I920.J 



Swedes, Turnips, and Mangolds. 



1225 



Summary of Resuiti,— (i) When swedes and turnips are sown 

 at the same time, between the end of April and the middle of 

 May, the weight of dry matter in the resulting crop of turnips 

 is 8b when that in the swede crop is taken as 100 (Tables I. 

 and 11.) When, however, swedes and turnips are sown under 

 the same conditions later than the middle of Ma}', this advantage 

 for swedes disappears (Tables IIL and IV.) Soft turnips are 

 not sown till after it is too late to sow swedes and turnips. 

 In respect of those sown at Cockle Park during June the 

 figure for dry matter is 71, as compared with 100 for swedes 

 sown in good time. 



(2) The results of many feeding tests carried out at Cockle 

 Park show that for cattle and sheep feeding the dry matter of 

 swedes and turnips, and of different varieties of each, has 

 practically an equal value. The relative food values of the 

 various sw^edes, turnips, and soft turnips tested can, therefore, 

 be judged from the dry matter figures given in the tables. 

 Special attention is drawn to Table 11. , from which it will be 

 seen that Caledonian (bronze top) swede has produced con- 

 siderably more dry matter per acre than any of the other 

 swedes ; and that Favourite purple top Aberdeen turnip is 

 highest in this respect among turnips. The results from these 

 two varieties are not only the average best of the four years, 

 but are also the best in respect of each of the four years. 



(3) Throughout the trials the average percentages of dry 

 matter were approximately as follows : — Swedes 12 per cent., 

 turnips 9*6 per cent., soft turnips 8'25 per cent. This means 

 that 20 cwt. of swedes, 25 cwt. of turnips, and 29 cw^t. of soft 

 turnips have practically the same feeding value. 



(4) Three yellow^ turnips. Early Sheepfold, Selected Fosterton 

 and Centenar}^ have yellow flesh of the same kind as ordinary 

 turnips, but owing to their low content of dry matter the}^ are 

 grouped with soft turnips. It is believed that many farmers 

 grow these varieties imder the impression that they have the 

 same feeding value ton for ton as ordinary turnips. It should 

 be clearly understood that this is not so. 



(5) The trials have shown that singUng swedes 8 in. apart 

 has given the heaviest crops, and that the drills should be 

 kept as narrow as will permit of good cultivation during the 

 growth of the crop. At Cockle Park the drills are usually 27 in. 

 wide. 



(6) The tact that the crops grown in the foiu" years, 191 5-1 8, 

 were heavier than in the 7 years, 1907-13, is partly due to the 



