TESTS WITH ROOTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1269, 26 October 1911, Page 10

TESTS WITH ROOTS.

MANURE AND VARIETY. Commenting on nmnnrial and variety {•»ts -vritli roots Mr. G. do S. liaylis states iii the "Journal of the Agricultural Department" that the benefit of early ploughing by exposing t'lio, soil to the influence of air, moisture, sunlight, and fifst, for a short lime before the land if. fir.o.lly prepared for t'no seed bod, is well illustrated by a recent Kltham experiment of Mr. ''-ergol. Not only by (bins this is a largo amount of fqcd stored up in the foil in nn available state for the young plants by sowing time, but tile soil Ircnmos weathered and pulverised fyr a considerable distance below the surface, enabling plants to feed over a very large area; and, by giving the tilled iand time to settle, the connection betwesn I'lie tilled soil and tho unbroken subsoil is re-established, and, in addition, by improved texture, the crop is rendered' less likely to suffer fiom drought. ISy exposure, grubs and lo.nrv parasites are killed, and weeds aro stopped from obtaining possession. Among the stiirer classes of foils, in 1111-(-favourable seasons, a vast number of discing* and borrowings become necessary to fit the soil when it has only recently been ploughed, it becomes a question as to whether or not, even without the increase of crop yielded bv early ploughing, it would not l>o cheaper in the long-run to plough in the early winter aud crossplough in spring before sowing. As a rule when such a method is followed very little work is necsss.iiv to prepare Iha seed bed after tho cross ploughing, and three furrows in cross ploughing could be as easily turned as two furrows in the first ploughing, thus considerably lessening the cost. But there is another advantage gained thereby, and that is. on land so treated weeds aro practically exterminated under a suitable rotation. .So far as I can hear, says Mr. Baylis, Garton's superlative still retains a high reputation as fairly resistant to the attacks of club root, and it is i'o ba hoped that both the growers of the seed and their agents who handle it will do their best to retain it true t'o type and vigorous in constitution. Mangels. In the Eltham district, Taranaki, Sut-

ton's sugar mangel i.s mentioned by experimenters as doing well, and good crops have been obtained. If would appear somewhat more difficult to strike than do some of the other varie'ies, and the Riverlea Farmers' Union is not alone in its experiences in this direction. It is a root, however, well worthy of cultivation and, once established, appears to be of robust mid hardy nature. Mr. lJaylis suggests Hint growers should save their own sued from the best-grown and most vigorous plants, and see if acclimatised seed might not lead t'o butter results and less difficulty in obtaining a strike. Another useful variety is Garton'a gatepost, which is of medium size, and practically frits upon the surfr.ee of tho soil. Farmers who adopt the practice of running some implements over tho paddock, so as lo knock the mangels out of the ground in order that they may mature somewhat before bein<? fed to slock 011 the ground, will find this variety, or any variety similar in form to it, invaluable. Few if any are broken off. and they are easily knocked over. The prizewinner yellow globe still maintains a high position among mangels, although it is worthy of note that at Eltham the sugar mangel has evidently done exceedingly well, and the Riverlea Partners' Union note that, had the striko of sugar mangel been as good as that of the other varieties, the sugar mangel with them would have yielded the heaviest crop of the varieties tested. Some more mangel variety trials are needed in different parts of Taranaki lo confirm results obtained this season, and lo decide between these two disputants for first place in and around the Elt'ham district. Farmers whose mangels havo been grown on land suitable for lucerne, and who havo by intereultivntinn kept the land clew, will find that, after tho bulk of tho. mangels are removed, if pigs are turned in to consume tho remainder, such a system is an excellent one for the preparation of the land for lucerne growing in spring, provided that lime manures and suitable cultivation are brought lo bear upon the preparation of the seed bed. A cow belonging lo >rr. English, of Upwey, near Weymouth, England, was destroyed recently owing to her swallowing a small eel. The animal previously was healthy and robust. Then she sickened, wasted away, and was eventually shot. A post-mortem examination was held, and it was discovered that a small fresh-water o?! had become wedged in the cow's windpipe. Tho eel measured 22in. in length, and was (irmly lodged in its position. It is sunposed that the cow irfust have swallowed tho iish when drinking from a brook. At the present time MO co-operat.ivo experiments are being conducted bv South Island farmers, in conjunction with the Agricultural Department. From one of the hills of Ilfracombo the goast of Wales may bo seon, a distance of twenty-six miles awoz»