CANTERBURY RYE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 125, 8 March 1935, Page 7

CANTERBURY RYE.

BETTER THAN HAWKE'S BAY. Is Hawke's Bay ryegrass better than the Canterbury variety ? The question is raised by a Sheffield farmer who states that farmers in the locality have been discussing the matter, consequent on an apparently quicker recovery by Hawke's Bay ryegrass when rain relieved a drough period, such fast recovery being caused, perhaps, by deeper rooting. On the dther hand, the definite opinion that Canterbury ryegrass is vastly superior to the Hawke's Bay ryegrass was expressed by Mr C. H. Hewlett, of Christchurch, who is well acquainted with all the comparative trials and practical tests made in Canterbury pastures.

"It is well known," said Mi- Hewlett, "that-pastures which are lightly grazed in the early stages send their roots deeper than more heavily grazed pastures. Hawke's Bay ryegrass, being unpalatable, would be less heavily grazed than the Canterbury variety, which stock very much prefer and that would account for the condition which gave rise to the comment in Sheffield." Experience on heavy lands, said MiHewlett, showed that the Hawke's Bay ryegrass dried up much more readily than did Canterbury ryegrass. Land which would) carry two sheep per acre when sown with the Hawke's Bay ryegrass, that being demonstrated by testa would carry three with Canterbury ryetaken over a long period. Moreover, on the Hawke's Bay grass the sheep did not keep in such good condition, fleeces were up to one and a half pounds lighter, and it took a month longer to fatten lambs. These conclusions were reached after sheep had been grazed in two adjacent of similar nature, one being sown in Canterbury ryegrass, and the other in Hawke's Bay. The general experience on the wheatgrowing lands of Ellesmere and other parts, which were sown in grass for four-year periods, was that the monetary return per acre was much greater from Canterbury ryegrass than from Hawke's Bay variety. The Hawke's Bay grass was unpalatable, and the sheep did not like it, One dairy farmer changed his herd from Canterbury grass to Hawke's Bay, and the milk yield fell by half. He had to put them back on Canterbury grass, where they rapidly picked up.