Page 16 Advertisements Column 2

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21308, 30 October 1934, Page 16

EOMMONSENS TURNIP MANURINE Nearly a quarter of a million acres of Turnips, Rape, Kale and Chou Moellier are grown annually in Canterbury • • • the value of the stock-feed these acres produce is definitely influenced by the manner an which the crops are manured. Carefully checked tests over a period of years show that, in Canterbury and Otago, Turnips without fertiliser averaged 13-7 tons per acre. By proper manuring this return is increased to an average of 25*8 tons per acre! In other words, the use of fertiliser practically doubled the return. This means that 250,000 acres properly manured are as good as half-a-million acres without manure. The success of a Turnip, Rape, Kale, or Chou Mollier crop is all Important to the individual farmer. Fortunately the Department of Agriculture and other Scientific Authorities on Root Crops and Rape have exhaustively tested different manures and it is now shown that these crops respond, both as to quantity and feeding value, most profitably to Superphosphate with Lime and to "Reverted Phosphate." Type oS Fertiliser Required Soluble Phosphate is the prime requirement and the objective is to select a manure that has the phosphate in a form that is readily available to quickly growing plant, and at the same time give maximum germination. This can be best secured by using 44/46 "Super" in conjunction with an equal quantity of lime or by the use of soluble phosphate in the form of Basic Super or the more modern product known as "Reverted Phosphate." For farmers who prefer Mixtures: "Rockland" and "Aerex" Special Manures contain ample soluble phosphate and also safeguard germination. Turnip seed is delicate, but the addition of lime to Super protects the seed and avoids reduction of germination. It must be borne in mind that THE LIME DOES NOT REPLACE THE "SUPER" AND THE PHOSPHATE APPLICATIONS SHOULD NOT BE REDUCED WHEN ADDING LIME. For instance, 2 or 3cwt of Super constitute a sufficient application of phosphate for most Canterbury soils, when an equal quantity of lime is mixed with the Super, the mixture should be applied at the rate of 4 to 6cwt per acre. The Advantages of "Reverted Phosphate" "Reverted Phosphate" is made by mixing a calculated percentage of Burnt Lime with Super during the course of manufacture. This addition of lime protects the germination of the seed while the phosphate remains sufficiently soluble to be readily available to the plant during the whole of the growing period. The absorption of soluble phosphate by turnips not only means a heavier crop, but also a crop of greatly increased feeding value roots. Every claim made for Reverted Phosphate (whether straight or in mixtures) has been amply justified by the experience of the last two seasons. Reverted Phosphate can be used with pronounced success for all crops and for the top-dressing of pastures. Several turnip crops grown last year with Reverted Phosphate alone produced extraordinarily good results both as to germination and in the quality and volume of the crop. It is now generally recognised that in soils where Guanos and other Insoluble Phosphates have given good results, Reverted Phosphate will give even better results .. . and at considerably less cost. The value of the "Mineral Content" in all crops, as in pastures, cannot be too highly stressed Henry and Morrison, in a wellknown treatise "Feeds and Feeding," state—"That mineral matter is of the greatest importance to animals is shown by feeding rations freed as far as possible from it, in which case they die of mineral starvation. Indeed, animals thus fed generally perish sooner than when no feed is given. During such starvation the nervous system first suffers in a perceptible 'manner, marked weakness in the limbs—trembling in the muscles, convulsions and great excitability result." Only by liberal applications of "Super" in one form or another can you keep up the mineral content of your stock feed . . . and an interesting example of how stock seek feed of high mineral content is afforded by the experience of a farmer who applied 2cwt to one half of a paddock and scwt per acre to the other. Visually no difference could be seen iii the two crops of turnips, but when the stock were turned on the paddock they ate the chores right down to the very roots of the turnips that had received the scwt of "Super" before they turned to the other half of the paddock. Club Root Control In connection with the control of Club Root, heed can well be given to the remarks made at Gore in July, 1932, by Mr Tennent, the present Director of the Fields' Division of Agriculture. Mr Tennent stated: "As a manure for turnip growing any mixture largely composed of Reverted Phosphate had to be regarded as being of great value to turnip growers in the South, who intended growing root crops on land subject to Club Root. Experiments had shown definitely that the use of basic Fertilisers of a phosphatic nature ridged with turnip seed on land which had been well limed, was of the greatest assistance in overcoming Club Root, and it was gratifj ing to note that manufacturers in New Zealand were realising the importance of this fact by preparing special Fertilisers suited for such a purpose." As an Offset to Setbacks The actual volume of the crop must always be largely governed by seasonal conditions, but in every case where adverse conditions were experienced adequate manuring with "Super" largely offset set-backs and produced worthwhile crops that without "Super" would have been worthless. An example of this is provided by the Turnip Manuring Trial on the farm of Mr H. D. Richards, Hororata, last year. Conditions were extremely unfavourable, but 2cwt of Super and 2cwt of Slaked Lime yielded 13.2 tons per acre, 2cwt of Super and 2cwt of Carbonate Lime gave 13.1 tons per acre, WHILE OX THE NON-MANURED PLOTS THERE WERE NO TURNIPS AT ALL. fa this case. Super and Lime produced a worthwhile crop where otherwise there would have been a complete miss. The Quantity to Apply The quantity of fertiliser to apply should be regulated according to the land .. . the heavier the land, the heavier the application. Generally an application of 2cwt of Super and 2c wt of Lime will be found most profitable and frequently returns a 50 per cent, greater yield than that given by lewt of Super and lewt of Lime. In many instances 3cwt of each per acre can be applied with advantage. Alternate to the above 2 to 3cwt per acre of either Basic Super or "Reverted Phosphate" should be applied. Note re Mixing Super and Lime When preparing a mixture of Super and Carbonate Lime, the two should be thoroughly mixed several days before being used, and during that time should stand in bulk if possible, as there is a greater tendency for the mixture to set hard if confined to bags. Subsequent Manuring A practice that is gaining favour each . year is to further manure the crop when the -leaf is from two to five inches high by cross drilling a further bag (llcwt) of Super per acre. Drill through every coulter, just allowing the coulters to break the crust of the soil. This practice gives (1) Aeration of the soil, (2) Weed control through cultivation, (3) the extra impetus given to the crop by fertiliser and cultivation produces a healthier, stronger growth which far better resists attacks of the Diamond Back Moth, and (4) the feeding value of the crop is greatly increased. Simplified Measuring Two bags of Super represent an application of 2&cwt to the acre. RAPE, KALE and CHOU MOELLIER have the same manurial requirements as Turnips, and all the above observations apply equally to them.