CAMBRIDGE FRAMERS' CLUB.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 984, 12 October 1878, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE FRAMERS' CLUB.

A meeting of the members of the above Club was held at the Club House, on Monday, October 7th. at 7 p.m. Present : Messr?. E. B. Walker (Vice-President m the chair\ G. E. ; Clark, H. M. D. Pearson,' James Runciman, John Runciman, Thomas Runciman, Francis Hicks, F. J. Brooks, Edward Lake, William Martyn, H. A. C. Fergusson, John Fisher, F. Tionie, Jos. Gane, Rich. Reynolds, Henry Buttle, Captain Waltnsley, and Major Clare. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. Mr Clark then read the following essay on turnips : — Since my promise to read a paper on turnips I find I h».ve chosen a subject that is engrossing the mind of farmers just now to a very considerable extent, and fear that I shall fall far short of doing jnstice to so important a subject;, but trust that my short coming may be compensated to you m a very free and liberal discussion of the matter. My first consideration will be the nature of soil best adapted to growth of turnips. I should recomrneud n good sandy loam as the most desirable for general crop. On such land turnips will grow well, and may be fed off on the land m the wettest season with either sheep or catfcle and the ground camparatively clean ; wa shall rarely have a more severe test than the past season, awd I. can state with certainty, that several farmers have this season, through the wettest weather we have had during the winter months, been folding sheep on such land with no inconvenience to the stock It may be argued by some that turnips prefer a cool climate and land with a bolder sub-soil than general, and there may be considerable truth m this too, but; what we require, is to grow as large a crop as possible on land that turnips can be fed off m any sort of weather, and be a benefit to the stock whilst feeding on them. It is quite possible to grow large crops of turnips on land too wet to put sheep on or cart off the turnips without injury to the land. I certainly could not recommend growing a crop on such land. Having given my vjews on the natuve of soil best adapted for general purposes m the growth of turnips, I will offer a few remarks as to treatment of land for the growth of the crop. I find from enquiries made from many practical gentlemen, that the most successful crops have been grown on land that has been once ploughed from grass, and that which has been skimmed three months previous to plough for sowing. The single ploughing answers admirably on clean gra 1 s land, free from fern, <fee.; but on ferny land I should strongly recommend skimming m this present month, and ploughing m January. The orthodox English style does not answer m this light soil, namely, ploughing chree or four times. In England, we consider the more we plough for turnips the better chance of a crop. It is far from my wish to recommend loose or slovenly farming, but on our light land m have no hesitation m stating, I ciean land the less you plough the better crop you will grow. For successful growth of turnips, heavy rolling is almost indispensible. There is difference of opinion which of the two are the best rollers, the Cambridge or Cambridge and Crosskill combined : I havo used the latter, and regard it as one of the best implements I ever used. I should recommend putting one of these rollers over the land after ploughing, as it breaks down the furrows at once, and prevents any rubbish from harrowing out ; twice harrowing after roller, and on any ordinary land you will have a splendid seed bed. After sowing, roll down with combined roller, and a finish will be obtained sufficiently neat for the most fastidious, and a solid surface obtained for the young plants to take root m. The time for sowing must be regulated by the season and our requirements to a certain extent. Early m December would be a very seaso nable time for sweede turnips sown on drills or m rows on the flat. I am inclined to the belief that the Aberdeen yellows and purple top are varieties that will be g-rown to the greatest advantage for main crop, and I think they should be sown m succession from the second week m January, if the weather is at all suitable, until the same time m February. Later sowing may be made, but to insure a good crop they will require manure to give them a quick start. Some difference of opinion exists as to the advantages of sowing as early as possible I after ploughing, or leaving the laud

sitter having boon ploughed exposed to the weather as long as convenient before sowing My experience m England leads mo 'to the belief that it is wise to sow as early as possible after ploughing, often, towards the end of the seasen especially,, the oomtuou practice is to plough one day and s,-w the next, and keep this up till a linisli is made. From considerable enquiries on the subject, I ' find the same theory holds good here, fully three to one being m favor of the early sowing after ploughing. Various methods have been adopted for sowing seed, some gentlemen have aitached machinery m front of the Cambridge roller, which has answered very fairly ; the ordinary seed barrow is a very useful machine for the purpose, or the seed may be sown ruadily by hau<l, mixing ir, with bone flour, or some dry commodity. What I consider is much needed, espediaily were large areas are required to be grown, is a light drill that would take eight feet, and sow with or without manure Mauy fanners of the prese.it .lay will argue, if they cannot grow a crop of turuip.s without, manure they will uot grow them at all j it is quite possible to giow excellent crops without manure on good laud, but much better would be grown wiih manure, and I may mentiou that it is our best lauds that will give us the best returns for any outlay m manure, and there is no crop that it should be more urgently applied by the farmer than a crop that has to bo fed on the land, as a double advantage is obtained by the extra heavy manuring that the land would receive from the stock when eatiug off a large crop as compared with an ordinary one. A word here to the uninitiated, many crops of turnips have been utterly lost through the seed having been sown and heavy rain falling immediately after or dining time of sowing, which has caused the seed to .jvvell so rapidly that it bursts and the germ is destroyed, and, J doubt not, many a seedsman condemned for selling worthless seed, when the seeJ, though good, has been destroyed by the rain. 1 have seen a field sown to within the last acre with turnips, and a very heavy thunder shower put a, stop to further operations that day, t.he balance of the land sown the next day with the same imple of seed. The former was a complete failure and the Litter a full crop. J would recotnme.uc 3 sowiug from half to three-quarters of a pound of seed per acre, if the seed is good this will be found ample ; there is far more loss sustained from sowing too thick than too thin, as if thinly seeded what are lacking iv number will be gained m increased s:ze, but when sown too thick they are very liable (through the laud not being able to sustain the crop) to mildew aud disease, which destroys the top and injures ths growth of the root. Turu.ips may b« sown Avith advantage with all our autumn sovvu grasses, half pound per acre mixed with grass seed adds but one shilling per acre to the cost o f seed, and will yield a large amount of food for early spriug if late sown, or for winter if sown early. Being late last autum with my work and lack iug faith m obtaining a crop of turnips, 1 determined to try thN" plan aud the results were highly satisfactory, not only m affording a large amount of food for my sheep, but m the benefit derived by the grass through the land being well consolidated by tramping with the sheep. I find that considerable success has resulted to those who have tried this plan on fern land and doubt not it w.HI m futui'e be a common practice. I have tried ploughing up wheat, land immediately after harvest and sowing with turnips three years m succession, and on each ncca-don a complete failure. I at first attributed it to the excessive dry ness of the laud and the second year applied .'J cwt. of salt per acre with no perjjptible \ improvement. It is exceediugly gratifying to me m searching for information on this subject to find that two gentlemen members o this Club have this year one with an outlay of one pound per acre iv Hurst's mixture, and salt grown a very satisfactory crop of turnips after wheat aud the other by applying 3 cwt. of bonedust, has obtained very satisfactory results. My own land this year after wheat had a faw spots that the stubble was harrowed out and burned on the land, m these places 1 had fine turnips but a failure elsewhere. To such as may be desirous of applying manure m the growth of turnips, the experiments made by Mr IVlartyn on the Pencarrow Estate j (kindly furnished me by that gentleman); may be of considerable service, these experiments are on a basis of anf outlay of one pound sterling per acre aud the advantage of one over the other are as they read, namely, Peruviau Guano, Mexican Guano. Hurst's Mixture, Salt and Bones. A strip Avas sown through the centre of the field with au outlay of 30s per acre of Peruvian Guano and the crop was nearly do a bled as compare with the 20s outlay. Having expressed my views on the growth of turnips, I will endeavor to point out a few of the advantages to be derived from their culture, not the least of these is a supply of food for cattle and sheep when grass is not obtainable, and will help materially to solve the problem wlu-M-eby we may keep our stock thriving as w< 11 during <"he winter months as those of summer. Large numbers of cattle and sheep during- the past

winter have been consumed as mutton and beef that but for turnips would now be moderate stock only, when I am credibly informed by one farmer m this district that grew 2 ac/es only of turnips, mid that on , this crop he finished off 14 head of cattle and sold ilium to tho butcher* that under ordinary circumstances would bo now stores, I think there is encouragement for all to muke a trial for themselves. Many could grow turnips that would not be m a position to grow -mangolds, and I am not sure that, iX3 a crop, tornips will "ot .supplant moulds, save for stud stock and house feeding, as m the g.owth of turnips we 1" escape the Hoeing and oleaninr t] )at. is rndispeusable m mangolds, if a full crop is required. T llluo rmmtl)s iv the spring- ot the year is a very important consideration m dealing with weeds and that is the average difference that it requires to mature the two crops. I will here give an analysis of mangolds and various k>nd of turnips, &o, &c.

The foregoing is an extract from the Farmers' Magazine, which shows that there is not that amount of diferencb m the feeding qualities of swedes and yellow turnips as is generally supposed. From information collected on this subject, I tiud that all classes of stoc*, «aye ewes m lamb, have done well during the past winter that have had a good supply of turnips with a little dry food (cattle sheep and horsey). To ewes m lamb turnips should never be given, unless iv small quantities on grass' paddocks, as death of the ewes is likely ,to take place, or if not a large peicenc.ijfe of lambs will be lost by abortion, this was a lesson I learned nearly twenty >ears since. I have never tried it m this country, but think there ar« soino gentlemen that have tried it here 011 turnips and mangolds that, are quite satisfied with the resuli without further trial. After lamMng I have fed my ewes, during theVpast two years, on turnips and boih ewes and lambs have done well. Iv conclusion, the results collected from those gentlemon that have been larae growers of turnips fully acaccovd with my own experience, that not only are we supplied with an abundance of food by the successful growth of lurnip-i but our land being heavily manured by the stock eatiug them on the lands enable us to grow heavy crops of mangolds, potatoes and cereals without manure. With thi-se few remarks, I leave the subject for your discussion. Mr Buttle said ho had lost v lot of sheep which were 011 turnips this season. He supposed it Avas the exceptionally wet season. Mr Grave said he had sown some turnips m the first weuk m March. It was after wheat. Ho had rolled the land, and had put three ewt. of coarse bones to the acre. Mr James Kunoiman said, although he had not very much experience m turnip groAvmg, he was a great advocate for it. If they could be grown successfully on land on which they could be fed off, it was a very important thing- to grow them. He supposed everyone knew that turnips had been the making of Scotland, and now ifc was proven that the soil of this district would grow turnips as well. It would make this part of the country second to none m the colony. Mr Hicks recognised the great importance of growing turnips successfully. So important did he regard the question, that he regretted that Mr Clarke had not dealt with the subject m the manner m Avhif.li he proposed on a former occasion. If Mr Clarke had collected records of tho experiences of farmers who have been growing turnips, he would have been able to compare results, aud tlion they would have been able to see and judge which was the best method. This method would have been far more valuable than just getting the members to relate their experience's m the Club. They wolud not now know which was ihc most successful way of growing fchem. He Avould have liked to know what mode of treatment secured the best results. Another very I important thinsr was the manner m feeding them off. Sheep must have a fresh bite every few days. He found that, if sheep, young sheep especially, Avere kept 100 long on one plot, they began to bo discontented aud to bleat about. To give them a fresh piece every day, certain fences must be used, Avhich could be easily moved His plan Avas, to run a. light aviio fence across, Avith stakes, holes bored through the posts for the Avire, but, instead of receiving the wire through the holes, he made a saw cut diagonally to each hole, and then slipped the wire into the hole, and v w;lieii it was tightened up, it could not get out, and afforded a substantial fence for sheep. This kind of fence lie had moved about 15 chains of m about two hours. He thought there were three of them at Avork at it. He also thought of using Avire hurdles. Somu four or Jive wires tightened by screws, m a frame. Tho screws to be four or five inches long. These Avould form durable and light hurdles, which a niaox could cany at least two (2) of under each arm. -By moans of these fences, they would be able to giA'o their sheep a fresh bite every two or three days. Their turnips would go unite as far, and Avhat Avas more important, their stock Avould thrive far bettor. The besb crop of turnips he had sr-uii m the country, was at Mr .Tteynolds's. He did not think the land Avas rolled, as (ho .soil appeared to be very loose. Ht> did not, know Avhethtr it Avas advisable iv roll laud suwn iv turnips or not. Thy

crop was, indeed, a most extraordinary one. Mr Henry Reynolds said, that m place of the rolling his turnips, the sheep were driven over them. Mr J»hn Bunoimau did not agree with Mr Hicks, that it would have been better to have gone round the country and collected the results and experiences of farmers. It was far bettor to discuss the matter fully before the Club. He hud not a great deal of experience m turnip growing ; ho had grown but three crops m this district. He believed ho grew the first crop ever grown m the Waikato, and the finest he had seen. He planted one and a-half acres about the beginning of June; then, again, m October. He believed that it was of much benefit to plant turnips on new land, as it prepared the land effecfi-A-ly for a succeeding crop. After a crop 'of turnips, he had planted potatoes, and realised twelve tons to the aero. There were only six bags of small potatoes m the whole piece . He had, also, grown turnips on heavy, cold land. This was* at Drury, and the crop was very successful, but it had half a ton of Mexican guano to the acre. Mr Lake said he had found that if sheep, m feedinar of. turnips, were put upon a large paddock and not folded, they lay down on the highest piece of ground m the field, and there they drop their manure ; consequently, it is not distributed all over the ground. Taking this fact into consideration, ho had got some netting to fold his sheep while feeding off turnips, but, through the netting being improperly tarred or some other defect, the sheep had eaten through, and were all over the place. He thought turnips were better sown m drills, as they required to be hoed to keep down the weeds. Mr John Ksher said he saw the fences put up by Mr Hicks a couple of years ago. They were very simple, and Mr Hicks would, no doubt, show any gentleman how to put them up. Mr I'ergusson saw, when he was down South, a very easily-moved wire fence. It consisted of four by three posts, and staples driven m, but instead of the wire being put through the staples, an iron rod was put through them, which kept them m their place. These fences could be easily moved, and were better than hurdles. They had some cocoa-nut netting up all the winter, and it was perfectly sound now. Mr William Martyn said he had fed Ids sheep all the winter on turnips, and he did not find them discontented, nor did the turnips rot or decay after they were bitten. He found it necessary to roll the ground after turnips, and the Cambridge roller was the best implement to use. If the ground was not solidified by being rolled, the turnips grew into the ground, and they had to use a grubber. He believed m the swede, for he found that the sheep eat them all off before they touched the other kinds of turnips or mangolds. MrE. B. Walker said he had grown turnips very successfully after wheat. He had planted some on swamp land; they were veiy large, and, as^ to their quality, his men had been eating them, and said they were very good. He had used netting, which he had got from Canterbury, lie did not find the sheep touch it, and it lasted very well. Mr Lake must have had no fern m the paddock where the turnips were, or. the sheep would have eaten that and left the netting. He believed that, if the sheep could not get some dry food to eat with < the turnips, they would eat a hurdle. They should have some hay, or a straw stack, to nibble at. Mr Clarke Baid Mr Buttle had complained of his sheep dying off this seasen on turnip feed. He attributed it to the wet season. He (the speaker) had lost about twenty fat sheep. They were not on turnips at all, but on grass. They had died of paralysij..- After that, he moved his sheep, fine^bfyther set m, and he lost no more. mt__ regard to Mr Hicks' opinion that he should have collected the results of the experience of different fanners, lie had not time to go about the country to do so, but he had sent a circular to twelve of them, nine of whom had replied by sending a lot of useful information. He thought that, for feeding purposes, the yellow turnip-was far better than the white one, as the latter contained a large percentage of water. With regard to hurdles, he thought they should grow ash and willow to make them. . Hurdles made of this wood were light, c and a man could carry six or eight on his hack. They could be bought for about ten shillings a dozen m the old country. It the stuff was provided, they could be . made for 2s Cd per dozen. Mr Buttle moved a vote of thanks to Mr Clarke for his paper — Mr John Fisher seconded the motion, which was carried { unanimously. [The remainder of the report, owing to its great length, is necessarily held over till our next.]

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