COCKSFOOT.

Evening Star, Issue 20688, 10 January 1931, Page 9

COCKSFOOT.

TO TUB EDITOR. Sir, —I notice in this evening's publication that Captain T. Hcinpstalk, n! the steamer John Anderson, gave it as his opinion that the importation of cocksfoot seed from other countries had helped to kill the industry on Banks Peninsula. In former years lie took hundreds of harvesters on to the Peninsula to do the work, but now no men are taken there as no seed is harvested. For twenty-eight years in succession, up to about 1918, 1 went on to the Peninsula to compile tile statistics and to purchase a quantity of seed to bo cleaned by my machines for local use and export. Forty to fifty thousand sacks were considered a small crop, and in a prolific season the harvest would bo over 100,000 sacks, a sack of uncleancd seed containing from 801 b to 1001 b. According to quality, prices ranged from 23d up to 5d per lb for uncleaned seed, according to weight per bushel. The reason why cocksfoot seed lias gone out of production on Banks Peninsula is not owing to the importation of the seed, but solely owing to farmers not shutting off their paddocks on account of the price of stock rising for a number of years, so that farmers thought it more profitable to buy stores and fatten for the market, so that all grass was required and harvesting cocksfoot seed gradually ceased, so seed merchants were compelled to import, chiefly from Denmark.

The county of Akaroa every year sold the cocksfoot growing on the roads by tender. The county is a fairly extensive one. Quite a number of men made a good living from -this work. The people who were bom and bred on the Peninsula had a good idea of what quantity of seed they were able to harvest on the roads. If you will look up your old files you will find that I have given you full particulars and statistics every year.—l am, etc., A. Aloimzso.x. January 9.