OTAKEHO

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 10 May 1921, Page 4

OTAKEHO

ROOT CROP COMPETITION

Officers of the Agricultural Department completed the judging of the root crop competition, held under the Otakeho branch of the Farmer's' Union, on Saturday last. The entries were greatly in excess of previeus years and the work of judging occupied two days. The officials of the Otakeho branch had all their arrangements capitally planned, and their systematic and businesslike methods greatly facilitated the work. The awards were as follow:

Mangolds—E. R. Putt 154*, J. D Bashford 128*, S. Millar 119, W. Morris 119. A. S. Walker 115, J. D. Bashford (No. 2) 114|, A. Gamlin 111, A. Gamlin (No. 2) 88*, J. Landers 87*, F. F. Atkinson 78.

Carrots—C. A. Bourke 84* E R Putt 76, J. D. Bashford 69, J. Campbell 66, J. L. Evans 63, J. Campbell (No 2) 62*, A. Laurie 55, S. Millar 52*,' J. Landers 51.

Swedes—L. Mace 110*, J, Daley 106* J. D. Bashford 102*, A. Laurie 102, C. A. Bourke 101, W. H. Le Fleming 98, J. Campbell 93*, J. D. Bashford (No. 2) 93, E. T. Bourke 91, J. Landers 85*. A. Gamlin 77. W. J. Atkinson 76, A. Herbert 74* 3 W. Morris 68*.

DETAILS OF LEADING CROPS. Mangolds. E. R. Putt —Lea land, ploughed at end of September; rolled and disced three times, harrowed and rolled, handhoed three times; mixture of Long Red, Prize Winner, and Jersey Queen, %)> per acre, 21b- of each; 28in drlls, sown October 20; ocwt manure per acre, super thre parts, bone meal and ephos each one part, *ewt. salt; area., three-quarters of an acre; weight, 67 -tons 16 cwt.; cultivation 9, quality 10. Note: Prize Winner best, Jersey Queen next. J. D. Bashford (No. 1 entry)— Area, 1* aores; previous crop soft turnips; ploughed September and cultivated all winter; hand-hbed; Prize Winner 41b, sown November 11, 14ih. drills; green bone, super and guano, scwt., and 1 ton of lime; weight, 57 tons 7 cwt.; cultivation 7, quality 7. I S. Millar—Area, 3f acres; previous cro P) carrots; ploughed September 4, disced four times, tine harrowed four times and rolled, horse-hoed three times and hand-hoed three times; Long Red, 41b seed in 28in. drills, sown October 29; 6 cwt. basic slag and 7 cwt. lime; weight, 50 tons; cultivation 10, quality

W. Morris—One acre of lea land, ploughed first week in August, disced three times, rolled and hand-hoed twice; Long Red and Sugar, 61b in 21in. drills, i sown November 10; 5 cwt. manure, two parts super, three parts ephos; weight, 50 tons 3 cwt.; cultivation 10. quality 9. A. S. Walker—One and a half acres of lea land; ploughed first week in October, double disced three times,.tine harrowed three times, rolled once, horse hoed once, hand hoed and singled; Prize Winner 61b in 21in. drills, sown November 15; 5 cwt. super and slag, half each; weight, 49 tons 10 cwt.; cultivation 8, quality 8. J " J. D. Bashford (No. 2 entry)— One acre of lea land; ploughed first week J in September, rolled and disced, rolled ! again and hand hoed; Prize Winner and Long Red, 41b seed in 14in drills, sown November 11; 3 cwt. super aiid guano; weight, 50 tons 9 cwt.; cultivation 7, quality 7. Carrots. C. A. Bourke. —1 acre ploughed in i October, previous crop swedes; disced several times and harrowed at interi vals; cleaned up with Planet Jr and hand hoed. Mixture, Matchless White i and Intermediate lib seed in 14in drills, i sown December 6. Turnip'manure and super 2c\vt per acre. Weight 34 tons 17c\vt; cultivation 7 ; quality 8. E. R. Putt —| acre lea land, plough~ed end September, rolled, disced three times, tine harrowed and roiled, hand hoed three times. Matchless White 21b seed in 14i'n drills, sown oth November; three parts super, one part bone meal, aiid one part ephos. Weight, 30 tons lOcwt; cultivation 7; qual-ty 8. J. I). Bashford —£ acre lea land, ploughed Ist September, rolled, d;eced, and rolled, hand hoed. Sinclair Champion lib, 14in. drills, sown November 11; 3cwt super and guano mixed. Weight 28 tons 2cwt; cultivation 7; quality 6. J. Campbell—Lea land ploughed l>t October, disced four tome?, tine harrowed four times, tripod harrowed and rolled.- Matchless White lib seed in 14in drills; sown 10th November; 2cwt blood and bone. Weight 26 tons 13c\vt ; cultivation.. ?; quality 6. J. L. Evans —£ acre lea land; ploughed October 7, rolled, dsced and harrowed, and again rolled. Sinclair's Champion and Matchless White mixed 21bs seed m 21m drills, sown 30th October; 2cwt slag and 2cwt Kempthorne and Prosser's spec; al. Weight 24 tons llcwt; cultivation 7; quality 7. J. Campbell (2nd entry)—s acre lea land, ploughed October Ist; disced four t:mes, tine harrowed four times, tripod borrowed and rolled. Sinclair's Champion lib seed in 14in drills, sown 10th ■November; 2cwt blood and bone Weight 24 tons Scwt; cultivation 7 : quality 7. I

Swedes. L. Mace—ll acres lea land, ploughed October, disced three times and rolled ; magnum bonum and masternieee; 12oz seeds; half in Tin drills and half in 14in f anils; sown 10th December; Tui turnip manure 2c\vt per acre.- Weight 47 tons ocwt; cultivation 8: quality 8. J. Daley— 3 acres lea land, ploughed Ist week September, rolled and disced" ii e j t;mes- tiile harrowed twice and rolled. Grand Master 9oz seed in 14in drills, sown 18th November; V" v.t super and slag equal parts Weight 46 tons sc\vt; cultivation 6: quality 8. , ' J. i) Bashford—4 acres lea land, i ploughed Ist week in September, rolled ! disced and rolled ; magnum bonum • Soz in 14: n drills, resown end of November; Ist sowing 3cwt bone, simer and guano i in equal parts; 2nd sowing -2cwt guano and super in equal uartw. Weight 4* tons 18cwt; cultivation' 9; quality 8. " A. Laure—2i acres lea land,'ploughed end of May, eroSB ploughed November and worked continuously; magnum bonum 9oz in 14In drills, swon 28th November ; 4cwt suner and slag. Weight 44 tons 3cwt; cultivation 7; quality" 7 c. A. Bourke—Six acres; not ploiighect. disced several times, cultivated, I harrowed and rolled; Magnum Bonum «oz in 14m. drills, sown December 6; cwt. manure, hair super and half slag; weight. 42 tons 11 cwt.; cultivation^ 9. quality 7. . j W. H. Le Fleming—Twelve acres of ; grass land; ploughed middle of September,' disced three times, tine harrowed twice and rolled; Magnum Bonum 12oz seed in 7in. drills, sown last week in .November; 2* cwt. Tuj turnip manure; weight, 42 tons 2 cwt.; cultivation 7, quality 7. •

At the conclusion of the judging Mr Deem congratulated the farmers of Utakeho on the great interest taken in their competitions, which were keener this year than ever before. The entries were almost double those of last year, and the crops on the whole -were'better. The cultivation right through was better than previously, and more care had been taken in sowing the seed. Mr. Bourke, president of the branch thanked the officers of the Department for the great care and trouble they had taken in judging the crops, and

expressed the thanks of the committee to those officers for coming and ofSciating at the functiou.

Mr R. Dunn, president of the Taranaki farmers' Lmon, warmly congratulated the Otakeho branch on the interest they had shown in these, competitions. Their activities were an object* lesson to o%r branches of the unioa in South Tu-anaki.

A special prize was awarded to MrMace for tne best field of roots.