904 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. \_N»v. 2, 1008. 



Hawkesbury Agricultural College and 

 Experiment Farm. 



Experiments with Swede Turnips. 



A. H. E. McDonald, Kxperimentalist. 



I. — Trials with Fertilisers. 



TlIK olijcct of these trials was to determine the ell'ects of ditlerent inanm-es 

 alone, and in combination uitli caeli otluT, upon tlic yii'ld of turnips. The 

 soil was a fairly open pi|)eclay loam, overlyiny a slii;litlv still" suhsoil. Ft 

 liad l)('en erop]ied previously with wheat for grain. 



Superphosphate gives the turnips an early vigorous start. Photo, laUen one month after sowing. 



The preparation was similar to that adopted in field practice. The land 

 was broken up in December, worked down into a fairly fine condition, and 

 can occasional harrowing given to maintain a fine loose surface, to minimise 

 the loss of moisture by evaporation. At the end of February the land was 

 lightly reploughed, and reduced to a fine condition for sowing b}' harrowing 

 and rolling. The effect of this preparation was to kvive the soil in a cf)ndition 

 suitable both for the crop and for good action of the fertilisers. The previous 

 cropping had equalised the soil, and the thorough culture left it in such a 

 state that the crop was able to utilise, to the gre;itest advantage, its inherent 

 fertility. The pulverisation and deep working encouraged rapid diffusion of 

 the fertilisers to every part of the soil, thus bringing them into close contact 

 with the roots of the plants. 



