SWEDE GROWING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 30 June 1928, Page 2

SWEDE GROWING.

SUTTON CUP. ANNUAL COMPETITION. Judging has been completed in the Wairarapa Farmers- Union annual swede-growing competition for the Sutton 'Cup. The number of entries was 31, and of these 21 were weighed and judged by Mr S. Freeman, of the Department of Agriculture, assisted by Messrs James Watson, George Shaw and 11. McKay. Sutton's seeds were used in 12 crops, Webb’s in 5, Johnson '9 in 8, and 'Cooper’s in 6. The competiion was won by Mr L. B. Wilton.

The quality of the crops weighed was in general very good, and although dry rot was present in most cases, only one paddock showed the disease to any great extent. Several crops were withdrawn from the competition, however, owing'to their being badly infected. The best quality seen was in a crop of •Superlatives, grown by Mr H. B. Maunsell, which showed practically no disease, the roots being large and well shaped, and of great feeding value. An interesting feature was the quality of two crops grown on the Moroa Plain among the stones, by Mr N. F. Skeet and Mr C. J. Nix, the former being absolutely free from rot, as were also the crops grown by Mr C. Hudson and Mr J. H. Griffin. Mr G. Beard’s crop weighed slightly in excess of Mr* L. Wilton's, but the rules of the competition precluded the judge from making weight the only consideration, and the crop, although both cultivation and j quality were of high value, as can be seen from the points allotted, Mr Wilton ’s crop scored higher in respect of both cultivation and quality. This latter crop, which had., been ridged in. 26 drills, gave evidence of good cultivation both before and after sowing, and the long straight rows of large wellshaped roots presented quite a picture. Mr Wilton’s weight, would have been slightly higher had it not been for the fact that sheep had been allowed on and eaten a large proportion of the leaves. Out of 21 crops -weighed, the average worked out at 38 tons 6 cwt. per acre, which, considering the season, is very creditable. A crop grown by Mr D. S. Warren, on soil which was apparently very rich in organic matter, showed large, coarse mis-shapen roots of very poor quality. A large number of crops were very patch}'. The winning paddock was very even over the vdiole paddock, but was inclined to be gappy in the drills. The following are the results, points given in the following order: Weight, 1 point for each ton; cultivation, maximum 15; quality, maximum 10, and total:—L. R. Wilton, No.' 2, 471, 14, 81, 70; G. G. Beard, 481, 111, 8, 08; H. B. Maunsell, No. 1, 441, 121, 9|, 66J; If. B. Maunsell, No. 2, 42, 121, 91, 64; ■L. R. Wilton, No. 1, 401, 14, 81, 63; K. A'. Wilton, 381, 131, 9, 61; Ramcslie Estate, No. 1, 41, 9, 71, 571; Ramcslie Estate, No. 2, 41, 9, 71, 571; L. J. Smith, No. 3, 40-1, 10, SJ, 56; O. Hudson, 331, 111,-8, 53; J. H. Griffin, 34, 111, 7, 511; E.Ryan, 331, 11, 7, 511; C. J. Nix, 321, 11, 8,51 j; D. S. Warren, 29, 101, 5, 441; N. F. Skeet, 24, 12, SI, 44.