SWEDE CULTIVATION

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1940, Page 2

SWEDE CULTIVATION

i |trials at newall road Arrangements were being made, as the result of discussions between the Instructor in Agriculture at New Plymouth and settlers interested in swede growing I at Newall Road. for a number of crops I there to be kept under observation and accurate details recorded of the cultivation and manuring in relation to results, I stated Mr. C. J. Hamblyn, fields super1 intendent, in a letter read at the meet- [ ing of the North Taranaki executive of ] the Farmers' Union. Inquiries indicated conflicting opinions as to success or otherwise with swedes in [ the area, stated Mr. Hamblyn, who ! pointed out that a trial was being arranged to test out the method advocated by the by the Department in growing swedes on old pasture had in comparison with the fairly common late ploughing and hurried preparation. Should the method recommended by the Department prove a failure, then further investigational work in regard to the soil etc., would be based on the observation and results obtained from the trial crops and others in the district this year. The director of the fields division, Mr. R. B. Tennent, advised that the position on the Newall Road was not uncommon where crops were grown after old pasture, similar experiences having been observed in other parts of the Dominion. Although it was known that ' payable crops of swedes could be grown after old pasture provided adequate cultivation and consolidation of the seed bed was practised, the local instructor had been asked to submit a report. It was generally agreed, said Mr. Tennent, that losses occurred when insufficient consolidation was given and the old turf had not time to rot before the crops was sown and in addition the use of lime and reverted phosphate was of importance.