ROOT CROP COMPETITIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8460, 10 June 1907, Page 7

ROOT CROP COMPETITIONS.

A. AND P. ASSOCIATION'S RESULTS. Messrs J. Morris and R. J. Dagg, /sjydges appointed by the Masterton A. and P. Association, reported to the meeting of the General Committee, on Saturday, the results of the field competitions held under the auspices of the Association. The competitions included crops of swedes (ridged), swedes (flat), and mangels, and points were awarded for weight of crop (50 points), quality of crop (25 points), evenness of crop (10 points), and cultivation of ground, together with the general appearance of the crops (15 points). The results were aa follow:--Swedes (ridged.) —H. Evans: Weight of crop per acre, 44 tons 16cwt lqr 121bs; points allowed for weight, 50; quality of crop, 25; ovennness of cop, 8; cultivation and

ceneral appearance, 12; total, 95 W. Perry: Weight of crop per acre, 34 tons 6cwt 2qrs 22lbs; points allowed for weight 38; quality of crop, 25, evenness of crop, cultivation and general appearance, 12; total, 82, second. D. McGregor, senr., weight of crop per acre, 35 tons 7cwt 3qrs 241bs; points allowed for weight, 3D; quality of ■crop, 20; evenness of crop 5; cultivation and general appearance, 12; total, 76, third. Swedes (flat).—Walter Cameron, No. 1 crop: Weight of crop per acre, -50 tons 2cwt 2qrs 23lbs; points allowed for weight, 50; quality of «rop, 24; evenness of crop, 6; cultivation and general appearance, 11; total, 91, first. Walter Cameron, No. 2 crop: Weight of crop per acre, 46 tons 15cwt 3qrs 12lbs; points allowed for weight, 46; quality of •crop, 25; evenness of crop,? 8; cultivation and general appearance, 11; total, 90, second. J. C. McKillop: Weight of crop per acre, 43 tons 9cwt lib; points allowed for weight, 43; quality of crop 24; evenness of crop, 6; cultivation and general appearance, 10; total, 83, third. The following also entered for this class:—Gray Bros: Weight of crop per acre, 39 tons 16cwt lOlbs; points allowed for weight, 39; quality of crop, 23; evenness of crop 7; cultivation and general appearance, 11; total, 80. W. L. Falconer: Weight of crop per acre, 45 tons 17cwt 2qrs points allowed for weight, 45; quality of crop, 25; ( evenness of crop, 4; cultivation and general ap-

pearance, 5; total 79. McGregor Bros.: Weight of crop per acre, 34 tons 3cwt 2qrs 15181bs; points allowed for weight, 34; quality of tp, 22; evenness of crop, 5; cultivation and general appearance, 10; total, 71. Mangels.—E. J. Haigh: Weight of crop per acre, 126 tons Bcwt 41ba ; points allowed for weight, 50; quality of crop, 20; evenness of crop, 10; cultivation and general appearance, 15; total, 95, first. T. P. Lett: Weight of crop per acre, 84 tons 3cwt lqr 91bs; points allowed for weight, 33; quality of crop, 21; evenness of crop, 6; cultivation and general appearance, 11; total, 71, second. H. Evans: ' Weight of crop

per acre, 51 tons 19cwt 141bs; points avowed for weight, 20; quality of .-(crop, 22; evenness of crop, 8; cultivation and general appearance, 12; total, 62, third. Mr J. McGregor said that one of the results of the competition had been to show that the crops of swedes in nWtland had been heavier than those land. If such were the case, he asked what r wa3 the use of ridging? He would like the judges to explain. Mr J. Morris, one of the judges, said the reason was simple. In the competitions there had been no waste in the flat land, and the turnips had grown thicker. On the ridged land he had noticed a lot of waste land between the turnips. Some farmers might consider that a light growth of turnips was due to the fly and grub, but he considered that thetjuality of the seed used had a great deal to do with the matter. He favoured the testing of seeds, and said that either the merchants or the Government should see to this matter. Mr W. Perry said that the question of seed germination was a complifltttjed one. He quoted instances of same class of seeds yielding widely different results. He was of opinion that farmers should see that seeds were tested before they purchased chem. Mr D. McGregor, junr , thought that the farmers themselves were somewhat to blame for not seeing that their seeds were tested before using them. He thought that, as far as legislation in the matter was concerned, New Zealand had all the legislation it wanted.. It was just a question whether the merchants thought it would pay them better to get the seeds tested before they sold them. Mr D. Caselberg thought he could • say, on behalf of the Masterton seed merchants, that ail the seeds they sold were tested. The whole matter resolved itself into a question of the price the merchants received for their seeds. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the judges, Messrs Morris and Dagg, for their labours in connection with the competition.