ENSILAGE AND HAY JUDGING

Taranaki Daily News, 21 June 1928, Page 14

ENSILAGE AND HAY JUDGING

TIKORANGI FARMERS’ UNION, Judging of ensilage and hay in the North Taranaki competitions held under the auspices of the f armers’ Union was continued yesterday, when the Tikorangi entries were inspected. As the day was very cold and wet there was not such a large attendance as at Lepperton on Tuesday, but nevertheless those present evinced keen interest in the various makes of ensilage and in aiie comments of the judges. The latter were Messrs. J. W. Deem (Wanganui) and J. M. Smith (New Plymouth), instructors under the Agricultural Department. in all, 11 ensilage stacks were judged and, though the quality was not as good as last year, owing no doubt to the long drought, some exceptionally fine results were seen in the winning entries. Mr. A. Alexander, with 85 points, was first in this division, just beating Mr. P. Sarten by half a point, Mr. J. 11. Paulger, with 82%, " ,fls third. Mr. R. McKenzie, who gained 81 points, won the prize for hay. Mr. It. Rolfe was second with 80, and Mr. J. H. Paulger third with 78%. Three other stacks were judged. Mr. F. Vickery’s stack actually gained the highest points (86), but as he is not a member of the Tikorangi branch of tne Farmers’ Union he was not eligible for local competition. He can, however, enter for the North Taranaki championphip. At the conclusion of luncheon in tha Tikorangi hall, Mr. J. Paulger extended thanks to the judges for their attention. He was sorry that not so many farmers were present as last year, for this work Was very important. He also thanked the Press for their interest. Mr. Deem, in replying, said it was about the worst day he had ever known In Tikorangi. Mr. Smith had always known North Taranaki as the home of ensilage making and Tikorangi as .one of the centres. He did not know of any instances there where farmers had “gone back on” ensilage. Results of the judging are:— ENSILAGE. Maximum points: Quality 40, colour 10, minimum waste 20, covering 15, site 6, evenness 10, total 100. P. Sarten. —Grass (permanent) stack; four cwt. slag top-dressing; cut in fair condition; measurements 27 feet by 27 feet; built with sweeps, five feet built first day; one day lapse until second building; nine feet built second day; 10 to 12 inches depth of soil; soil held by sods; pit opened on June 16. Points: Quality 25, waste 16, covering 13, site 4}, evenness 8, colour 8, total 84}. F. C. Blyde.—Grass (permanent) stack; super and super and bone top dressing; cut when seven acres well in flower and six acres half grown; stack measurements 21 feet by 21 feet; built with sweeps; four feet built first day; sections of six feet, eight feet and ten feet added on succeeding days; soil put on next day to an average depth of ten inches; soil held by sods; first cut opened in March, second in June; 2cwt salt, l}cwt super and bone mixed in stack. Points: Quality 33, waste 14, covering 11, site 4%, evenness 7, colour 6, total 75%.

D. Griffiths.—Grass (permanent) etack; no top-dressing; cut on December 80, 1027, in dry condition; stacker and Bweep used in building; eight feet built first day; second section of eight feet built next day; soil put on a day later to a depth of nine inches; sods used for holding; pit opened June 10. Points: Quality 32, waste 1314, covering 11, site 4%, evenness 6%, colour 6%, total 74. J. H. Paulger. —Grass (permanent) stack; top-dressed with super twice yearly; cut on December 1 when flowering; stack measurements 24 feet by 24 feet; sweeps and stacker used in building; six feet section built and soil added immediately to an average depth of ten inches; sods used for holding; pit opened on May 17. Points: Quality 35, waste 15, covering 12, site 4%, colour 8, evenness 8, total 82}. A. Alexander.—Grass (permanent) stack; top-dressed with superphosphate; cut December 12, 1926 in mature condition; stack measurements 24 feet by 21 feet; stacker used in building; ten feet built and soil put on immediately; depth of soil, six inches; stack held by sods; opened May 25, 1928. Points: Quality 37, waste 15, covering 12, site 4}. colour 84, evenness 8, total 85. A. J. Jupp.—Particulars of building, etc., not available. Points: Quality 39, colour 6, evenness 6, waste 11%, cover 11, site 4%, total 69. H. A. Foreman. —Particulars of building, etc., not available. Points: Quality 33, colour 7, evenness 6, waste 12, cover 11, site 4ii, total 73%. K. Lye. —Particulars of building, etc., not available. Points: Quality 32, colour 6, evenness 7, waste 12%, covering 12, site 4%, total 74. F. Vickery. —Information not available. Points:’ Quality 30, colour 6, evenness 6. waste 14, covering 13, site 4%,

R. McKenzie. —Information not available. Points: Quality 29, colour 6, i evenness 6, waste 13, covering 13}. site 4}, total 72. H, C. Hill. —Particulars not available. Points: Quality 32, colour 6, evenness 7, waste 13, covering 12, site 4%, total 74%. HAY. Maximum points: Quality 40, condi- ' tion 25, building 25, site 10, total 100. J. H. Paulger.—Old pasture with rye, cocksfoot and clover dominant; topdressed with various manures; harrowed whenever needed —approximately every two months; cut on January 4 and was one day in swathe; was not cocked; sweeps and stacker used in building; weather conditions good between cutting and stacking. Points: Quality 32, condition 20%, building 18, site 8, total 7844. W. Faull. —Grass top-dressed with superphosphate and blood and bone in equal parts; cut January 10 and was one day in swathe; was not cocked; stacker, sweeps and rake used in building. Points: Quality 29, condition 18, building 15, site 8, total 70. . . F. Vickery.—lnformation not available. Points: Quality 33, condition 21, ■building 24, site 8, total 86. R. Rolfe. —Information not available. Points: Quality 34, condition 21, building 17, site 8, total 80. R. McKenzie. —Particulars not available. Points: Quality 32, condition 21, building 20, site 8, total 81. 11. 0. Hill.—Particulars not available. Points: Quality 33, condition 20, building 16, site 8, total 77.