REPORT OF MR. THOMAS A. SHARPS tJS 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Plot 9. — Horse Beans planted May 1 : — 



Drills 21 inches apart ; length of stalk 28 to 30 inches, not well podded and 

 many blank pods ; length of pod 1 to 1 ^ inches ; yield per acre 2 tons 

 1,440 lbs. 



Plot 10. — Horse Beans planted May 1 : — 



Drills 28 inches apart ; length of stalk 30 inches, not well podded nor were the 

 pods plump or well filled ; yield per acre 2 tons 1,920 lbs. 



Plot 11. — Horse Beans planted May 1 : — 



Drills 35 inches apart ; stalks 32 inches long but very few pods ; yield per 

 acre 2 tons 640 lbs. 



DWARF ESSEX RAPE. 



The plots mentioned in my report for 1901 commenced to grow vigorously in Nov- 

 ember, and made strong growth with very little interruption between the short spells of 

 frost during the winter and furnished green feed for the sheep, which were allowed to 

 feed off the plots alternately. The land where these plots were, gave a very much 

 better crop this year than land alongside which was under other crops in 1901, but 

 which was under same kind of crop this year. In one case the crop was potatoes. In 

 1901 the crop was rape and alongside, sunflowers, both hoed crops. In the other rape 

 with mangels alongside. This year the potatoes were a better colour, more vigorous, 

 and the yield considerably heavier where the sheep had pastured on the rape. In the 

 other plots mixed grains for feed were sown over all the plots, and that on the rape plot 

 averaged nearly one-third heavier yield than where roots had been grown. This season 

 rape was drilled in between the rows of corn on a few plots, sown early in August, and 

 at this date promises to give a considerable quantity of green feed for the sheep, on land 

 that otherwise would be unproductive all winter, and judging from experience of one 

 year it will be a decided benefit to the next crop. 



SUNFLOWERS. 



A plot of the Mammoth Russian sunflower was sown May 16. They grew well 

 and made fine heads, some of whicL measured 15 inches across. The seed is very good 

 feed for hens, especially in the autumn when they are moulting. 



. AMBER SUGAR CANE AND BROOM CORN. 



A plot each of the seed of these products was sovm in drills 3 feet apart and the 

 plants thinned to about 5 inches apart in the drill. The cold wet spring delayed 

 growth so that neither tasseled out and very few stalks grew more than 2^ feet. These 

 crops do not appear to oe adapted to the mild moist summers of this coast. 



VEGETABLES. 



The cold rains in spring kept the soil cold and retarded the germination and growth 

 of small seeds. Radishes and lettuce were not so crisp and juicy on this account. 



