TURNIP-GROWING COMPETITION IN THE SOUTH OF IRLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 7

TURNIP-GROWING COMPETITION IN THE SOUTH OF IRLAND.

(Farmers' C4azette f

The Carbery Agricultural Society (County Cork) carried out during the past season on* 1 of the turnip-growing competitions organised by the Permanent Nitrate Committee. In these competitions prizes are offered for the best two acres of green crop, manured ..with a portion of nitrate of soda, in addition to dung and phosphates. As in previous years, this competition excited considerable local interest, and was attended with most satisfactory results. Of this we are afforded ccnclusiie evidence in the admirable report submitted >oy Mr Thomas Henderson, of Ardrum, Inuiscarra, who acted as judge upon the occasion. Mr Henderson writes : —

MANGELS,

In the mangel competition there were nine entries, being one more than last year. The crop was a good one all round, and the nrizewinning fields were really very fine. Where nitrato of soda was applied in addition to the other manures usually given, the difference was from 13 to 20 tons in favour of the nitrate.

The first prize was awarded to Mr John Sweetman, Bestboro, for a very fine crop of 59^ tons to the statute acre, where nitrate was used. Without nitrate the yield was only 46 tons. These figures show a gain of over 13 tons in favour of the nitrate. The manure? used for this crop were 30 tons farmyard dung to the statute acre, lewt nitrate at time of sowing, and the same quantity immediately after thinning. The second prize was awarded to Mr John Sullivan, .Skibbereen, for a splendid crop which weighed 58 tons mangels to the statute acre, where nitrate was used. Without the nitrate the yield was only 38 tons, being 20 tons less than where it was applied. The manures used with this crop were 3u tons of farmyard manure, and 2cwt of nitrate of Roda per acre, applied after thinning. Third prize was awarded to Dr William Jennings for an excellent crop of 51 tons to the statute acre — where nitrate had been given. Without nitrate the yield was 34 tons, a difference of 17 tons per acre in favour of the nitrate division. The manures applied by Dr Jennings were (per statute acre) 35 tons farmyard manure, 2uwt superphosphate, and lewt kainit at time of sowing, and l^cwt nitrate of soda when thinned.

TUItNIPS,

Swede? were not nearly such a heavy crop as last year, owing to the dry season and the prevalence of mildew. There were five entries only in this class, two of the best fields having been disqualified by the judge on account of a technical objection.

The first prize was awarded to Mr John Shannon, Pierview, Skibbereen, for an excellent crop of 30 tons swedes to the statute acre, where nitrate had been applied. Where the nitrate was omitted the yield was only 21 tons, being nine tons in favour of the nitrate grown crop. The manures used were 30 tons farmyard manure, and 4cwfc superphosphate to

the statute acre, and l^cwt nitrate of soda when thinned. Second prize was awarded to Mr D. R. Donovan, Lick, Skibbereen, for a crop weighing 23 tons per acre," where manured with nitrate, and 15 tons where it was omitted. The manures used were 20 tons farmyard manure, and 4cwt superphosphate at time of sowing and l^cwt nitrate of soda to the acre whc thinned. The third prize in this class was awards * to Sir John Beecher, Bart., Creagh, fcikil:beresn, for a nice clean crop of 20 tons to thi acre, where dressed with nitrate of soda, and 12 tons where the nitrate was omitted, leavinga balance of eight tons in favour of the nitrate section of the field. The manures used were 30 tons of farmyard dung in the drills, and 2cwt nitrate of soda when thinned, to the statute acre. The foregoing weights are without tops and tails, an average square perch being selected in each case, and weighed on the spot, a machine being taken round to every farm for that purpose. Notwithstanding the very trying weather on green crops, during a considerable part of the growing- season, the difference of weigh* in the prize lots was not so much less than those of 1898 as might have been expected, the first prize mangels being but 6i tons less, and first prize swedes only four tons, while the difference between the nitrate and nonnitrate portions of each field remained prettynearly the same.