ROOT CROPS

Wairarapa Age, 19 December 1919, Page 7

ROOT CROPS

THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL FERTILISERS.

Two general rules should be borne in mind in connection with the use of art : ficial fertilisers for root crops.

1. Phosphates increase the feeding value of the crop, and should, therefore, always be given to swedes, turnips, rape, kohi-rabi, and other crops grown for animal consumption. 2. Nitrogenous fertilisers increase the crop, and so long as they are properly used • they do not detract from its feeding value; there is no ground for the belief sometimes held that fodder crops grown with artificial manures are necessarily unsatisfactory from the feeding point of view.

A suitable dressing for the above fodder crops grown for sheep or cattle would be 2| to 4cwt of superphosphate and lewt of nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia, ,or J cwt of ammonium nitrate. Even whore farmyard manure has been applied, it may prove necessary to give artificial manures to swedes and turnips; tho farmer who wishes to make the best of his scheme of manuring should ascertain this point by direct trial. I Mangolds can do with both farmI yard manure and artificial; they respond to liberal treatment, and it is often an advantage to tho dairyman to have a heavy crop in a particular field. They require superphosphate at the rate of 2 to 2* cwet per acre to bring them on early, and they can also make good use of nitrogenous manures, from 1 to 2 cwt of sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda can be used or £ to 1 cwet of nitrate of ammonia. In addition) mangolds respond to salt in quantities of 2 to 4 cwt per acre; Bait should not be

omitted, as it helps to economise the supplies of potash which, must now be somewhat depleted in some of our Potatoes also respond to both farmyard manure and artificials. They can advantageously receivo more superphosphate than would be given to mangolds; a suitable dressing would be 2J to 4 cwt per acre. Potatoes do not need so much nitrogenous manure as mangolds; if given too much nitrogen they are apt to produce excessive tops. About 1 cwt of sulphate of ammonia would commonly suffice, though the amount varies in different districts, and growers must bo guided in good locaf practice. Potash is also required, and it ia hoped that supplies will be available in sufficient quantities to meet all demands.