PEDIGREE SEED

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 June 1930, Page 10

PEDIGREE SEED

AN IMPORTANT REPORT.

[PEE PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

PALMERSTON NORTH, June 16.

A comprehensive report upon the investigation into ryegrass has been issued by E. Bruce Levy, Agistologist, Department of Agriculture, and William Davis, of Aberyswyth plant research station. It deals in detail with two years’ concentrated work at Palmerston North plant research station, together with several years of widely distributed trials of observations throughout the Dominion. There is in the minds of the investigators no shadow of doubt that Hawke’s Bay ryegrass as a type is superior for New Zealand conditions to any other commercial strain from any other source. The report emphasises that the strain counts more than species and that the source of origin is a factor to be reckoned with in buying grass an clover seeds. The Department is fully alive to the situation created by this work, and in order to give some means of guarantee as to type and district of origin, inaugurated a scheme of ryegrass certification. The scheme is recognised as a form of organisation that will surpass in economic importance, the stud book of the stock breeder, and the Babcock test for the dairy cow. The support that seed merchants and farmers are giving this movement must ultimately be reflected in pedigree seed production, not only for New Zealand’s own requirements, but substantially the basis of a great export trade. Evidence collected on the Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay flats led to the definite conclusion that the Hawke’s Bay strain will maintain itself as dominant in sward for any number of years.