ROOTS COMPETITION.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20234, 12 May 1931, Page 7

ROOTS COMPETITION.

MALVERN-COURTENAY A. AND P. ASSOCIATIONS.

Starting off yesterday morning from Kirwee, a few minutes after 8 o'clock, two dozen members of the Mai-, vc-rn and Courtenay A. and P. Associations paid a visit of inspection of tho roots entered in the Associations' annual root competitions/ The contests have now been established for some years, and are looked forward to with keen interest in the district. The area providing the competition is very wide, embracing tho districts of Charing Cross. Greendale, Darfield, Racecourse Hill, Homebush, .Hawkins, Sheffield, .Waddington, and Ilalkett. Executive officers of the Associations accompanying . the party were Messrs L. T. Wright (president of the Malvern A. and.P. Association), A. J. Roper (representing the president of the Courtenay A' and P. Association), and L. J. Westawjiy (secretary), Messrs 11. J. Low and J. A. Freeman (Metliven), judges, and Messrs Donald Gillanders and G. F. Wright, who valued the land on which the crops grew. The party was favoured with an ideal autumn day. _ . It has besn a great season for turnips —tho best, in tho opinion of members of the party,. that. the district has known for a number of years. Tno periodical nor'-west showers near the foothill# are almost invariably a factor in the production of ftood root crops in that area, but the favourable conditions extended further down, on to tho light land this season, and over the districts traversed, scarcely a bad crop was to be seen. Seasonable ramfalls prevented the development of the fiy and stimulated growth to a ™ axl " mum degree, the amount of "top' being exceptional. Winter feed is generally a perturbing problem in parts of tho district,' but apparently such will

not bo the case this season. Several growers considered that their erbps were ample'to carry their stock along right through the winter without resource to other classes of feed. 'lt is not often that this" can be' claimed over such an extensive tract of tho. district. The entries were slightly fewer than last season, comprising 15 turnip, swede, and mangel competitions as against 23, with slightly fewer entries in the eection- for green feed. The judges will make their award within the next week. - The crops were inspected in the following order:— T. J. Pascoe (Channg Cross)—A good medium .crop, of white fleshed turnips on light land. G. J. Giddings (Grcendale)—A mixed variety of turnips, which, however, IpSt points through the tops being fed off; otherwise an excellent crop. C. J. Jarman (Greeridale) —A great: crop of yellow fleshed, with a tremendous top growth. Quite an outstanding' entry. Also a particularly good strike of Italian ryegrass. B. and J. Gunn (Eacecourso Hill)— •A white fleshed crop of grpat weight, and nearly as good in quality as the preceding yellow fleshed entry; . .. W. Deans (Sandown) —A white fleshed crop on downy land: outstanding for the class of land. J. E. Cullen (Waddington)—For locality—on the round knob of a hill—a good crop of -white fleshed. A. Clark (Waddington)—A good crop of swedes for the land. W. Stone (Waddington)—Splendid crops of swedes and mangels. This competitor has previously won. the swede competition three times in succession. The mangels are also a great crop. v D. J. ILawke (Waddington)—A good crop of mangels and' a notable field of white fleshed turnips for the country. W. Watson (Sheffield)—An ing crop of whitp fleshed turnips with notable tops. ' ' * '* W. Austin (Sheffield) —A well-grown and clean crop of mixed variety.. A. T. Hawkins (Waddington)—A small but outstanding field of mangels,

•which will grow a lot yet. A-green feed field of Algerians and Western Wolths was also: outstanding. T. S. Innes (Waddington)—A heavy crop, "with great tops, of mixed varieties, pftt in after tho swamp plough. \ Albert Adams (Waddiugton)—Two fields of swedes and also mangels-—^the three, great crops, tho swedes- particularly so. .. Q.- A. -Wright (Waddington)—A fairto gpod crop of white fleshed. L. T. Wright-(Waddington)—A mixed variety in 7-inch rows—another good crop. J. D. Henderson (Halkett) —A particularly good crop of green feed —Algerians and Western Wolths.