RYEGRASS PRODUCTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21054, 17 June 1930, Page 10

RYEGRASS PRODUCTION.

EXPERT INVESTIGATIONS. VALUE OF HAWKE’S BAY STRAIN; (Per United Press Association. > PALMERSTON N,/ June 16. A comprehensive report “upon an investigation into ryegrass has been issued by Mr E.- Bruce Levy, agristologiat to the Department,of Agriculture, and Mr William Davies, of Aberyswyth plant research station. It deals in detail with two years’ concentrated work at the Palmerston Notth plant research station, together with , several years of widely distributed trials and 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 strain counts more than species and that the source of origin is a factor to be reckoned with in buying grass and clover seeds. The department is fully alive to the situation created by .this wprk, and in order to give some means of guarantee as to type jmd iistrict of origin it ■ inaugurated a scheme of ryegrass certification. The scheme is recognised as the germ of an organisation that will surpass in economic ' importance the Stud 800k 5 of the ’ stock breeder _ and the Babcock test for the dairy cow. The support that seed merchants and farmers give this movement must ultimately be reflected in pedigree seed production, not only for New Zealand a own .requirements, but as substantially furnishing the . basis of a great export trade/ The evidence collected on ? - and Poverty Bay flats led to the definite conclusion that the Hawke’s Bay strain will inamtam itself as doini* uaut in sward for'any number of years.