FARM NOTES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4783, 1 December 1924, Page 4

FARM NOTES.

ARTICHOKES AS FODDER. A VALUABLE CROP. It is surprising how little farmers generally know about what has been termed the greatest stock feed of the age—the artichoke. The Jerusalem artichoke was first introduced into England in the early part of the 17th century, and has since been grown chiefly as an esculent vegetable in gardens. In New Zealand it is not grown to anything like the extent it is in Europe, where besides being utilised for the feeding of horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs it is used on the taole. It possesses many qualities which recommend its more frequent cultivation as food for stock, especially on the poorer types of soil, and in waste corners of the farm, where little else could be profitably grown.

A Waimate Daily Advertiser reporter, hearing that Mr Allan Bird, Timaru Road, had a confparatively large acreage of artichokes under cultivation. paid a visit to his farm. Some of the interesting facts concerning artichokes are worth recording for the benefit of farmers in this district. The artichoke is a perennial, and bears thick underground tubers, which vary considerably in size and form, being in certafti sorts similar to an irregulhr, roundish potato, in others much (onger. These tubers bear several buds, giving off thin, fibrous, coarse, hairy, erect stems, which come above the ground and ultimately reach a, height of from sft to Bft or more. The plant will grow under almost any condition, the best results, however, being obtainable when grown on sandy loams with good drainage. It aljgo thrives on peat and on gravels. The piece oi ground which was shown to the reporter was a little over •£% acres. Mr Bird stated that off a. tenth, of ,an acre last year he obtained the seed for planting this section. An excellent crop was obtained, almost as high as a man’s head, yielding 12 tons to the acre. It is difficult to state what is the average of a crop of Jerusalem artichokes, as it varies so much with the treatment the crop receives and the kind' of soil on which it is grown, but, generally speaking, the yield if anything is a little larger than a crop of potatoes grown on similar ground. One outstanding case is reported

where a Waimate resident, sowing three rows of artichokes with six plants to the row, obtained a yieljd of a full sack. No doubt this was an exceptionally heavy yield, but nevertheless farmers can rest assured that the planting of artichokes is a very payable proposition indeed. Not only are pigs reared extremely satisfactoiily on the plants, but cows, especially milkers, show a decided increase in both quality' and quantity of milk after being fed on artichokes. Ono acre, it can be authoritatively stated, grown in New South Wales, produced 28081 b of pork in six weeks. At a meeting hel ( d in Leeston recently Mr Gorringe, Chief Government Expert in Swine Husband)..', inadvocating the necessity of providing forage plots for pigs, stated that artichokes were an excellent winter crop. All the farmer had to do was to planthe ci op and let the pig root among the plants. Sufficient roots would be buried for next year’s crop if the pigs were not allowed to clean the giound out thoroughly. Mr Gorringe stated that in artichokes pig farmers had one of the most valuable and most easily workable crops known. Some people are of the opinion that to rid the ground of artichokes once they have been grown on a pljot is a matter of difficulty, but this is not the case. An easy method is to sow the patch in grass and oats for green feed, and feed the first year. The grower will then find, by the way. the stock relish the tops, that he wishes the aitichokes were not so easily eradicated. Mr Bird stated that since lie gave a milking cow a feed of artichokes night, and morning there had been a marked improvement in the quality of the milk. The artichoke is no dearer planting than potatoes. From 6cwt to 10cwl per acre is the rule, according to the farmer’s wishes. This, a,t the current price, costs £4 4s ; while potatoes at £6 a ton for seed require eight bags to the acre.' But the artichoke, if used as a fodder crop, stands for anything up to 15 yeans, once it has been planted. The stock feed off the tops one year, and they spring up again ready for the next feeding off.

The cultivation of the artichoke is similar to the cultivation of the potato. They are planted through a potato planter and dug with an apron digger.

The artichoke is a hardy Mr Bird happened to notice on one occasion last year quite a number of the tubers exposed to the air through the pigs, which had been feeding in the paddock on the previous day. The tubers were left out on top of the ground all night, and as there was a hard frost Mr Bird expected in the morning to find them frosted. They were, however, unharmed. Exposure to the air for a length of time after digging seems to be the only way in which injury can be done to the tubers, but. as they can be pitted in the same manner as potatoes this is easily obviated.

Last year’s planting was Mr Bird’s first experience with the artichoke. He fed them to stock Ijast year and proved their value and nutritive properties to his entire satisfaction. Mr Bird states that hip experience in feeding pigs on artichokes fully bears out Mr Gorringe’s statement. It may be noted that a patch of artichokes would be an insurance against the sacrifice of pigs in the autumn, such as takes place in some districts when the milk supply is going off, and pig-keepers generally are forced to isend their pigs to the sale and take what is offered in a glutted market because they are unable to feed them. Artichokes should be planted during the spring, so a,s to be ready about June. If intended for pig feed, it is good farm practice to have two pig paddocks so that one crop Is being fed off while the other is growing. Sowing may be done with a. plough., a tuber being dropped every 20 inches or so in each third furrow.