WESTLAND A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1923, Page 4

WESTLAND A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

SWEDE am; TURNIP GROWING COM I’KTITI ONS. 1922-15)23 SEASON.

(.Judge: C. .J. Dalglish. Fields Instruetor. Hokitika).

Crops were judged on points, a maximum number of points being allowed as: Weight’OO, quality do. regularity in thinning out and general care and attention id. freedom from weeds 10. SWEDE COMPETITION. (,l acre).

I). Weir. Kokatalii, weight .‘id, quality 22, regularity in thinning etc. Id, freedom from weeds 8, total i 4. Ist. It. Wilson, Arahura, weight 23, qunlitv 0.3. regularity in thinning etc. 13. freedom from weeds S, total (id, dial.

T. Wallace, Kokatalii, weight 33 quality Id, regularity in thinning etc. 13. freedom from weeds 8, total (id 3rd.

Remarks, including nature ot land cultivation and manorial'' treatment

I. (Weir) Land of a heavy loam. In cultivation (i years ago and had then icrcived an application of lime at the rate of 30 cwt. per acre and later sown to pasture. Again broken up in November R)dd, and given good cultivation in preparation tor the swede crop, limed at the rate of 31) cwt. per litre, this being applied to the land a week previous to the sowing of swedes, which were sown in raised drills.

1. (Elephant variety). 1 ewt ol A\ alpole guano and 1 ewt. of Islington Turnin Fertiliser.

d. F.elepiiaut and Champion varieties, ot. Islington Turnip Fertiliser. 3. Champion and Supr-rlaiive varieties: Haifa ton ol Islington Fertiliser. !. Superlative variety: d ewt. Islington Turnip Fertilised*. quantities pel lore: No's I and d had in addilion 11 ewt. of nitrate of soda per acre applied as a top-dressing alter swedes were thinned.

Plot 1 was equal in weight to plot 3 and better than I and d, the variety sown being Superlative and Mere sown a week or Iwo earlier and made better growth. I find that the Superlative variety in most case;. makes hotter growth than the Elephant and also bettoi than the Champion, hut in this case the quality was. not so goal. A factor noticeable in more than one held this season where lln-se varieties have (.ecu sown, isufiit ient care in thinning out and the breaking down oi the raised drill had not been given. In this same held the drills loulinued over the lore nominated for competition on to land which had not received similar cultivation. liming and liiitnurial treatment, hut had HOD received any application of lime when the land was in cultivation (i years ago. Tile growth of swedes io all varieties on this area was far behind that of the land which had previously been limed and the quality was not so good. (Wilson) Heavy loam of river Hat. formation, in pasture for a number ot years. Ploughed in November 1922, given good cultivation and received a liberal dressing of wood ashes, also a light dressing of farmyard manure, estimated at 3 tons per acre: Before final cultivations operations were comploied a mipp'i.ation of two tons of lime was applied per acre. Champion and Elephant swede sown in raised drills Iroai i lie 7ih of December to the 7th ot February. Champion variety was first sawn and made much better growth than the Elephant variety which was sown later. Champion variety was also sown in the later sowings, and although not so well-grown as the first sown Champion variety, made hotter growth than did the Elephant. Qualitv of hoili varieties of swede were good. Fair care and alu-niieii had Lien given to thinning and cleaning. 3. (Wallace) Land, light silly m gravel in patches: In old past ere for mai'.v years, ploughed m October LG_ jVr the present awed'- crop. Received good cultivation and limed at the rate ei 18 ewt per acre on the Gth. Doeemher which was harrowed ill. Swedes S:i| ••‘riariw- Tnrir-i \ —mv.vji hi drills on IStli. December. 2iewt. ol Farmers’ Co-op turnip manure p**r a; iv applied at time of sowing. When swedes v ere about 3 indies high an apple Icm ef 13!.1bs ef Noraie of Seda per ~m . was given ami a light dressing 0 weeks later. Fair even crop ami fair ati“>iiion given to thinning, hut. drillpot sufficiently broken down. Qua hi;, decidedly had. TI’IINIP ( oMI'ETmON. (i Acre). |{. llouliKtc.i:. Koiicrangi: " eight :'.:). quality ‘-’3. regularity in thinning etc. Id, freedom from weeds It), total C. Ist.. .]. Fleming. Kokatalii: Weight I’D. 1111 a 1 iLv ;>.■). regnlai ity in thinning etc. freedom /rein weeds 12. total d. 2nd. . Remarks, including cultivation ami manurial treatment. I. (Houlistou)- l.aml free sandv cam; previously in eultiration (1 years ago then receiving an application ol one ton of lime per acre, and sown to pasture. Again broken up in August 1921 and soun in oat q receiving 2; cut. Ra.-ie piiO'f'diate manure par acre. Ploughed in August 1022 for the present crop, receiving intermittent good euhivation up to December, then again ploughed and further on!) Ration given lime applied at rate ol 12 in t. l !(, r acre. Just prior t.o the sowing of the turnips in the second week of January, o ewt. of Islington turnip manure applied per acre with seed. Variety of turnip—lmperial, Green Globe. lopdressed with 1 cwt per acre of Nitrate of Soda immediately turnips were thinned. An even well-grown crop, showinp results of care and attention, qualitv good considering the class ot luiiijp being white fleshed and at the lateness of the season. 2 (Fleming)—Land. sandy silt. Ploughed out of lea in March 1922 and received cultivation and limed at tho rate of one ton per acre. Re-plough-ed in September and further cultivation given, again ploughed (> weeks later. and further cultivated. Sown in Greentop Yellow Aberdeen turnips in raised drills on loth. De. ember. 2 ewt. of Guano and l ewt. of siiperho.sphates per acre, applied as a manure at time of sowing. Crop uneven, turnips wellgrown on part, sufficient attention had not been given to the breaking down of the drill. Quality good. Alongside of (his crop was another crop which had received similar liming and manurial treatment hut had received very much less euhivation treatment, this cron m this area being far behind the wei!eullivnied land.