SWEWE-GROWING COMPETITION

Shannon News, 12 July 1921, Page 3

SWEWE-GROWING COMPETITION

THE CONDITIONS ARRANGED. Ths farmers ih the Ihakara district a little time back suggested the holdin gof a competition among the settlers in the growing of swede turnips, and .a committee consisting of Messrs. J. W. Todd, S. A. Broadbelt apd G. Armstrong was set up to make preliminary arrangements. The Department of Agriculture was communicated with, and a request made that an officer of the department meet and confer, with the committee, it being desired that the competition be held under conditions laid down by the department. A good deal of local interest has bepn worked up in the competition, with , the result that a first prfze of £lO 10s has 'been donated by the Levin Dairy Company, a second prize of half a ton . of turnip manure by the New Zealand Farmers’ Distributing Company, and a third prize of £2 2s presented by Mr J. W. Todd. RULES FOR THE COMPETITION. Yesterday the above-named gentlemen met Mr F. W. Greenwood (instructor in agriculture) and Mr J. M Smith (assistant instructor) at the Central Development Farm, when an informa ldiscussion took place on the conduct of the competition and the conditions under which it should be held. Mr Greenwood said the value ot such a competition would lie in it being carried out on practical farming lines, in which cultivation and manuring would; of course, be principa l factors. Mr Todd said he would like to see a minimum in both cultivation and manure. Mr Broadbelt thought the competition should be confined to one acre for each competition. This would not prevent a grower laying down five or ten acres, but the competition acre must be marked off prior to .sowing. There would be a. valuable result for the reason that this would not be a Government experimental farm experiment. It was decided that Ihe competition be confined to dairy farmers, the foundation of the cultivation being double ploughing or equivalent cultivation. As to fertiliser, Mr Smith suggested that there be no hard and fast rule, because if each competitor did the same the competition would lose some of its value. If the conditions were open and one farmer grew 70 tons per acre and another oply 30 tons, that was where the educational part came in, in finding out where the difference. was. This view was accepted, and it was decided that it be a recommendation that 3cwt of fertiliser be used in ihe competition acre. The quantity of seed and variety; of swede were left to the competitors. Conditions for judging the competition were divided under the following heads: (1) Treatment prior to sowing; (2) fertilisers, seed, etc.; (3) subsequent cultivation; (4) yield (three patches to be taken from each competition acre); (s).freedom from disease; (6) trueness to type; (7) records kept. Mr Broadbelt said he would like to see records of the competition kept by the farmers, such as date of ploughing, sowing, weeding, etc., to be shown in a, simple way that every farmer would be able to understand and fulfil. Mr Greenwood said ihe keeping of records was valuable, and would convey information to people who did

infitCiir' J not attend or take part in the competition. Mr Greenwood stated . that .the date of judging should be definitely stated so that the competitors would, be given an idea when to sow. Swedes would reach maturity in about three or three and a-half months. It was decided that judging be made about the middle of April, 1922. It was thought that the above conditions would meet what was wanted. LUCERNE GROWING. It was stated that it was desired to promote a lucerne competition in this district on the lines of the one to be held in Christchurch, and Mr Greenwood stated that he thought it would be a good preliminary if he gave a lecture on lucerne growing, which he would be glad to give if it would be of assistance to the project. The lecture could be' illustrated with New Zealand slides, of which the Department had a supply. ' The offer was accepted with thanks, a.nd Mr Todd stated that he believed the Farmers’ Union was taking some inteerst in the question of lucerne, and he hoped the dJnion would assist in any scheme that was decided on. Mr Broadbelt stated that the president of the Union (Mr G. Tully) was makin ga move in the matter. Mr Greenwood said they wanted to work up as much interest in the lecture as possible, and he hoped to see a large attendance of farmers if possible. Mr Broadbelt said the value of the lucerne competition was the establishment of ' more lucerne stands throughout the district. Mr Greenwood: That is so. As it was stated that Mr Todd was interviewing the Levin Chamber of Commerce in regard to the lucerne competition at the end of the present month, it was decided to fix Mr Greenwood’s lecture for Thursday, July 21, the fa’rmers’ committee to make preliminary arrangements.