SEASONAL FARM WORK.

Putaruru Press, Volume XI, Issue 268, 7 September 1933, Page 6

SEASONAL FARM WORK.

UTILISING TURNIP LAND. There are many acres of land on which turnips or swedes have been grown. It is not usually considered advisable to sow such areas in permanent pasture until the autumn, and the question arises as to what should be done with these areas in the meantime.

Why not use them for a supplementary fodder crop ? Here is an excellent opportunity of putting in a crop of oats and peas to be converted into either hay or ensilage. Work the land up quickly as soon as it is clear of roots, and sow two bushels of Garton oats with 11 bushels of grey partridge peas, along with 3cwt of super per acre, and everything should be favourable for a heavy crop. This crop should be drilled through every coulter of the drill and the job completed by giving the paddock a stroke of the tine harrow.

Where the topdresser has to be used for sowing, it may be necessary to run over the area with the discs later to cover the seed. The crop itself will soon cover the ground and keep the weed growth in check. The actual utilisation of the crop may be left for later decision, but either as hay or ensilage it will certainly be popular. A useful crop that one could sow on lately-used turnip land is Italian rye and red clover. This crop could be cut for hay or ensilage or it could be grazed. The land wants to be worked up quickly and two bushels of Italian with 4 or 51b of red clover per acre sown out along with 2 cwt super and 1 cwt blood and bone. /

Six weeks after sowing, providing the season is a normal one, should see the young crop ready for stock. From that time onwards it could be grazed periodically until the autumn when the land could be turned over again and made ready for sowing out in permanent pasture. If the size of the field in Italian rye and red clover warranted, it might be divided into two or more breaks with some temporary fencing