Growing and Harvesting Root Crops

Horowhenua Chronicle, 21 May 1915, Page 3

Growing and Harvesting Root Crops

The following paper on the growing and harvesting of root crops on urn all holdings was read by Mr Jii. M. Herriok at the meeting of the Horowh&nua Fruitgrowers' .Association last Friday evening. While not claiming to be an expert on the subject of robt crops, I have grown these crops and other vegetables for a number of yeam, and it is only natural that during that time I should have gained a little knowledge about them. For the (man with a small holding and limited means I would recommend the growing of various root and vegetable crops on a small scale at first, and extend the areas sown bb his knowledge of the crops increases, because most of us know very little in any branch of agriculture. 1 believe in ploughing the ground to a depth of six or seven inches. Let it remain for a week and then work it thoroughly to a fine tilth and roll it. If you do not possess a roller, .make a leveller of weather-boarding, five or six feet wide and draw it over the soil. This will level it down quite safisTactorily. ! ■Leave it for two or three weeks and then harrow and cross harrow in order to get rid of any weeds that may have,] come up, and, if time permits, repeat, J the operation. By doing this there will be fewer weeds to contend against •when the crops come up later on. It is my opinion that all seed should be sown shallow as I believe that much of the seed never comes up because of its being sown too deep. I leave thirteen or fourteen inches between rows of onion; fourteen inches between rows of parsnips; twelve to thirteen inches between rows of table carrots; fourteen inches between rows of horse carrots and twenty-two to twenty-"four inches between rows of mangolds, with, in the case of the latter, ten to twelve inches between each plant. As soon as the rows of young plants show clearly the push hoe should be run along the rows to kill the weeds before they make too many roots. The plants should be thinned out as soon as they are large enough to handle, for while they are left, tliey are robbing the other plants that will be left and consequently a poorer crop -will result. I find that it is not necessary to thin onions to a. single plant, .but they must not- be left growing too thickly. I consider it pays to sow an area one «r more chains square, with the Early Globe variety in March or early m April. They should be ready for market in January when onions are at a very payable price. The Brown Spanish is the variety for the main crop. I have done very well with onions. Table carrots (Early Horn being the variety), and parsnips pay well. I have often grown from fifty to seventy sacks oi the latter. I also have raised pumpkins, marrows and piemelons, and some yearn found them very profitable. Tt is not wise to plant too much of any one crop —at least not for a start. There always is a demand for mangolds, and I have had orders from outside districts. T have received several ordere this year. I found the Globe mangold the best. In growing swede turnips I prefer til© Superlative variety ; it is splen- , did for culinary purposes and is a good I cropper.

In addition to knowing the mont suitable kinds of crops to raise, it is necessary to know liow to make the most of tJie time at one's disposal—to do the work in the shortest time. The quicker the crops can be sown, kept free of weeds and thinnea out and harvested and ffic cheaper they are to produce and the profit therefore is greater. An experienced man will often do as much in five Tiours as a man, not accustomed to trie work, will do in eight hours. For instance, instead of pulling onions cut them off with a push hoe. By harvesting them in this way, the roote are cut off, the ground is hoed and many of the weeds are killed, and the onions will dry more quickly and harvest Letter. When nearly dry cut the tops off with a pair of sheep shears and throw them together in rows ready for bagging up. When in rows they can be turned more easily to dry. for onions must be well dried before they are put into bags. Again, when lifting carrots, take a potato fork and loosen, say, nine rows. Then pull the three centre rows, break off the tops and place the carrots in a row. Pull the three rows on either side and throw the carrots on to the ret row, and there are nine rows in one. Do the same with parsnips, using a spade to loosen them, instead of a tork. When pulling mangolds pull two rows and place them side by side, then pull the rows on either side and place them with the root end to the firsfT one pulled. In this way room is left for a dray between the rows of pulled mangolds. To remove the tops use a hlTl-liook or butcher's knife, striking them off while the roots lie on the groumd; there is no need to handle the mangolds. The quickest way to plant cabbages is : after the ground has been prepared mark out the rows, and then take a hoe with a short handle, and open the place for easli plant witliit, closing it witTi The foot. In this way one can plant ,catrbages almost at ordinary waiting pace.

In the growing of tlicse crops it is necessary to get through an much work as possible in the shortest time—time is money. The quicker the work is got through, the more one can grow, and the more that is grown 'the lietter the holding will pay.