POPULARITY OF MANGOLDS.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 58, 4 December 1924, Page 4

POPULARITY OF MANGOLDS.

With each succeeding season mangold cropping is being more widely adopted by the Upper Waikato dairy farmers as a good means of providing root fodder for the cows in the winter, particularly as on the older country swede growing is becoming an increasingly risky proposition. One of the first of the local dairymen to specially purchase a ridger for sowing his mangold crop is Mr. A. T. Morris, of Overdale, Putaruru. Following smaller successful crops of mangolds in previous seasons, he has this season put in a five acre crop, mostly of the Jersey Queen variety, and he reports an excellent strike. Last winter the yield he obtained from two acres of Jersey Queen mangolds served as root fodder for 13(5 head of cattle for six weeks. Lucerne and grass hay were fed as the complementary ration with the mangolds, and, if this season’s crop is equally successful, Mr. Morris intends' dropping swede culture in favour of mangold growing altogether. Besides his own crop, he has also used the ridger for putting in crops for two neighbours this season, while also throughout the district the drill is being used to sow many further mangold crops. Mr. Morris also reports that he has cut his 12-acre stand of lucerne for the first time this season, and is making the yield into ensilage.