WINTER FEEDING STOCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15646, 27 June 1914, Page 12

WINTER FEEDING STOCK.

Ife*/ TURNIPS AND SHEEP. f: v '-'. - : •"'"'.-.■.' :■.• :■:.'■ ' ■■.<■••■» §b,' .. ' ' ,' BT W.S. eaason for'turnipisg: sheep is well sfimjMfl{,,t!» soft turnips, have &!■> il^ ready been for either to sheep well I ■ on. Many! of the soft turnips have .already been fed either to lambs or fattening weioers, and in soma cases eves hara already been pot on. The turnip j|||psop b an 'important crop to the farmer, »?£"'**!• it comes in useful in many different ways. "lieraw-na crop grown, at least |f in New Zealand, of more valrjii for win|B, ter fattening as well as for wintering fp store sheep and pregnant ewes, and is jpi looked upon as the mainstay- for such Iff' purposes. Many who have had fetlura g|. in tiwar turnip crop in previous seasons |p? abandoned for a time the practice of B§\ growing this crop, and turned their atIp tention more to the cultivation of varioia if' green crops to in a measure fill up the is gap; bat as it was found that the abSfrsence of. turnips rendered a great reducWif'. tion v* the number of stock carried neces\k - sir?, and that no other crop that came 111 within the farmer's reach could successBf. fnllj anhstitate the turnip crop, most of mi these farmers have again turned their atto the cultivation of this valuable crop. In the planning out for the p i sowing of this crop many make a great raisteke, first by not choosing the varie|ps§tiea cost suitable for feeding st the time second by sowing all on* S^Jrariety,| Instead of sowing different varieSiifiJii. '*&ae sow all soft variety, whilo ifefflfhera again sow all of a hard variety. wm:,.,■ ' V«xißties of Tornips. II 'Evary 'fanner knows that turnips, like plants, arc composed of different These varieties are graded up 81l£?ratfl *hey become as near perfection as I possible to suit again turned their tention to the cultivation of this valuable crop. In the planning out for the sowing of this crop many make a great mistake, first by not choosing the varieties cost suitable for feeding at tie time reaturod, second by sowing all on* Ysriety, instead of sowing different varieties. Bcae sow all soft variety, while. gSsra again sow all of a hard variety. Varieties of Turnips. H Efary fanner knows that turnips, like ptber pJante, arc composed of different ' ▼ariaties. These varieties are graded up p--nat2 they become as near perfection as - possible to suit the particular object which it is intended to fulfil. Each variety has a special use and a favourito season of its own, and it is needless to ; say if - sown in that season there is a ? ■'■'■■greater chance of success. On the other i band, if sown at a wrong time of the 3 year, or if put to use contrary to that i for which it was intended, then there is £s. chance that .the result will be disIn sowing a field of turnips 'ithe 'soft,' or early varieties should be ( sown ; ! -nearest the run off; then the semi-hard -■rariety; and lastly, or farthest away lirom tie run-off, should come the .hard | variety.rThis allows of each lot being Hied ofi -in proper reason. Thus the early .OTJscf*larnips will he fed off. first, the Iseiai-hard ones next, and those, of the Border -varieties kept for late feeding. •&rS Msiryi. however, have sown' all softturi- . nips, and are" feeding them, and no doubt l§ fit this 'season .aridfor- another month or so they are quite; as useful, taking them all round,, as those of the harder varieties,' as they grow, larger and give a large bulk i'S of' feed. •> But if there are no bard ones i~ to' come in later. in the season the feed I -will not be of the same nature as if.dis- |"~ tinct varieties were: sown." | Sequence Hecesury for Feediag. . .. p Again, if the main crop is all,of the |_.:- early k variety.;there 1 is.a. tendency for the | crop to commence to bolt for run to seed) % should a spell of weather set in, fe ; 'nnd rhen this happens, though there may if- appear to be a huge : amount of ; feed on 'the % .will lack "iu quality, 'and' even the tops. tead(to scour".stock, especiallyV'when Iwi?^''^*°'*"' new; hreakj-as -the animals "apt;to of* the ft»h, i|pigresa ttips. ~.In; some localities the ."early litSe .field/ the" ■beginning. to show/signs ,will lack "in quality, and'even fit; the-early■'stages of bolting the tops swill tend to scour'stock, especially when ; put 05' to a new breaki as the' animals i'sto apt -to partake too freely of * the fresh, "greea.tops. In some localities the early turnips are \beginning to show, signs ,of bolting already, so that those that have, depend, entirely upon' ' soft, turnips to] Ig^tiieQ: through the winter will need j ; to use % deal of judgment in the feeding. Bl^fiM \~i' the most .essential items to bo ||aken.into-:consideration is to see' that is plenty.of:hay or straw fed in

<J, conjunction with, the roots. .There'is:« for. this precaution when c reQU up fen if feeding firm, I|r|wnid.;_rcot4.-. -v; - .: '? . Jrereni S-uslns to r " Seed;-' '- g I! thecropfJiDHfs a decided rtonderasy'to }.p!ah -Ho run s * moo of S?2C«Ssfp OTcr the whole of the field to check f° the grs*tli by'eating eft the tops,fthus > , jaeces: t ilat;Vg;the rooted sprouting afresh. ?| Tm' will usually keep the v cropun check jgj until towards, tho enaof the awisott. 01 would; W expected/, 1 when the f nre-fed ofTor. allowed/ to' bolt, they 1 1 iaqk-in quality, as a second growth th6 : otherhand, how•''V'f*t«>'':ll''»3' the.only practical:"means' ■".« for this, precautira when tb> i?ro up than if feeding firm, #opd. wotfc Fro*nt Running to Saed. : B'ttacsopfihows a decided tendency to Wit ii h a good plan to run * moo oj j&eep over the wbole of thefleld to checls the. growth by eating oft the tops, thus iecesjitatisg: the roots ; sprouting afresh. "Hrls wiU usually keep the crop in check antil towards the eno of the srafon. 01 l&ww,;to wonid be expected, when the off:or.allowed to fcolt, they fill Iftcis in Quality, as a sccoad growth |s;eni»u?aged.,' On the othor Aand, however, jt is tho only practical means ol KI , ttvicg - & crop - inclined to' bolt ; early is oi]mim- Feeding off .. has this' ad vanBi^jU§.i^S.ttt«l»cb('sthe- growth dot; the ; tim« - - icißgj V sad'tKereby keeps the ; roots more vaTuabla for feeding for a longer period. r 5,%9 reason, tor this is that when anv fcnJbpna ' plant ■' cbminenceir to-'run' to . sece ; i.krga'percentage oflko strength of .the ■I ,'x-r-ci goes ■ into that portion of* the .plant, •. . Kw»4tLtho flame time lessens rather that : . Increfise* the feeding value of the whol< $; tlie crop.'-;.For,.this, purpose^old, kvkea-moaliied ewe*; lambi, or any. shecj ■ : list h?ve not been, previously fed on tutpifcipajarir best,- as, they : will oat off, the u - to £* wit-out iei any way damaging toe i Zaily • Feeding . fotnlps. j For airly feeding, and until the end oi Cw- ?5 ajeath, 'iolt turnips, such for % iustwsee.As White Globe, Pomeranian, or Imperial Green Qlobo are palatable and j i ."-V. easy i' digestion, and not so heating or I forcing w the -yellow varieties, and until • date are, generally I ipsaiing, 'best for all-round feeding. |i'. feeding ewes oh turnips fitJsVcycn|y fcial thai there should be a plentiful supply ;.; of rough feed given and put within easy |.;V;; -reach, When' the w run > off- is extensive, I .. .with a good deal of rough feed, it is less .jmpo?Uat that': the sheep should gut hay £„•:■ or t. str*w. \ls * is '- nevertheless good prac|::tied to: keep a plentiful ■ supply of straw T- or hay in the field' where they aire to k camp. Hie most- economical way to prof':': viSe for this is to erect temporary racks !;■; for (the • purpose, :as there is less waste l< than us the old way of throwing straw f\ along the field or stacking in a solid ; alack as it often done. The wire rack is Eg cheap ami .handy». It is made by doubling a piece; of wire netting whatever I length is required, a 50yds coil being a asm} size, which When doubled' makes a I rack 2§yd» long. This will accommodate I a good-sued mob. The amplest way to li- do this jto take the coil, run it out the I full length,: then bring one end back until I both end* 1 ; meet. A wire is then ran |;: through and through ono edge of both i;" .lets. -This laces them together, which |:; -forma the bottom of the rack. Another |l. wire is run through each of the other £■ edges to support the top of the net H Two light posts are put in 3f.t apart; li r|Sm;;»jpssa out 25yds and put in two more posts. When this is done drive in [-stakes double row) about 4yds apart. The wires run through the top edges of the net should bo strained* to those posts, nod the cMting stapled to the stake*, so L ..thai the bottom, will hang at a proper ■ distance from the < groand. A rack of this description will hold a fair drayload of '; hay, and'will keep. sweet and dry, and ?■'"'■' "flrilj last a fair-siwd mob several darsi