BRASSICA CROPS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 13, 16 January 1940, Page 5

BRASSICA CROPS.

GROWING FOR SEED.

INTERNAL PRODUCTION.

SUPPLY DURING WAR.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day.

To ensure an adequate supply of rap?, turnip and swede seeds in New Zealand during the war it has been decided to arrange for the internal production ot these seeds under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture. The Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, announced to-day that the growing of brassica crops for seed purposess was being supervised by the fields division of the Department of Agriculture.

"Considerable quantities of seed will be produced under official supervision! and under a system of contract to mer-j chants from selected stocks," said the] Minister, "but it is expected that in ■addition other farmers will, on their own account, save crops for seed.

* "Although the saving of seed by farmers is .not discouraged, it is felt that wherever possible contracts with merchants should first be arranged for iany seed which might be produced. It lis obvious also that unless" there is some |control there is grave danger of the seed jproduced being of inferior quality.

"Farmers who have grown brassica Crops for sead production will realise fully the danger of cross-pollination among adjacsr.it crops," the Minister continued. ' Every effort is being made to produce in New Zealand seed of the highest quality. Thus it is necessary in the interests of the farming community to exercise a measure of control fiver brassioa seed production. Farmers i'i areas where crops arp being grown for seed should take every precaution to see that no plants among the crops not intended for seed purposes reach t-hei flowering stage. I

"Local instructors in agriculture are being authorised to take the necessary steps to ensure the protection first of these crops sown with selected stocks which are under contract to mercantile firms, and, secondly, of any other crops likely to produce high quality seed. Farmers are therefore urged in their own interests to get into communication with the local instructor in agriculture before sowing any area intended specifically for brassica seed production or reserving for seed any brassica crops which were sown primarily as grazing propositions."