SEED SELECTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7847, 8 July 1911, Page 2

SEED SELECTION

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FARMERS. The work that has recently keen started by tho Department, of Agriculture in giving attention to tho breeding and selection of cereals should be appreciated by farmers throughout the Dominion. For many years the seed stocks have deteriorating. Outside countries have been relied upon to provide new varieties that will resist the blights'of various kinds that havo proved so detrimental in recent years. Samples of grain havo been collected from the loading breeding stations of the world* and extensive experiments havo been 4 made on local State farms, or in co-operation with farmers, in order to secure new varieties that are suitable to the New Zealand climate, and at tho same time retain their original milling and feeding properties. In' this way many usolul varieties have boc-n introduced with fairly rath-factory results. Ono of tho main drawbacks to this method of introducing now seeds is that in many instances some years must clapeo before the plants become .properly acclimatised, and it frequently happens that so.:no of the leading characteristics aro influenced during tho process. It is generally admitted that our seed stocks aro far from pure. Even the recently imported varieties have not. been kept as clean as they might havo been, it seems rather a useless waste of lime and money if, niter great tixyubliy'riias been taken to test and acclimatise new varieties, they aro allowed, to become foul through cavclesaiiesa on tho part of those handling them. ‘

A SEED GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION. Now that tho Stato has given a good lead in tho direction of providing now varieties and attempting to purify the stocks of seed in tnc Dominion, fanners themselves might materially' assist in the work. It has been auggsted that a great am cunt of good could bo done in this direction, by tno fafmers interested forming associations in order to conserve tho hojt interests of the cereal growing industry. . It is just possible that fanners are being educated 'to look to tho State to do all tho experimenting and tho work of research in every direction connected with rural pursuits. As there are many claimants" for assistance tiom tho public purse, with only a limited amount of money available, it necessarily follows that but a limited amount of attention can be devoted to each' particular branch. In tho meantime, valuable time is bring lost by delay in bringing about, or perfecting necessary let onus and improvements. There is at present a wide ncld open to agnoulturaiisls . whereby they might co-operate in furthering their own interests. In regard _to improving tho production and maintaining the standard of cereals, the .formation of an association i to ; guard, the .Ijest ' interests would servo a most useful purpose. Owing bo tho rapid development of dairying and other pastoral pursuits, there does not-scorn”much' probability- that grain for export purposes will .assume very targe dimensions. Indeed, it would appear that we shall bo unable to do much more than to supply our own requirements as time goes on. There is a groat quantity of land in New Zealand that is more suitable for mixed farming. than for -pastoral purposes alone. In recent years grain growing has been avoided a* ar as possible, chiefly because of the prevalence of blights, and small yields. The result of experimenting has, however, shown that both of these causes of failure can bo remedied to a very great extent. To further promote this desirable end the co-operation of growers would be of material advantage by extending tho work that has been initiated on the State farina or by individual farmers. ~ If 'an association was in existence its operations cou’d bo extended by assisting in keeping the stocks of .seeds pure and tme to typo. Tho-members would bo always on the look out for new strains of seeds, and, what is bf more importance still, an oyo could be kept on these who permit the seeds from noxious weeds to bo harvested and distributed throughout the country. This latter evil relates more particularly to tho grass seed industry, which is one of growing importance! tc the country as a standard crop, independent of tho necessity of maintaining the purity and germinating value of the large quantities of seed that are used for permanent pasture every year. A NEW OAT. Au interesting demonstration of the work of eced-sel-ectdou, bring carried out at the Ruakura Experimental Farm by the Horticulturist, Mir A. W. Green, is'provided iu a seedling oat bred from a single selected head of the Argentine variety, which stood out for its robust (Character. Tho pmin object of the work of selection was to secure a rust-resistant oat, and apparently, this object has born achieved. For two seasons tho new oat has withstood rust under most adverse conditions.. On cither side of it an oat very susceptible to rust (Tartar King! was grown, and though this was badly affected and the wind carried the rustspores so that they covered the plants of the now cat, yet throughout this severe tost it remained quite .unaffected. The methods of selection Unit are being adopted at tho State farms follow very closely those of Dr Nilsson, of the famous Svalof Station of Sweden, in contradistinction to hybridization,and the ordinary'.German and. English- -methods of attempting Becd-and-plant improvement by what is known as "continuous - selection/’ The Svalof method, in reality, consists merely of sorting out the various varieties that are included under one gen-oral term, such as ‘‘Algerian oat,” which in itself is not a distinct entity, but a conception including a number of forms differing from , one another, and which possess different characters. Thus, it will be seen that tho main feature of the Svalof method is to commence work with pure types which will breed true from seed. It is this proved-successful principle which tho stations of tho deportment are following. Hybridization will, bf course, follow when the various races of each species have been separated.