SILVER-BEET AS A FORAGE CROP.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 4, 15 April 1913, Page 402

SILVER-BEET AS A FORAGE CROP.

Arthur P. Hopkins,

Works Manager, Belfast Freezing-works.

Amongst the various tests conducted at their experimental forage farm at Belfast by the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company in co-operation with the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture, Industries, and Commerce, during the 'past twelve months, by far • the most important and conclusive was that which demonstrated in a practical form the advantages of growing silver-beet or Swiss chard for topping off and finishing forward store lambs or wethers. ■ From our experience at Belfast I believe it to have .many advantages over either rape ; ' or hale. It is more quickly grown, recovers' quicker from feeding off, is absolutely immune from blight, and, as far as my observation went, no tendency to either scouring or bloating was noticed. The only pest observable was a slight attack of the leaf-miner, which occurred before the first eating-off and did not recur in the subsequent growths. The stock fed off at Belfast were mainly in the first instance most indifferent low-priced stores (hoggets and two-tooths), but which were eventually killed and sold in the company’s butchers’ shops at a considerable profit. • ' . . The breaks were fed off altogether six times during twelve months. It may be as' well to mention here the advisability of feeding silverbeet off quickly and' in small breaks, as the sheep eat it so greedily and' closely that if they are left on too long the young shoots coming up are eaten right to the roots and the next growth necessarily suffers. There is no doubt that stock will prefer it to ' either kale or rape. We found that' rape could be fed off at least three times, kale • only twice, the third time the stock-(owing to its seeding) sulking on. it; whereas they tackled the beet for the sixth time as greedily as at'the first. The tendency of both rape and kale to blight must also be borne in. mind. Had it not been for the long wet spell last winter, ■during which the- retentive clay land at Belfast was too' soft - to put stock on, I am sure another feeding could have' been-taken off. ■ We used about 5 lb. seed to the acre, 1 : thinning the plants out 10 in. apart in the rows, and using 3 cwt. of the. company’s fertilizers per acre. Directly after each feeding-off the cultivator was run lightly between the rows. ■ ••hi)-!. - id . ■ From actual weighings, conducted by the Agricultural Department’s officers under the superintendence of Mr. Alex. Macpherson . (to whom

I believe New Zealand is indebted for first proving the value of this plant as a forage crop), the yield of green stuff grown during the twelve months was 218 tons per acre. 1 , . . ■ . . ..

' From the following table, which applies to one quarter-acre only, it will be seen that the feeding of silver-beet at Belfast equalled'the carrying of 1,014 sheep per acre for eighty-four days

There, were three varieties grown —a dark smooth plain-leaved,. .a very light yellow, and a light, curly-leaved plant. Of the three, the first mentioned is the most’ valuable, from its heavier growth of 'both leaf and large fleshy stalk, and from its longer abstention from seeding.

Feeding. Dates of Feeding. Number of ■ Sheep. Equal to Quantity - of Leaves , stripped,' Tons, i' First . . March 12-22 .. . 85 . 243 sheep per acre for 14 days..,Tons. 51-72 . Second .. June 30 - July 15 ■ 50 ' ' 214 ' 48-22 - Third . . Sept. 2-13 50 1 171 "■ . i.., 30-00 Fourth . . Nov. 2-9 50 100 „ 27-00 . Fifth .. Dec. 24-31 50 100 „ .. ' 26-86 ' Sixth .. Feb. 25 -Mar. 1 : . 163 • 186 „• . 34-201 Totals .. 1,014 218-00