MANURING OF TURNIPS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19957, 18 June 1930, Page 8

MANURING OF TURNIPS.

HOME PRACTICE. As the feeding; value of the turnip depends on its mineral and sugar content, pptash. must bo added to phosphate to ensure this result, says * Home authority. In some soils the limiting factor is potash, as was shown by the results of experiments carried out by the North of Scotland College on'eighteen farms, whore the omission of potash meant a reduction in crop of 4 tons 4|cwt per acre. At eleven farms in the Weßt of Scotland jit was. also found that by adding potash to the phosphates there was an increaßO of 2J tons per acre. Nitrogen must, aho find a place in the manurial scheme. It is important that the young seedling should be brought quickly to the hoe, and for this purpose nitrogen in some form or other is essential;

Considering. the above facts, then, a balanced turnip dressing will be somewhat 1 as. follows:—s to. lewt sulphate of . ammonia', 3cwt superphosphate, 3 cwt mineral "-phosphate, and 14 to -2cwt 30 per cent, potash salt. This dressing has been tried in various parts of Scotland over the past few years, and has given excellent results. The proportions of; the different ingredients have been»proved to be. about right, but individual fertilisers can be replaced by those -of • a similar nature to suit special soil or climatic conditions.

It may be considered that the phosphatic dressing, recommended is rather high for the actual needs of the turnip crop. This may lie so, but the balance is not lost, but is there for the use of the crops which come afterwards. It has been found that this is the place in the rotation for phosphates and potash to be applied liberally to ensure not only better grain crops, but also the establishment of better pastures.

Long credits and tho failure of onehalf of the Scottish banks to fall in with the Government scheme was one of the subjects discussed at the meeting of directors of the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture, says the "Scottish Farmer." In this matter it is not out of place to say that theso recalcitrant banks have not played the game. " Tho defence offered at tho annual meeting of tho Governors of the Bank of Scotland was wetlk to a degree. Its main thesis, that there is no demand for tho special facilities offered under tho Government scheme, is so far negatived by the results of its working in England. The first report of the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, Ltd., has : been published. The period ended March 31st, and during it a profit, was made of £33,034. The total of mortgage loans completed :up to the closing date was" £4,168,590. The valuation of the properties, on which money was lent, for security purposes,. "wa« £6,605,495, surely" leaving an • ample margin. The mortgages are spread over the whole of England and Wales, only one county being unrepresented. The whole of the share capital is held by the principal banks, including the Bank of England. These facts and figures show clearly that there is a, demand among farmers for the facilities pfforded under- the : Long Credits scheme; that ■ there iB ample security for the capital invested in the Corporation, and therefore that there need be no hesitation" in affording Scottish farmers like facilities.; The banks that are hindering tile functioning of the scheme in Scotland should "tak' a thocht and mend."