THE TURNIP CROP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3112, 5 November 1913, Page 14

THE TURNIP CROP.

On account of the numerous varieties ol turnips which can new be procured, and the length of time available to prepare the ground for them, the farmer is enabled to wait his chance to clean the ground thoroughly and get it into good order before sowing the crop. The chief thing to be attended to is to have a clean, well-tilled soil, which ensures a fine tilth for the rapid growth of the seed, and a generous although judicious application of fertilising material suited to the soil in which the crop is to be grown. The turnip crop is the mainstay of the flockowner and dairyman or grazier for the supply of winter food in most of the country, and, ‘as there is nothing quite so universally equal to it, it deserves a prominent place in the rotation, and usually gets it. Any farmer who can finish up the winter with a supply ot either swedes or mangolds and straw must be regarded as well off. The sowing season is later than the mangold, and if autumn cultivation has been attended to, particularly on stiff soils* it is not usually difficult to secure the necessary tilth. a small amount of lime applied in the autumn also materially assists this work The cultivation for turnips provides an opportunity for the best, and in some cases the only, thorough working the ground secures during the rotation. When that working is effective its influence is very permanent. It also provides the best opportunity for supplying farmyard manure to the land, and, although large quantities of it are not so essential to the success of the turnip crop as to the mangold, for it grows freely with a judi cious mixture of artificial manures, yet il grows better with a moderate quantity ol farmyard manure. For the benefit of the land and the subsequent cropping, this should be applied up to 15 tons per acre if it is available. But it should be well rotted manure which would lie well into the bottom of the drill, and not keep it so open as to admit large quantities ol air, which in a dry season would endanger the braird and permit the escape of fertilising material. 1 he young turnip plant does not derive much sustenance from green farmyard manure. When well-rotted manure is used a little superphosphate to start the plants with 15 tons of manure per acre in the drills should he ample to grow a crop of swedes in fairly rich alluvial soil. If only 10 tons is used as much as 4cwt of basic slag or 2cwt of slag might be required. On lighter land the addition of nitrogen and potash in some form would be necessary. Fresh strawy manure will keep the drills too open in a dry season, and risk the loss of the braird. After sowing, the drills should never be allowed to get hard or caked in the slightest degree. The horse hoe does not miss much, and should bo kept going persistently to prevent ibis. Besides keeping the weeds down, this makes the soil fine and retentive of moisture, and permits enough air to permeate

the drill, thus materially increasing the crop. Prevention is better than cure for attacks of the fly, and anyone who exposes his land to the winter’s frost does away with possible resting-places for them. By extirpating all the weeds the danger from this pest is minimised. If the fly takes refuge in a neighbour’s yellow-weed there is no help for it but to try some remedies, which unfortunately are usually Unsuccessful. If it is possible to do so, additional strength should be put on after the final ploughing to get the breaking down, drilling, and sowing done expeditiously. It is very important to retain as much moisture in the soil as possible before sowing. This is easy enough when superficial work only is necessary after autumn cultivation. Modern implements facilitate the work of reducing the ground to the fine tilth which is absolutely necessary, and their Use improves the chances of getting a good braird.