CAULIFLOWER-GROWING IN CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XIII, Issue 2, 21 August 1916, Page 138

CAULIFLOWER-GROWING IN CANTERBURY.

The accompanying photograph shows a fine 10-acre crop of cauliflowers at Willowbridge, South Canterbury, grown in the past season by Mr. W. R. Grant. The field was cropped with potatoes in the previous season, yielding 15 tons to the acre of Up-to-Date. It was then ploughed (with the subsoiler on) to a depth of 10 in.

and left rough for the frost to pulverize the soil. In October and November, 1915, the field was grubbed ' and tine-harrowed twice each month, then rolled twice and harrowed to keep in the moisture. The land, being of a heavy nature, was very moist with the working when the first lot of . plants was ready for planting out from the beds. Transplanting commenced the first week in December and kept on until January. Then broccoli-planting started, and was completed early in February. Owing to the very dry weather the young plants did not start very well, and. took a lot of looking after, going over the field and. putting in fresh plants where others had died. . When the rain came in March no . more trouble was experienced, and the plants grew very fast, the soil being warm.

The first of the cauliflowers did not come in very well, but after the next rain, which was a good heavy one, they were of firstclass quality. No manure was used. ' Mr. . Grant - has used manure in past seasons, but has come to the conclusion that on his soil the - special application of artificial’ manure to this crop is of no use. The cutting and bagging of the crop entails a great deal of work. Mr. Grant’s largest cut for one week was 183 sacks. The produce is sent south”! as far as Dunedin and north to Wellington. For the whole season the number of sacks sent away is about three thousand. In one season Mr. Grant sent to a Christchurch firm alone 25 tons of pickling-cauliflowers.. —T. N. Baxter, Fields Inspector, Waimate.