REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 



19 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



preparation of the land has been the same for both these roots. Until 1900 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 v;crc spread by scattering them evenly over the surface, 

 after which it was all harrowed with the smoothing harrow, then made in ridges 2 feet 

 apart, rolled and sown. 



The variety of mangel principally grown was the Mammoth Long Red, and four 

 poimds of seed were sown per acre each year. 



The variety of turnip chiefly sown was 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 as for the mangels. It was then allowed to stand until the day before 

 sowing, when it was gang-ploiighed shallow or cultivated to kill weeds and loosen the 

 soil, ridged, rolled and sown. About 3 pounds of seed were sown per acre. 



In 1900 and 1903, no crops of mangt3ls or turnips were grown but clover was sown 

 in their place in May in the proportion of 12 pounds per acre. This made a strong 

 growth and was cut twice each year 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 Tintil near the middle of May, the 

 year following, by which time it had made a very heavy growth. It was then ploughed 

 under about 6 inches deep and harrowed well, then made into ridges 2 feet apart. 

 These were rolled with a hand roller, which flattened the ridges considerably and made 

 a firm, even seed bed. The crops of clover and roots were alternated in this way, for 

 the purpose of supplying humus and also of gaining information as to the fertilizing 

 effect of green clover ploughed under on land to be used for growing roots. 



In 1906, the mangels were sown on May 8, and pulled on October 29; the turnips 

 were sown I\ray 14, and pulled October 30. The yield per acre has been calculated in 

 each case from the weight of roots gathered from the whole plot. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH FERTILIZERS ON PLOTS OF MANGELS AiND TURNIPS. 





Fertilizors applied each year from 

 18S9 to 1898 or 1899. No fertilizers 

 used from that time to 1905. Clover 

 sown in 19: lO in place of the roots 

 and ploughed under in May, 1001, 

 before the roots were sown. In 

 19i>3 clover was again sown and 

 ploughed tmder in May, 190t. In 

 1903 and 190G fertilizers again ap 

 plied as in 1899. Clover disjontinu 

 ed. 



l!Bam-yard manure (mixed horse and 

 cow manure) well rotted, 20 tons 

 jier acre e.'vch year from 1889 to 

 1893 inclusive. No manure used 

 from 1899 to 1905. In 1905-6 man- 

 ure was ajrain used as at first 



I'Barn-yard manure (mixed hor.se and 

 cow nianure) fre^h, 20 tfms per acre 

 each yoar from 1889 to 1898 in- 

 clusive. No manure used from 1899 

 to 190.5. In 1905-(> manure was 

 I again used as at first 



3 Unuianurtd from the beginning 



Minoial phosphate, untreated, finely 

 ground, 1,000 lbs. per acre, used 

 each year from 1889 to 1897, in- 

 clusive. In 1898 and 1899 a siinilar 

 weight of the Thomas' phosjjhate 

 was used. No fertilizer used from 

 1!H)0 to 1!>0.5. In 19(J5-6 fertilizer 

 a?:iin used as in 1899 



1&— 2J 



Average Yield 



FOB 



Fourteen Year.s. 



Mangels, 



Wci-'ht 



of Roots. 



Per acre. 



Turnips, 



Weight 



of Roots. 



15th Se.nson, 1906. 

 Varieties. 



West Half 



riot. 



Turnips : 



Pvu-ple 



Top, 



Swede. 



Weight 



of Roots. 



Per acre. 



Tons. lbs. Tons, lbs 



22 



21 

 8 



358 



15 1397 



Per acre. 



Tons. lbs. 



423 15 1467 

 19-W 7 998 



8 1922 



649 



11 



10 

 4 



640 



1500 

 460 



160 



East Half 

 Plot. 



Mangels: 

 Mammothi Mangels. 



Average Yield 



FOR 



FiFTKKN Years. 



Long Red. 

 Weight 

 of Roots. 



Per acre. 



Tons. lbs. 



Weight 

 of Roots. 



Per acre. 



Tons lbs. 



21 1680 22 



21 

 8 



1.520 

 1560 



380 



21 

 8 



313 



497 

 1923 



8 1686 



Turnips. 



^^ eight 



of Roots. 



Per acre. 



Tons. lbs. 



15 813 



15 

 7 



8C3 

 562 



350 



