PUMPKINS FOR STOCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18664, 21 March 1924, Page 13

PUMPKINS FOR STOCK.

KING COUNTRY EXPERIENCE.

The ideal food for the dairy herd during the autumn and early winter months, is, according to the keenest and most progressive of King Country farmers, the fctani fctmi or, cattle pumpkin, writes our Upper l£ing Country : correspondent. . The growing of this crop for the above purpose, has long passed the experimental stage, and there are few : progressive farmers in this territory who fail to grow a considerable ; area of this 'valuable fodder, v These pumpkins or marrows # are very easy to grow, and can be readily carted out to the cows, which milk better on them than on maize, and even better than on turnips, while thd marrows produce an absolutely clean-flavoured milk, free from an taint Whatever. Mr. J. T. Rogers of the Kio Kio was the pioneer of marrow growers in this region, and considered one of the best farmers in his locality, having converted his holding from,a tern and, scrub-clad wilderness into an almost ideal and highly productive dairy farm, in the course of some sixteen years. Mr. Rogers formerly grew various kinds, of root crops for winter use, but now the only crop he grows for this purpose is the marrow. He considers that these marrows improve the flavour of the cream, and he always gets a superfine cream grade at the factory when his cows are being fed on the marrow. The best argument, perhaps, in favour of the marrow is that the farmers using it—some of the best settlers in the Otorohanga districtare steadily increasing their areas of the crop, and except in a few ; instances, are discarding all other root or fodder plants. ... The seeds are usually sown about the middle of November, using about 3cwt. of manure, lime and super, lcwt. of lime, mixed with 2cwt. of super. The seeds are mixed with the manure, and sown through two coulters of,the drill, the three feeding shoots at either end being directed into the one coulter. Some farmers damp the seed before sowing in order that tiiey may go through the drill with the manure, '"', •'■ # ■■■; Mr. John McLean, of the Waitomo Valley is also a great believer in the ' pumpkin or marrow and has a beautiful crop of 15 acres, growing upon a hillside. One advantage he claims for the marrow, is that no stock die on them. When weak cattle are fed on marrows they regain their strength and condition in a remarkable manner. ' All are of the opinion that the crop does best when sown on a well prepared hillside-- the sun. A few failures 'have taken place when rich plants were used far the crop, as in these instances, the rank • growth of weeds took charge before the halms were dense enough to shade and thus keep them in check. Pigs are very fond of the marrows, and the feeding makes sweet firm pork, and excellent bacon. '■■ The marrows are carted out on the waggon whole, and the feeder ■ throws them out on a large hay knife, attached to the waggon, in order to break them open, to enable the stock to more readily feed. -;'•-:'' "■■ ' - .- They are usually carted to the stock in the evening after milking, as if they are xed in the day time the cows are inclined to wait about all day for more marrows, ia pref raence to, browsing on the. EtsfcorjMk