POSSIBILITIES OF SEED-GROWING.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XVIII, Issue 1776, 16 January 1923, Page 5

POSSIBILITIES OF SEED-GROWING.

A LATENT INDUSTRY. G 0 VER tf MEN T S U PPO RT W A \TED That there are great possibilities in seed growing in this district is the firm belief of a well-known farmer, who has hud some practical knowledge in the matter down south. He states that the dlimate is eminently suitable for certain lines, and lie himself has met with great success in the growing of grass and clover seeds. A neighbour of the farmer in question has lately devoted some time to the growing of turnip seed, and the results have been more than up to expectations. When asked why the settlers did not take up the matter as a business, our informant stated that it required a lot of attention in the initial stages, and the average settler had not the time or money to devote to this. What was wanted was co-operation between the business men, the Government, and the settlers themselves. If business men would help the settlers in this matter it might provide an industry which wou'l,d he for the benefit of the district as a. whole. The Government \ might be induced to provide 10 or 12 i acre plots to be under the supervision of experts in seed growing, and so educate the farmers in the matter. Another reason why it was desirable to have tho Government's aid is that all seed should be tested, and to have the Government's hall mark was a guarantee of quality. An experimental plot, of this r ;, irl ig situated in Marton, and has been found to be of great benefit to the farmers generally. The farmer who supplied this information stated there was no place more suitable for seed growing than this district. The climate and soiil were ideal for certain lines, though there may be some that would not do so well. It was only by a series of experiments that the most suitable lines could be discovered. There were few farmers who were in a financial position to make these experiments and if the industry is to he established there must be help from other sources. Tt is interesting to note that in talking with Mr Mostyn Jones on this matter that gentleman stated that on one occasion one of the foremost authorites on seeds in the Dominion was shown some clover seed which was locally grown, and he pronounced it to be equal to anything he had ever seen.