PASTURES AND SEEDS.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20921, 31 July 1933, Page 11

PASTURES AND SEEDS.

LECTURE TO FARMERB. A lecture on pastures and seeds was given to members of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association by Mr R. McGillivray, field superintendent of the Department of Agriculture. Mr McGillivray first spoke o» pasture and root strains and their eoed production, illustrating his remarks with lantern'slides. Speaking of White clover, ho said, it was first introduced into Otago by a Dutch whaler in 1840. There were two sacks and it proved such excellent pasture plant that later larger quantities were imported. Seventy years later the department of Agriculture commenced its first experimental work with white clover, and its findings were that the No. 1 New Zealand wild white wbb the most suitable for long term pastures. This type of white clover put forth long seed and leaf stalks. At that time cowgrass was not an article of commerce, but an article of curiosity. The New Zealand broad red clover was the best type for short-term pasture. It was very suitable for a hay cut and a seed crop in one season, but could not be recommended for more than a two year pasture. For a long term pasture the Montgomeryshire red clover was best. It was, however, a later flowerer than New Zealand broad red, and therefore was less suitable for a hay cut and seed crop in the same season. Ryegrasses. Mr McGillivray spent some time in dealing with grasses. Speaking on Hawlce's Bay ryegrass, he said he thought the name had been misapplied. It was not so many years ago since the South Island had a true perennial ryegrass, but owing to the method of sowing pasture down with a perennial | and a short lived type of grass, a false perennial was gradually produced. The type of grass required for long-term pastures was, he said, a deep rooted plant with fine leaves extending upwards into a bushy mass. The low squat plant had broad leaves, and when grazed was slow in coming away and usually ran off quickly to seed. This was a false perennial. Of the 4705 acres entered for certification, 4214 acres were passed as true perennial ryegrass. Mr McGillivray, in speaking of brown top, said it was now a noteworthy pasture in Southland, and when treated properly with lime and phosphates, it had a carrying capacity equal to the best perennial. The department had certified large areas of this pasture as pure brown top. The biggest enemy to the purity of the crop was the presence of red top which had a twitch-like root and spread with great rapidity. Of 5690 acres entered. 5280 were certified in Southland. In speaking of the recent rape competition, Mr McGillivray said he had been struck by the irregular types of rape which were sold to the farmers as broadleaf Essex, and the department was carrying out trials to se-

cure a strain suitable lor this cuuHllJ and palatable to the stock. New 2mland. he said, grew ammallr SMJOB acres of rape and kale. In investigating strains of turnips and swede* the department had found that the had been for 30 years select swede free from club root, but 1 was no evidence to show that chafe wet was seed born. Two hundred and fUtjr tons of swedes and turnips at a vatae of £34,685, the area sown being 245,000 acres, were grown in Haw Zealand. The certification of potatoes was now in practice was entail of work, but was well paid for tor tt* results obtained. Last year SN entrlas had been received for certification. At the close of the address Mr K. Goldsbery moved a vote of thanks to Mr McGillivray for his interesting ~' instructive address. The motion carried with acclamation*