PURE SEEDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3594, 30 January 1923, Page 11

PURE SEEDS.

An article in a recent "St Andrew’s Collegian” by Mr N. P. Neal, stresses the need for increased production, and indicates, inter alia, a means whereby this may be, in a great measure, attained. In view of the probability that Otago producers interested in arable farming will, in the near future, be known as “sticklers” for seeds of merit—pedigree seeds, we have pleasure in drawing attention to the article in question. In this connection it may be mentioned, that the Moa Seed Farm, in Central Otago, is doing groat work in limelighting the importance of pure seeds of high yielding qualities, and will, it is hoped in the near future be unable to supply the anticipated insistent demand for high grade seeds. The following is Mr Neal’s contribution on the subject of “pure seeds.” When limes are difficult, as they are now, farmers are always on the look-out for some method of increasing the producing power of their land. BrieHy, the production per acre may be increased in four ways—viz. : (1) By the improvement of soil fertility; (2) by the improvement in methods of cultivation and crop rotation; (3) by the prevention of injury by weeds, insects, and plant

diseases; and 14) by the use of better seed It is with the la-:t of these various means of progress that this article rnamly deals. To find tangible evidence of the fact that, the -duality of seed which is m common use on the average New Zealand farm is much inferior to what it should be it is only necessary to examine the contents of the S drili at seeding time. Perhaps what w still more convincing is at harvest to observe the crops which have resulted from the seed which is in use. On almost all farms wverv crop will be found to be a mixture of aeveraf "varieties of the same kind of crop. Thus a crop of wheat which came under the sKrV3S»!™*»n dori-g H» P«* was impure to the extent of 25 Pej cc ~ the impurities consisting of no less than 'other varieties of wheat, What is still more amazing about this case is that only g? sxszFsi’-Si ™ k »bSd s» Sfsjss-’S- .Sr « ’"..a which from nine to time come under notice, wme of which are ventilated in the courts rt law serve to show how important it is to procure the purest, seed possible. . Another aspect which as yet has received little recognition from seed producers is that all ordinary varieties even when free from other varieties, consist of numerous SE» or families of various productiveness quality. From these, scientific workers have been' able to isolate by selection of iiu<rle ears the best families or strains, and by "multiplying these have procured pure lines” of the best types. Work of this kind has been carried to successful issues m all progressive agricultural countries, but particularly in this the case in Denmark where all farm crops have been thus selected and the improved types made available or the farmers’ use. In New Zealand the work has not yet proceeded so far, but much improved strains of the common varieties of wheat and of some of the varieties of oats have been obtained by the Canterbury Agricultural College. All these strains have bien distributed and arc favour bly known in most parts of Canterbury. It is safe to record that the increase in yield of these strains averages about 4 bushels per acre in the case of wheat, and from 7 to 10 bushels per acre with oats. A simple arithmetical calculation shows that these comparatively small increases in yield represent a very large increase in the profits, which, of course, are the ah important. In many cases they represent the difference between no profit at all and a handsome return for the investment on the «<*». v*. Apart from any increase in yield that may result by the use of these pedigree strains, the possible advantages of fine sorts Over those varieties which contain two or more different strains are worthy of not. In pure or “pedigree’ sorts all plants require practically the same conditions lor germination, and possess the same power of utilising plant food; they exhibit, likewise, the same altitude toward soil iind climatic conditions and toward disease, simpiy because they have been all produced from the same original parent plant. The result is that if tlie soil conditions are uniform, the growth is uniformly even throughout the season, and the maturity of all jjlants will take place at. the same lime. Experiments go to show that the largest yields are obtainable from seed which is allowed to mature perfectly before cutting. If. therefore, the crop contains a mixture of late, and early strains and varieties, the best quality of seed cannot be expected. Should harvesting be delayed in order to allow the latest strains to ripen, the earlier strains and varieties will be “dead ripe” and ■wind-shaking occur before those which mature later are fit to cut. This may entail Considerable loss. Furthermore, it must be remembered that the cost of production of a crop from bail seed is the same as for good

seed, and, apart from the economies of the question, there is no sense in sowing bad seed. The production of “pedigree” strains by the fanner is usually out of the question. His best, plan is to procure a stock sample from the recognised producers of the strains, and then to have resort to the principle of “mass selection,” and so obtain annually good seed on his own farm. It is a system which is exceedingly useful, and one which every farmer should include as a part of his regular system of farm management. It consists in setting aside a small plot of an area sufficient to yield seed for the ensuing season, and giving it thorough cultivation in order that the plants may obtain maximum development. As a safeguard against the inclusion of impurities, the plot should be “rogued”—i.e., all sforeign varieties removed by hand before reaping, which should not be done until the crop is thoroughly matured. With the system, of itinerant threshing which is in vogue in this country, it is difficult to maintain adequate purity, but if the mill be properly cleaned before entering the field, and the “seed” plot put through after several loads of the same variety have been threshed, it will be found that few impurities will have gained entrance to the ensuing year's seed. This system of maintaining from year to year a supply of pure seed involves practically no trouble and extra expense, is effective, pays handsomely, and is one which should commend itself to all thoughtful and careful farmers.