MANGOLDS AT MOUMAHAKI.

Waipa Post, Volume I, Issue 46, 22 September 1911, Page 4

MANGOLDS AT MOUMAHAKI.

VARIETY AND MANURIAL TESTS. Nearlv twenty acres of mangolds were grown at the Moumahaki Experiment Farm during the past season, and, taking the dry nature of the season into consideration, the crop was a successful one. The main crop, says Mr Primrose McConnell in the Journal of the Department of Agriculture, was grown in No. 1 paddock ( which the previous season grew a crop of swedes. In following swedes with mangolds Mr McConnell had two objects in view. Firstly, the mangolds following swedes leave the soil in a less acid state, and thus less likely to encourage "club-root" in re '" crop of turnips. Secr y r , , is his intention- to sow ne No. 1 paddock, and oot •" ..*ps fed on the land in s. >..>.essif:". leave it in a fertile conditio practically free from •weeds.

PREPARING THE GROUND,

Immediately the swede crop was consumed the land was ploughed with a double-furrow digger to a depth of seven inches. ft was then rolled with the Cambridge roller,twice double-disced, and again rolled. The seeds and manure were sown at one operadon by the double-row ridger, the rows being 26 inches apart, and the plants were hand-hoed to a distance of nine inches to 12 inches apart in the rows. The dales of sowing were Octobei I.7th to 2ist. Six pounds of seed jer acre were sown, and, Mr McDonnell adds, " my own experience has proved that a less quantity should never be used." Plot 1, which was unmamired, •/ieldfd at the rate of four-ton oots per acre of sugar mangold -ose, iVz tons prize winner globe, and 2% tons golden tankard. Plot 2 —Basic slag 2cwt, kainit 3qr, at a cost of 13s Qd. The yield was at the rate of 40 tons per acre of sugar mangold rose, 42 tons prize-winner globe, and 39 tons golden tankard. Tiiis gave an average gain per acre over unmanured plot of 37 tons at a cost of 5% per ton gain. Plot 3 —Basic superphosphate 2cwt, kainit 3qr, at a cost of 14s 9d. The vield was at the rate of 50 tons per acre of sugar mangold rose, 52 tons prize-winner globe, and 45 tons golden tankard. This gave an average yield of 45 tons per acre over the unmanured plot, at a cost of 3%d per ton gain.

Plot 4— Superphosphate 2cwt, kainit 3qr, at a cost of 14s. The yield was at the rate of 48 tons per acre of sugar mangold rose, 50 tons prize-winner globe, and 41 tons golden tankard. This gave an average yield of 43 tons per acre over the unmanured lot at a cost of 3%d per ton gain. Plot 5 was cross-dressed with 2qr sulphate ammonia, but this had no effect on,any of the plots. A TRIPLE TEST. i he paddock was divided into three manurial plots, each plot c- ntaining three varieties of mango, ds, so that each fei'tiliser had 1 >viple t st. On the whole the «,eed germination was good, particular! ne sugar mangold rose. Previc to singling out the plants, die rows were twice horsehoed, and three times afterwards. The paddock is now particularly free from weeds.

The State farms are often charged with growing crops regardless of expense. In this instance such a charge cannot be fairly made —in fact, a slightly heavier dressing of fertilisers would have paid handsomely. The cost of hand-hoeing, Mr M'Connell estimates at 18s per acre, so that, even if this is added to the cost of fertilisers, the cost per ton of mangolds is still low. As to the horse-hoeing, with modern implements it is a mere nothing. With a triple-horse-hoe, a man with a pair of horses will easily go over 10 acres daily. In horse-hoeing a mistake is often made by allowing the weeds to' get too far ahead before a start is made: the hoeing should commence as soon as the weeds appear above ground. The basic superphosphate is again at the top, and Mr M'Connell considers that this fertiliser is well worth the attention of farmers generally. In No. 2 paddock, two new varieties of mangqlds were grown, viz., Jersey King and Jersey Queen. These are varieties of very great promise. They are Tankard in shape, orange in colour, and, having a single taproot, they are easily pulled and bring away a minimum of soil. With a dressing per acre of 2% cwt. basic superphosphate and!

\Yz cwt. kainit, the yield was 60 tons per acre in the case of Jersey Queen and 58 tons in the case of Jersey King.