BAD SEEDS ABROAD.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 410, 20 January 1909, Page 5

BAD SEEDS ABROAD.

Some comment continues to bo mado in various' farming districts (writes a corres- ' pondent) regarding tho unsatisfactory naturo of. some of the cheap seeds which are being imported to tho North Island, The farmer' |s often hoodwinked by'tho pqrusal of a pricelist in'which seeds aro quoted at from 25 to 60 per cent.'lower than tho prices quoted by . standard firms; but ho has found when his crop has matured that the "cheapest" seed . has been tho dearest. An instance of this is reported in the case of rape seeds, which have been bought for as low a price as three-' ' penco per pound, against from fivepence to eightpence quoted by the better-known firm! fu u ;°_PP uncl s of seed aro sown to the aero, the difference between the cheapest and tho dearest is tonpence per acre. This is a.small sum when one considers that there will be a guaranteed first-class crop from the eight- ' V? , } ,1 * ed > whereas it is yory likely—in fact,, it has been proved—that 50 per cent, of the threepenny seed will, often not germinate." The best rape crop in tho North Island, grown on Mr. H. Morrison's property, between Masterton and Gladstono, was sown with the most expensive seed. If farmers are. wise they will make a point of buying only good seeds, and/those from thoroughly reputable merchants.