MANGOLDS FOR STOCK.

Shannon News, 11 September 1923, Page 4

MANGOLDS FOR STOCK.

VALUABLE RESERVE FODDER. USE FOR DAIR.Y COWS. CROP FOR SPRING SOWING. Much time was lost by farmers during the winter, first through the continued wet weather’. The land being full of water, it has been impossible except on the lighter classes o soil, * to get on-With ordinary team work and only then to a limited de-, gree, the ploughing of lea land beingthe only operation that could be performed with any degree of efficiency. During the past month or so, however, large areas of lea land have been broken up in readiness for spring ana other crops. Afte.r the cereals are all sown the farmer will turn his attention to the cultivation of the land, and where conditions are favourable to early sowing of root crops, the mangold being one of the first crops to be sown, and in districts where intensive farming is practised, is certainly one of the most important crops of the farm.. As land for mangolds requires a good tilth the farmer should lose no time in cultivating and getting the sou that is intended for this crop ready. The mangold being a highly popular root for feeding to all classes or stock, especially dairy cattle, it is being more extensivey cutivated each year as the land becomes more thickly tenanted, which calls for more intensive root growing. The roots can be fed to all classes of stock and are highly prized for dairy cows < pigs, ana sheep. Horses also do "well with little mangold "added to their ration. Comparatively few carrots are grown now to feed to working horses; as the farmer finds that the mangolds, if not equal to carrots for serve the purpose very well, and are more cheaply cultivated and more ea-sily handled. The modern farmer cannot afford to carry on dairying without growing a few acres of mangolds to feed to his cattle during winter ana early spring months. THE VALUE OF ’MANGOLDS;

The mangold, the garden beetroot, and sugar-beet are allied .to each other, as they 'have all. been derived front the same original wild plant, ah having undergone years of selection by the best known plant graders. They keep better* than any other roots, swedes not excepted, and are available in winter and spring for dairy cows coming to profit, also for lamping ewes when grass and other fodder is scarce. Few breeders of high-clas» sheep would venture this important branch of farming without growing a few mangolds as food in time of scarcity, or for ground feeding during late winter and early spring. By feeding mangolds to dairy cowtd, both for those in milk and those coming to profit, the milk yield for the season wil be much greater than if no mangolds were fed. If cows are' kept going well through September (the usual time for cows to come in; and early October the milk yield win be greater throughout the summer. First, because the cows are kept In flourishing condition in the early part of the season, which encourages a oetter milk flow and second, because

the grass in the pastures would have a much better chance of getting ahead of the stock. This-means that feea will be more abundant throughout the growing season. A few mangolds fed to ewes both before and after lambing will rear a better percentage of strong < healthy lambs, and these will be sent on their way unc|ieckea. Again, the average yield per acre is much heavier than that of turnips, weight' for weight, and the feeding nature is higher, besides being more suitable for certain classes of stock. COMPOSITION OF MANGOLDS. The composition analysis of different varieties of . mangolds as against common turnips shows that 751 b of mangolds is equal to 1001 b of turnips in feeding nature an important feature in favour of mangolds. , Another important feature is that mangolds do not taint the milk when fed to dairy cows as does the turnip, besides being available for feeding much later in the spring. The mangold, being cultivated from a maritime plant, naturally thrives best in situations bordering on the coast. In some of the central districts farmers have experienced difficulty in obtaining a good crop .though the soil to all outward appearance be quite equal to, or even better, than land of the same class lying near the sea, and will grow other crops equally well, but when mangolds are tried. they do not thrive •as well as would be expected. This is not only, due to lack of salt in the atmosphere in the inalnd districts, but there is also something lacking in the soil. SALT AND MANGOLDS. This difficulty of growing mangolds on land some distance from the sea is usually overcome by treating the lanu with a liberal dressing of common salt. 2cwt to 6cwt being the usuai quantity per acre sown. This is either drilled in with the seed or broaqcoasted over the surface previous to drilling, the latter being the better plan, as this allows of a more even distribution of this plant constituent and is therefore less likely to injure the seed. If the land is very deficient in this particular constituent and should a large dressing be applied with the seed there is danger that the salt will seriously affect the growth of the young plants, just after they have germinated. On examination or the seedlings, where the land is treated too liberally with salt, especially when the salt is sown directly with the seed, many of the plants will be found to have died just below the surface of the ground. Although the seed may germinate fairly well ana Sll6W tlieir first leaves above ground, the stems immediately below the leaves will decay. If, however, the salt is applied separately as above mentioned, the salt becomes thoroughly incorporated with the soil ana instead of doing injury to the seedling, will encourage a healthy growth, and it helps to supply the requisites of the plant without giving too much I at once. This method is to be recommended, and when heavy dressings or artificial manures are applied, the

manure being more evenly distributed through the soil, the growth will in consequence be of a more even nature.