GROWING ROOT SEED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3337, 27 February 1918, Page 8

GROWING ROOT SEED.

The present conditions and prospects of supplies of seeds for root crops directs attention to the possibility of growing these seeds in the Dominion, and in this connection the English Board of Agriculture offers some hints to farmers on the growing of seeds for home use. We have a climate which can ripen these seeds to perfection, and doubtless anyone who wished to go into the business and grow seed for the market could arrange for some enterprising' seed merchants to take the output under certain circumscribed conditions—that is to say, the merchant would probably require to know at the very commencement of the operations the surrounding circumstances, the parent plants or origin of the seed, and be satislied that there was a minimum of risk of cross fertilisation, etc. Wherf the stock roots are carefully* selected and guarded against cross fertilisation, the homegrown seed may well be of better quality than many commercial samples. Where only email quantities of seed are required these may be secured by selecting roots at the time of lifting, storing during the winter, and planting again for seed the following spring. Where the seeds of root crops are grown for commercial purposes, special sowings of seeds are made during the summer, the seedlings are transplanted during the early winter or spring, and the seed is.grown from plants of which the roots have never developed. The choice between these methods on the farm will depend upon the amount of seed required for planting the field crops. The simplest method of producing seed for a root crop of, say, 20 acres or less is to select roots at the time of lifting and replaruW"- In selecting roots from a medium or heavy crop, the largest roots should not be chosen. Bather should one choose roots of sound, heatlhy growths, of symmetrical shape, with a single tap-root, single head, and a comparatively small neck. When lifting for the selection of seed stock it is advisable to lift with some care, to secure that the tap-root is not broken' and the crown is not cut close to the bulb. The selected roots of turnips and swedes usually may be transferred to the plot intended for seed at once. They should be planted with the spade, and afterwards covered with a light mulch. Severe winter conditions, however, would necessitate storing the roots in the clamp during that season, and transplanting in July or early in August. The cultivation may be the same as for the ordinary root crop, but rather deeper. Turnips and swedes should be planted at a distance of 2ft apart both in and between the drills, or, if in exposed conditions, may be planted closer in the drills as a protection against the wind. The same treatment would apply to mangolds. All roots planted should be sunk in the soil to their full depth, so that the crown just shows above the surface. Planting with the plough is quite feasible under certain conditions, .a deep furrow is opened, and the roots placed in position, and then covered with another furrow, the horses being driven on the unploughed side of the furrow. Where considerable quantities of seed are required, the easiest method of securing a seed crop may be to transplant seedlings reared for the purpose. Good reliable stocks of seed from fully developed and selected roots should be secured and planted in seed beds. For seedlings ■ the usual time of sowing would be about January for swedes and February for turnips and mangolds. The ground intended for the seedlings should be well prepared, and if inclined to be wet should be ridged. The time of transplanting would be about March and April for swedes and turnips, or, indeed, any time during . early winter. Where land is in good condition during thfe summer, and it is desirable to save labour, it is not absolutely necessary to transplant swedes and turnips. These crops may be drilled to stand, the plants being singled out to about 9in clear, and drilled wide enough between the rows to allow of cleaning operations. The yield of seed per acre is, of course, variable, but it may approximately be estimated at an average of, say, to 9cwt of turnip seed according to variety, of 7cwt of swede, and lOcwt to 12cwt of mangold per acre. Birds and bad weather conditions may unfavourably affect the yield at harvest time. Considerable attention and thought is desirable ere fixing upon the location for growing these root seeds. Isolation of the seed plots is necessary. Care should _be taken to separate the seed crop of turnips, swedes, and cabbages, or cross fertilisation may occur. When swede and tu,rnip seeds are to be grown, or more than one variety of either- turnip or swede, they should be planted not less than 300 yards apart. If grown in a garden only one variety should be planted, and care should be taken that no stray plants of the cabbage family are in blossom in the near neighbourhood. Where more than one variety of mangold is grown the plots should be

isolated. The seed plots should be established in the corners, of separate fields, at as great a distance as can be secured. The greatest danger of cross-fertilisation, especially to swedes and turnips, is when a crop of rape is in blossom in the neighbourhood. But while great care is necessary, it should not be difficult to secure isolation in most farming districts. It ie of importance to ensure that the crop is cut at the right time. If left too long, seed will be lost', and if cut too early some of the eeedpods will > not be ripe. Each of these crops should be cut with a sharp hook, and laid in small bundles to dry. Afterwards they will require turning one or more times to ensure that the seed is ripened and dried. Where only a small number of plants is concerned they may be tied together in bundles and hung up in a sheltered place. If a shed is available, in which seed, will not be subject to the depredations of birds and mice, the seed may be left in the straw for some time with great advantage. If the straw and seed can be dried thoroughly on the ground, it is better not to stack or store, unless the bulk is considerable. If, however, the straw and seed cannot be dried thoroughly, it is advisable to put in small stacks, and provide protection against bad weather. When picked up in a cart or waggon a sheet should be placed in the bottom to prevent loss of seed. Small quantities of seed are more easily stored if thrashed directly they are picked up. They should be thrashed on a stack sheet with the flail, or horses may be put on to tread them out. A horse and Cambridge roller may also be, used to knock out the seed on a sheet or barn floor. Large quantities of seed may either be trodden out by horses on sheets or thrashed by a special drum. After thrashing the seed should be cleaned as well as possible and stored in a dry place. Small quantities of seed may be cleaned by taking the haulm off the thrashing sheets, and putting the seed through sieves—a sieve with a small mesh being required for turnip and swede, seed, and one with a larger mesh for mangold seed. For 'larger quantities special cleaning apparatus is available. Where only small quantities of seed have to be dealt with most of the impurities can be removed if the crop is kept clean while growing. If it appears after thrashing that the seed is not thoroughly dry, it will be necessary to turn it at short intervals until the desired condition is obtained.