35 EJPEEIMENTAL FARMS 



2-3 EDWARD VII., A. 1903 



PLOTS OF MANGELS AND TURNIPS. 



In conducting these experiments the roots only have been taken from the land, the 

 tops liave always been cut off and left on the ground to be ploughed under, so that the 

 plant food they have taken from the soil may be returned to it. One-half of each one- 

 tenth acre plot in the series has been devoted to the growth of mangels, and the other 

 half to turnips, and these crops have been alternated from year to year. The prepara- 

 tion of the land has been the same for both these roots. It was ploughed in the 

 autumn after the crop was gathered, gang-ploughed deeply in the spring after the barn- 

 yard manure had been spread on plots 1, 2 and 6, and after gang-ploughing, the other 

 fertilizers were spread by scattering them evenly over the surface, afior which it was 

 all harrowed with the smoothing harrow, then made in ridges 2 feet apart, rolled and 

 sown. 



In 1889, the variety of mangel used was the Mammoth Long Red. In 1890, three 

 varieties were sown : 15 rows of Mammoth Long Red, 6 of Mammoth Long Yellow, and 

 6 of Golden Intermediate on each plot. In 1891, each plot again had three varieties : 

 18 rows of Mammoth Long Red, 3 of Yellow Fleshed Tankard, and 6 of Golden Tank- 

 ard. In 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1901 and 1902, one variety only 

 was used, namely, the Mammoth Long Red. About 4 pounds of seed were sown per 

 acre each year. 



Two varieties of turnips were sown on the half plots devoted to these roots in 1889; 

 25 rows of Carter's Prize Winner, and 2 rows of Carter's Queen of Swedes, and in 1890, 

 a single variety. Carter's Elephant Swede. In 1891, six varieties were sown: 6 rows 

 of Lord Derby Swede, 4 of New Giant King, 3 of Imperial Swede, 6 of Champion 

 Swede, 4 of Purple Top Swede, and 4 of East Lothian Swede. In 1892 the Improved 

 Purple Top Swede only was sown, in 1893 and 1894 the Prize Purple Top Swede, in 1895 

 the Imperial Swede, and in 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1901 and 1902 the Prize Purple Top 

 Swede. The land used for the turnips, which are usually sown later than the mangels, 

 was prepared in the same manner and the fertilizers spread on it at the same time as 

 for the mangels. It was then allowed to stand until the day before sowing, when it 

 was gang-ploughed shallow or cultivated to kill weeds and Iqosen the soil, ridgedj rolled 

 and sown. About three pounds of seed were sown per acre. 



In 1900 no crops of mangels and turnips wei-e grown, but clover was sown in their 

 place on May 5 in the proportion of twelve pounds per acre. This made a strong 

 growth, and was cut twice during the season, and left on the ground to decay so that 

 when ploughed under, the land might get the full benefit of the clover crop. The clover 

 was allowed to remain growing until May 10, 1901, by which time it had made a very 

 heavy growth. It was then ploughed under about six inches deep and harrowed well, 

 then made up into ridges two feet apart. These were rolled with a hand roller, which 

 flattened the ridges considerably and made a firm, even seed bed. It is proposed to 

 alternate the crops of clover and roots in this way for some years, for the purpose of 

 gaining information as to the fertilizing effect of crops of green clover ploughed under. 

 on land to be used for growing roots. 



In 1902 the mangels were sown on May 12, and pulled on October 14 ; the turnips 

 were sown May 12, and pulled October 14. The yield per acre has been calculated in 

 each case from the weight of roots gathered from two rows, each 66 feet long. 



