NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 6

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

The Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association has published the Turnip rules and conditions of the Competition, annual turnip-growing competition, and it is to be hoped that there will be a largo number of entries to compete for the liberal prizes offered. As a matter of fact, all turnip-grow-ing should be conducted upon the most approved methods, just as if the crop were intended to obtain a prize, for every grower wishes to gain a prize in the shape of a good profit over and above cost of production, and it may also be truly said that every farm should be conducted \vpoii the lines which are necessary in competing for a prize. A prize farm competition differs,, however, from competing in a root-growing contest, inasmuch as there are many things about a farm which make for commendation in the eyes of the judges, but which are not actually re-productive. I refer to good buildings, gates, neat hedges, etc., which are all very necessary and desirable if the occupier can afford the requisite expenditure, but which do not affect the profit and loss account. Now, in root-grow-ing, nothing is done for the &ake of appearance only, and the main object is to produce a heavy crop at the least cost, or, in other words to make the largest possible margin of profit over cost of production. I have said that all root-growing should be managed so as to get a heavy crop, but in competing for prizes the circumstances are rather different to those which govern ordinary farm management. In the former case the object is to grow a very heavy crop by any means whatsoever, and the cost is not a material item as the prize is expected to take the place of the usual margin between cost and returns. In raising any kind of roots, thorough preparation of the soil, judicious manuring, and proper spacing are the matters of most importance. The spacing of the plants must be so regulated that each will have plenty of room for full development, and that there shall be no waste of land hy too liberal spacing, or by having gaps unoccupied. In computing the yield of a regular and even crop,, a plot can be taken as a fair average of the whole, but it is much more difficult to arrive at a correct estimate of the yield of an irregular and gappy crop, and in striking an average the judges probably keep on the safe side, and the grower is thus at a disadvantage. In root-growing much depends upon the nature of the season, but, as a rule, it may be taken as a correct axiom that tha smaller the cost at which roots can be grown per ton (not per acre) the greater the knowledge and skill shown by the grower. For example, when, under similar conditions, such as cost of manure, rate o£ wages, etc., ono farmer can produce roots at a cost of 3s per ton, while it costs another 5s per ton, it follows that the -former must possess a better knowledge of his business than the latter. I recently saw in iV r Home paper a list of the various operations involved in producing an acre of mangels. There are 24 different items in the list, and the total co^t amounts to 11 guineas per acre. lam asking the editor to insert the clipping below, as it may interest colonial growers, who are accustomed to expend about one-tenth of that amount.

Home papers of last November contain re-

suits of competitions in tur-Turiiip-gnming nip-growing in Scotland Competition under similar conditions to in those imposed in our local Britain. contests. One competition

was for ip embers of the Breclriu Show Association, and there were a large number of entiies, but finally only four farmers submitted their best five acres of swedes to the judges' inspection. The last season was a very dry one, and this accounts for the low returns. The best five acres in this contest weighed out at the rate of 25 tons scwt per acre, of Webb's improved purpletop swedes. This crop had 20 loads farmyard manure on the stubble, and in the drills 2cwt dissolved bones, 2cwt superphosphates, lcwt sulphate of ammonia, and acwl bone flour. The second prize lot yielded at the rate of 23 tons : the third at 22 lons 9cwt ; and the fourth 19 tons Bcwt. This last had 15 loads farmyard manure, 4c wt fie&h manure in the drill, and lcwt nitrate of soda after second hoeing. It is stated that this lot suffered through being too widely drilled. In another Scottish competition for best 10 acres swedes grown with farmyard manure and any other manure, the first prize lot yielded at the rate- of 24 tons 16cwt, the fourth and fifth at the rate of 22 tons. The usual annual competition conducted under the auspices of the Arbroath Farm ens' Club resulted as follows : — Best 10 acres swedes : First prize, 27 tons 15cwt; second, 26 tons llcwt; third, 25 tons llcwt. For best four acres yellow turnips, the first prize plot went at the rate of 25 tons 2cwt ; the second, 24 tons 19cwt : third, 21 tons lOcwt. The judges remarked that the drilling was much more uniform than previously, and less space between. When these competitions began, they say, from 28 to 31 inches was a common width, but now moot of them are 26 inches apart. The spacing in the rows has also improved, as formerly there would bo from 21 to 28 plants in a length of 20ft, which was much too close. It seems to me that we have little to learn from our British brethren about root-growing, the only difficulty appears to be a reluctance to apply our knowledge and go in for thoroughly clean and up-to-date cultivation. Land is 100 cheap, and we do not mind devoting 10 acres to the production of a bulk of roots which could bo raised on four or five acres. If we had to

Fortnightly

Tha New Zealand and Australian , Land Company recently imported a new; kind of oats which they have tried at the Levels, Edendale, and Totara. The results from Levels and Edendale are not yet to hand, but those from Toiara are, I consider, eminently satisfactory, and "Rowberry oats", should beccme a favourite. At Totara nine sacks were sown on 27 acrsa. The land sown had previously been in drilled turnips. The crop was harvested bstwean February 5 and 10, and ths quantity threshed was 92^ bushels per acre. I hope soon to hear the results of the Levels and Edendale experiments, which, if equally good, or nearly so, will show that Rowberry" oats are well worth attention.

pay £2 per acre rent, and expend about £5 in manure per acre, as per subjoined list^ we should devote our attention to smaller areas.

In estimating the cost of cultivating one of these root crops, say a crop A Homo of mangels, we (Irish Farl?x.])criiueut. mers' Gazette) will suppose they are grown after a grain crop —say, after lea oats. In such a case the cost of production works out as follows: — : '

The editor has forwarded me two specimens of grass which a Fortrose farmer Grass to l>c wishes to be named. Both Knmed. are similar in structural form,

having spreading panicles, with whorled branches. There is a difference in the colour of the panicle (head), but that I attribute to a difference ir> the degree of ripeness. The grass in question belongs to the genus Agrostis. and I am pretty confident it is of the species Alba, variety Stolonifera. The various species and varieties of the Agiwtis are difficult to identify on account of the \ariations which are due to influence of climate and soil. They can be greatly improved by culture, and their natural characteristics radically chaugsd. The Agrostis alba is an instance of this, and it is now considered the only species worthy of notice as a cultivated grass. The genus Agrostis is common to Surope and Australasia, but there are a nood many specie? that are native only to New Zealand. "" In the work on the indigenous grasses of this colony, by John Buchanan, F.L.S., it is said that " species of Agrostis occupy a prominent place everywhere in the pastures of temperate and cold climates, but their adoption in cultivation has generally been unpopular with agriculturists, from their provingvery inconstant in bulk and nutrient value. This, defect, to a great extent, is, no doubt, occasioned by the great susceptibility of these grasses to the influence of differences in soil, heat, and moisture. Variation in species from this cause may also be accepted as an important element of difference in value, superior varieties being sometimes produced, of which the well-known florin, Agrostis alba, may be cited a* an example." Mr M. J. Sutton. in his beautifully illustrated work on pasture graces, gives a similar opinion with regard to the Agrostis, and sas's that A. alba is the only species worthy of notice. He says lhat this plant thrives in a spongy soil that is not firm enough to produce better herbage, and in undrained land it will live where better grasses perish. He says cattle will only eat it when they can get nothing better, and that it requires a great deal of moisture. The chief recommendation is that it yields a good bite much later in the autumn than other meadow grasses, biit, as its bulk and nutritive properties are both greatest at the time of ripening, it is of no use in a crop of mixed meadow hay. " Fortrose Farmer" asks if the grass is of any use and worth sowing in a permanent pasture. Seeing that there are so ninny better grasses^ available I should not advise him to trouble with it. All the florin, or bent grasses, have creeping roots, and are therefore not desirable occupiers of pasture*) in good land, if they aye required at any time for cultivation. Not being a botanical expert I do not nretend to be absolutely certain about the identity of the grasses sent, but if fresh samples are sent to Mr Kirk, Government botanist, he will give more definite information. AGKIOOLA.

£ s. d. Stubble cleaning— scarifying ' .. .. 0 2 6 Harrowing t , o 2 C Caiting Manure 0 10 C Filling Manure r. 0 4 ( Spreading Manure 0 4 C Manure — 20 tons at 4s 4 0 C Ploughing 0 10 ( Harrowing, Spring 0 2 ( Rolling 0 1 ( Artificial Manure, scwt 1 0 ( Spreading do t, 0 1 ( Drilling .'. 0 3 ( Seed— 6lb at 9d 0 4 ( Sowing Seed 0 1 ( Drilling, harrowing, 3 times .. .. 0 3 ( Thinning 0 5 ( Hoeing -. 0 4 ( Nitrate of Soda, to assist growth, lcwt 0 9 ( Cutting tops off shooting plants . . . . 0 0 ( Lifting 0 6 ( Caning 0 10 ( Filling 0 2 ( Stormg — including thatching .. .. 0 6 ( Eent, say 2 0 ( Total cost of production . . . . £11 11 ( Probable yield— 3o tons. Cost of pioductio.i, per ton, 7s Sd.