LUCERNE SEED-GROWING IN NEW ZEALAND.

Northern Advocate, 6 September 1913, Page 6

LUCERNE SEED-GROWING IN NEW ZEALAND.

(By A. H. Cockayne in The Journal of

Agriculture.)

The bulk of the lucerne-seed used in New* Zealand -is imported. It has been amply demonstrated that the best results have incariably been secured when locally grown and acclimatised seed has been used, though excellent results have been attained from seed acclimatised in Australia, A great deal of the seed sold in New Zealand is of Asi/tic origin, and the experience with this has not been at all satisfactory. Seed from that quarter is not held in high repute in other countries into which it has been imported, pointing to the fact that it is necessary to produce lucerne-seed in the country where it is to be used. So far in the Dominion the only local seed used to any extent is that harvested in the Marlborough district. Evidence has just reached,me that the production of lucerne-seed is now claiming attention in other districts of the Dominion. Messrs Williams Bros, have demonstrated in the Poverty Bay district that lucerne-seed cannot only be .produced successfully in that 'province, but at such a rate that it may prove a highly profitable undertaking. Off GV 2 acres of ground they have secured over 2 tons of cleaned seed, or roughly, 6901b. per acre. At the market price of lucerne-seed —£90 per ton—this works out at a gross return of =£27 per acre. The original seed came from the Argentine, and an examination of the plants shows the form to approximate closely to that known as Hunter River, the foliage being exceptionally broadleafed. The lucerne was cut in October and then shut up for seed, being harvested during the middle of March. From this it will be seen that the production of seed was not the only source of revenue from the crop. This return of £27 per acre is, of course, an exceptionally high one, but it indicates clearly the great possibilities in front of lucerne-seed-growing in those districts where the climate is a suitable one.

A very important factor in successful lucerne-growing is to Vise seed which is free from dodder, and this can be by no means guaranteed when foreign seed, is used. So far the lucerne-fields in New Zealand are free from this dangerous parasite, but it is feared that with the use of low-grade Asiatic seed (often, unfortunately, sold as European) the danger of the establishment of this pest is very great. All lucerne-seed growers should examine their fields carefully from time to time for the presence of dodder. The best means of keeping out the pest, however, is the production of our own seed, and for this reason alone the experiment quoted above is to be heartily welcomed. An important fact in lucerne-seed-growing in this country is that there is no danger of over-production, while under proper management the quality of the local seed can be-of such a high grade that it would always command a remunerative price on the great lucerne markets of the world.