EXPERIMENTAL PLOTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1993, 26 February 1914, Page 8

EXPERIMENTAL PLOTS.

INTERESTING TESTS IN "WAIIt-ARAPA. (From Ovir' Special Corre6ponaent.) . Carterton, February 24. - The Jt'.ields Division of the Department, of Agriculture some time ago asked tlkOYairarapa.l'. and A. Society to 'endeavour to get'farmers in tho district jto' take np a system of experimental plots 'under tlicV' Department's ( supcr 7 . 'vision;. the Department supplying the jsml, etc:-; Several farmers -set'aside ■'sections for tho experiments, and great 'success lias' been mot with by . several. Tho .information' gained both ' by' tho farmers experimenting in tho various crops and the Government Department are valuable, and demonstrate the value of .science and system in farming as against haphazard methods. Recently ;tbe committee of tho society and tho officers of the .Fields Division of tho /Department of Agriculture made a plot « to-placo inspection' over most of tho district, and tlieir report is as follows: — _ A'; Hooker, 1 acre, lucerne.—Sown November 8, 1913, through, ground •November 14; plaughcd in green barley September 8; harrowed, rolled, disced, find cultivated. Manures, J- acre, 751b. inoculated soil; J acre, nil; J acre, 375 lb. limo; J acre, 3751b. lime and 751b. inoculated soil. First cut January 27, left, in ground as is usual; height, February 10, 9in. This was considered a : very fnio healthy crop, and had been well 'looked after. Mangolds— Sown Novemlier 2,-land exceptionally well cultivated, .i'Mangolds through the ground November !, M; cultivated and thinned out January J. 14. Seeds, J acre, l.Vlb. Webb's New Lion ♦'Intermediate; acre, J Vlb. Gnrton's Kiate Post; £ acre, ljib. G. New Sugar; j'J acre, IJlfa. S. Prize "Winner. Manures, iflewt. slag, 841b:. S. of Potash, 2521b. I'Kainit, Jcwt. gypsum, well mixed. Described' as an excellent crop, well kept; ■entirely free from weeds. Maize—Sown November 18; seed,,) acre, 131b. Chester C 31. maize, sown in doiiblo Tin. drill, 2Sm. apart; J- acre. 351b. ditto; J acre, villi. Amber Cane Sorghum. 14in. drills; '1 acre, 31b. Japanese Millet.' Manures. M4lb, bonedust, POlb. super., 68lb. dried iblood, 221b. S. potash, well mixed and "rilled in witli seed. Millet is described as doing remarkably well and should prow a lot of feed. Maize, well grown nnd most satisfactory; noticed crop flinch higher where sheltered. | _C. H. Gayfer, ■} aero silver beet, [ploughed September S, 1913; disced, .spring-tined, rolled, and harrowed three [times before sowing; seed sown October 4, 1913. November flat harrowed, tliin- ■ Jiea out and transplanted; horse-hoed I December 4 and 28; J acre, 21b. dark I green silver beet; i acre, 21b. light green I silver beet, J cwt. super, \- j cwt bone, } cwt. dried blood, '.J cwt,. ' sulphate of potasli,. well mixed. This plot has dono remarkably well', and is Very well .grown. Mangolds—Land well .cultivated; J- acre, 1-Jlb; S. Devon Y. ylobo;:} acre, 1 iI lj. Garton's Gate Postacre, ljlb. Prize Winner Y. Globe; acre, TJib. S. Sugar. Manures, 2 cwt super, i cwt. bone, li cwt. Kainit, . i cwt. S. of Potash, well mixed. This crop was doing very woll, but requires cultivating.' • Km! "H- 10 ' ] l,^ er ' , °- Sown' November, JJI-. Limed 'before second ploughing (ton per acre). Manure. 2'- cwt. sla* Sfcwt. kainit. Crops, 1914, 2 tons first cut 2,, tons second.cut. .Very healthy andwell established.' ; Tv. Fisher, lucerno (four plots), sown v.u°T'- b ? l il cut 6, IJI4. -..I'airly.well established; will improve 'with; cultivation.. Quarter acre rfjcivt. hme; i acre, .lcwt. slag; J acre J cwt-. blood and boue; } acre, lcwt. slaonn'd/.lcwt. .kainit. One half-acre has'been inoculated, "which shows the 'richer sward of tho two plots:; .Nitrogen is to bo found. . • |

W . and 1). Fisher, silver beet (half acre), . iKTo 21b. dark green, beet, ■! acre 21b. light green;.beet,./ .Manures}V Vt l ?TV 4<;,rt - S'.'ano. 3cwt. dried blood, 111b. S. nolash. Tbo dark proved ot superior growth to the. light, and stronger. Tins will soon bo ready for i feeding off.. Crop is good. ■. ■ ! ' P. -litmieson.' fucerne;—Sown Noverii(ber la, 1912; lirst year'crop poor. First, out November 21, 1913, 3 tons ner acresecond cut, January.l 6/ 2}itons per acre; icbruary-10,-12in'. 'high. Half ait aero was inoculated. Manures, J acre, djowrt. fine ground limestone; ' aero 1 cwt. slag; -J acre, lewt. blood and bone: i acre, leivfc. slag, lewt. kainit. This .was nu oxccptioiiailygood crop, and nitrogen nodules were' found all through |tb,e acre. ~■. i . ... .. :. I T. E. Maunsell, lucerne, sown Novem■ber o, 1913. Seed: One-third acre 4lb. .Permain-; one-third acre 41b. ' Hunter's Kiv.or; .one-tlurd acre 4lb. N.Z. Marl-' ■borough. Sown in drills '7in. Manures • loewt. lime, 2c\vt. slag, icwfc. boncmeal, :lcwt. knmit. woil' mixed. Land well disced; September 14 landfcross ploughed, a triflo- shallower thriiTnret'ploughing. This crop is well catablislied, iiut requires ■ mo'ru cultivation. First crop left, on ground; second crop spoilt by (heavy ram after cutting. J. A. Ordishj ono acro< lucerne, sown .November 1. Manures: 1501b. inocu-lated.soil.ior,]mlf.--.a-oreJ 441b.-bonomeal; 671b-. super, 221b. S. gf Dotash, 901b., Icainii. ; tVelKestablislicd, "and ready ;to, cut.; Ken'ffrco from'weeds. Nitroceii' to bij found otf roots.! Westoni "Woltlis, ono-Sfthaero; 81b.".Wosforji Woltlis, 81b. ordinary rye- corn. Tliis crop has groffJl exceptionally , -jvell, and lias' proved a yaliuiblo dairy fodder. 0: Morgan, grass variety trials.—Plot 3, .',- acre, 101b. Western. Wolths, 121b. Hanncher barley; i acre, 101b. Harrison's G. Sfc, rye.. 121b. Hanncher bar%cy) i- acre, 101b. S. Giant evergreen pt. rye, 121b. Hannslior barley; j aero, BOlb. Gartoii's Perennial , . Italian rye grain, 121b. Hanncher barloy. Manures. lewt. super per acre, 141b. S. of potash, p.4lb. of ammonia, 281b. of fmo bonejaneal. All trials havo turned out execpjtioually good, aJid t'ho crop as seen by [the committee, showed the value of thq 'experiments; ..' ■ ' H. M'Plvee's plot of oats and peas, ■followed by oats and vetches, in preparation for lucerne — J acre, 401b. Trijumph oats,. 601b.-white ivory peas -well 'mixed. Manures: 3swt. good lime boifore ploughing, after ploughing -Icwt. j]imc broadcast; land well worked before !sowing; IJcwt. super, 120H>. kainit, well 'mixed and drilled .with seed; land rolled ■More and after sowing;, crop was in stook February 10j nn showed that vory Rood results liad lieen obtained for the first portion , of tho Results of the second stage of the experiments will be published when crop is grown or nut. The whole experiment is a most interesting one- to the Department's officials and committee.