SOUTHBRIDGE FARMERS’ CLUB.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2691, 22 November 1882, Page 3

SOUTHBRIDGE FARMERS’ CLUB.

The ordinary monthly meeting: of the Southbridge Farmers’ Club was held at the Royal Hotel on Monday evening. The attendance was larger than at any meeting since the inauguration of the club, the subject for discussion being one of the greatest importance to farmers in general—viz., root crops, and the use of artificial manures therewith. Mr G. C. Waby occupied the chair, and amongst those present were Messrs J. It. Campbell, John Campbell, J. Burnett, S. Wills, T. Attwood, J. and A. E. Inwood, J. Benny, T. Wauchop, A. Cameron, E. Houston, Davis, G. Bishop, G. F. Smith, Elwin (hon. sec.) and others. The following gentlemen were ballotted for and duly elected members of the club — Messrs G. Baxter and Thos. Milne.

Mr G. C. Waby then nominated the following gentlemen as members, all of whom were duly seconded: —Messrs John Bennett, Stephen Wills, W. D. Lawrence, and John Watson.

The Chairman asked Mr J. E. Campbell to inform the meeting as to the result of the resolution passed at last meeting, which he had been requested to lay before the Road Board, re the small birds pest. Mr Campbell stated that the resolution had been laid on the table, but unfortunately the Board meeting lapsed for want of a quorum. At the same time, he would take this opportunity of publicly stating that he felt some diffidence in asking the Road Board to spend any of the funds it now had in hand towards the destruction of email birds without first having a public expression of the opinion of the ratepayers. He would suggest that a public meeting be called with that view some time before the next Road Board meeting. He, as chairman of that Board, would call the meeting. It would be the means of expediting the matter, for the ratepayers could then decide as to which of the two courses now open to the Road Board should be adopted, viz., by voting a portion of their funds in hand, or by levying a special rate. The latter course would have to be consented to by a majority of the ratepayers. Mr Davis quite concurred with Mr Campbell’s views. By first getting the consent of the ratepayers it lightened the hands of the Road Board.

Mr John Campbell certainly thought that a special rate should be levied. The funds of the Road Board had been collected for roads and bridges, not for the destruction of small birds.

The following resolution, proposed by Mr A. R. Inwood, and seconded by Mi- John Campbell, was carried unanimously: “ That the chairman of the Hoad Board be requested to call a public meeting of ratepayers at the Road Board office, Leeston, on the 30th November, at 7.30 p.m., to get an expression of opinion re the desirableness of levying a special rate or using the Road Board funds for the destruction of small birds.”

Mr J. J. Ellwin proposed, and Mr John Campbell seconded —“That the committee of the Southbridge Farmers’ Club meet to draw up a scheme, to be laid before the ratepayers, the same, with the sanction of that meeting, to be laid before the Road Board.”

Carried unanimously. The Chairman said that now, having disposed of the small birds question for the time being, the real subject for discussion would be brought on, viz. —“ Root Crops, as connected with Artificial Manures.” He would call on Mr Campbell to open the discussion.”

Mr Campbell stated that he had unfortunately been compelled to be away from home till last Saturday evening, and consequently had not been able to devote the attention he should have liked to the subject. He merely had, as it were, a few rough notes bearing on his experience in the growing of root crops. They were, of course, aware that the best time to make money out of stock was in the winter. To successfully do this, as a matter of course, they must have winter feed, and that at once brought them to the subject of discussion, viz., root crops, and the best means to cultivate them. He was of opinion that turnips were undoubtedly the best winter feed both for sheep and cattle. They were not only the most profitable as feed, but acted also as a good fertiliser for the succeeding year’s crop. As to the best land to grow turnips on, he had come to the conclusion that light lea land was the best. On heavy land no doubt they got larger crops, but they were not so sweet and nutritious as those grown on light land. Another objection to cropping heavy land was that it could not be so readily fed off; it got into a perfect slush, rotted the roots, the surface becoming perfectly baked afterwards, and consequently unfit for next crop without a great deal of handling. _As to the quantity of seed to sow, he considered from lib to at the very outside lib to the acre sufficient. The most useful turnip to sow he thought was the purple top yellow Aberdeen; it yielded well, was a nice sweet turnip, and generally free from blight. The green top was also a good turnip for late feeding, as it stood the frost better, being a harder turnip than the yellow. The Devonshire greystone was also a nice soft early profitable turnip for sheep. The stubble turnip he considered unprofitable. Tha only manure he had used was Laws and Co.’s superphosphate. He had used it for three seasons, and had been perfectly satisfied with the results. His system was to sow broadcast, using lewt. of manure t<# the acre. He fouud superphosphate a preventative against the fly, and a great benefit in the land for the ensuing crop. The cost was from .£3 10s to £0 per ton. Ho considered mangolds quite as valuable for feed as turnips, but they require more attention. The same remarks would apply as to turnips. On heavy land they would get the larger, but on light the sweeter and more profitable crop. In concluding his remarks, Mr Campbell would recommend all farmers, in feeding off root crops, to see that there was a good straw stack for shelter for the stock. He had always pitted mangolds, covering with straw; it improved the quality. From his experience, cattle were quite as likely to choke with chopped as with whole mangolds. Mr Campbell was loudly applauded on sitting down. The Chairman, on behalf of the meeting, thanked him for the valuable information he had given. Mr Joseph Binney considered purple-top mammoth the largest-yielding turnip, but it would not keep; green-top the best for keeping, and yellow Aberdeen the best fattening turnip. Mr James Storry differed from Mr Campbell as to time ot sowing and the quantity of seed to be used. He considered half-a-pound to the acre to be an outside quantity. Messrs J. Bennett, S. Willis, G. F. Smith and the Chairman having briefly expressed their views on the subject, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Campbell. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting