Walks. 



99 



There are other advantages in summer applications — the land 

 is then drier and carries the cart more easily, farm work is not very 

 pressing, demand is less, and better delivery may be hoped for. 



The higher the grade the less the cost of carriage, otherwise, 

 provided equal weights of phosphate are applied, the lower 

 grades, though not so quick acting, may be counted on to 

 give as good, or nearly as good results in the end as the 

 higher. It is generally believed that it is not well to turn preg- 

 nant stock on to newly- slagged land before rain has washed the 

 slag off the herbage, and it is possibly better not to do so. 

 Generally speaking, however, there is no fear of stock suffering 

 from grazing newly- slagged land. As soon as the slag begins 

 to take effect it will be found, in cases where pastures have 

 only been slagged in parts, that the stock concentrate on the 

 slagged portions, and consequently these look barer than the 

 unslagged. This result, viewed apart from its cause, some- 

 times makes farmers needlessly doubtful as to the good effects 

 of slagging. 



Where it is impossible to obtain slag, an equivalent dressing 

 of superphosphate and lime (i ton per acre) should usually 

 give as good results as the highest grade of slag. In rainy 

 districts and on sour soils, ground mineral phosphate is prac- 

 tically as good as slag, 



* * sis * * 5i« 



Since 1916, experiments on the growtli of green crops, 

 on arable land, for the feeding of dairy, cows have been canned 

 ^ . . out in North Wales under the auspices 



t NoXwalT'^f the University College of North Wales. 



Although these trials are still in the early 

 stages, fairly definite information has already been secured 

 with regard to the value of the soiling system under the 

 conditions prevaiUng in this district. 



Thus, it has been demonstrated that by sowing suitable 

 mixtures of oats and peas or vetches, a succession of veiy 

 useful green food can be secured in July and August to supple- 

 ment the faihng pastures, and to take the place of purchased 

 cake and other feeding stuffs. If required, this period can be 

 extended by autumn-sown oats and vetches which will, in most 

 circumstances, be ready for cutting about the middle of June. 



By selection of suitable varieties it will doubtless be possible 

 to prolong the period in which green food of this kind is available 

 into September, but for the greater part of that month it 

 seems likely that other crops, such as wliite turnips or cabbages, 

 will have to be relied on. 



