SILVER BEET.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1875, 8 October 1913, Page 10

SILVER BEET.

A SANDON EXPERIMENT. The president of the loilding A. and P. Association, Mr. J. H. l'errett, who resides at Sandon, submitted to last meeting of the association a report on some silver beet, with which ho had been experimenting. He stated that owing to the wet spring the seed was not sown until December 9, two months late. Tho crop was sown in a small paddock, 6} acres in area, which had not been ploughed for fourteen years. The seed was sown at tho rate of 51b. to tlio acre through every coulter, his idea being to sbo' if it could be grown successfully in the same manner as rape and turnips. Ho experimented with the light green leaf, which he understood was the second best, the best variety being tho plain dark green, known as the Swiss Chard. Tho manure used, was recommended, by the Agricultural- Department, and was sown at tho rate of 2cwt. to the acre. Tho seed germinated well, and was quito thick enough. It made rapid growth, and was fit to feed off on March 1, but owing to the strike ho decided fo keep , it as a stand-by, and did not put any sheep on until March 14, When he put on 90 fat lambs. These remained on till March 26. On April 1 408 lambs were put on, and romained until April 12, when 275 went away fat. From April 12 to April 27, 130 lambs were on, and this completed the first feeding. All the lambs had previously been on rape, and did remarkably well on tho beet. From June sto August 21 five sheep to the acre wore run on tho beot, and from August 21 to September 6 seven sheep to tho acre. From Septembor 7 to September 15 136 sheep were carried. Tho paddock was '' then - shut, and is now making rapid growth. Ho considered the beet an excellent, fodder plant, and grown in conjunction with rape would prove very profitable. Beet was a very good change for ia]ie-siek lambs. He recommended farmers not to put in a large area, but to put in what could be properly looked after. Ho was quito satsified that it was bettor to sow, say, 21 inches between drills and keep clean, and as tho crop would last some two or threo years, it would pay to do this, as tho work.of keeping clean was nothing compared with tho labour required to put in a fresh crop every year. The beet appeared to thrive best in a dry and sheltered situation, but would grov) very well in the open. As far as lift could see it was quite free - from blight troubles, and stood dry weather very well—a most important point. Mr. Pcrrett laid stress on the importance of obtaining good seed, as unless this was dono the plant was liable to degenerate. He added that tho freezing company were exceptionally pleased with the lambs fattened on beet. They were of superior quality, and netted a high figure.