THE GROWING OF LINSEED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3888, 18 September 1928, Page 12

THE GROWING OF LINSEED.

When we consider the importance of oil cake and the ready market in New Zealand for. linseed it is somewhat surprising that more farmers do not grow this crop. Linseed can be grown on most fair to average soils in Canterbury and North Otago, and in Southland once the frosts are past. In view of the increasing interest in the artificial feeding of fattening stock and the wider demand by farmers for some concentrated foodstuff at certain seasons, it is surprising that the Dominion’s area in linseed should show a decrease and manufacturers be compelled to import from- overseas.. The area in linseed showed a sharp decline in 19,26-27, being but 4933 acres, compared with 8143 acres in 1925-26. If, as contended by manufacturers, there is a market in New Zealand for the product of at least 10,000 acres, our wonder grows. Linseed is usually considered an exhausting crop, but is probably not more so than wheat, while subsequent crops not infrequently’ do well, as the roots of the linseed plants open up the soil. A et, linseed does best on a lea furrow. A good clean seed bed is practically essential for high yields, but in that respect it is no different to any other crop. The seed bed should be firm and line, as the see/, is small, and care should be taken to ensure the young plants making quick headway once germination has been effected. In the Dominion there are only two varieties of linseed grown—viz., the New Zealand and the “ Moose.” The last-mentioned variety, introduced by the New Zealand Cattle Cake and Oil Company and grown by them on contract, has largely displaced the other variety. Linseed is usually sown with the grain drill in 7in rows, the wheat side of the drill being used. Quite a number of farmers sow both ways—that is, sow half the seed one way of the paddock and half the other. If this is done~ the cross drilling must be done within a day or so, as the seed germinates quickly, and if there is much delay, damage will be done to the first-sown portion. The object of sowing both ways is to better distribute the plants and to aid in cutting, as the thick rows of one-w’ay drilling are sometimes found to be hard on the knife of the binder or mower, as the case may be. Some of the crops are broadcasted, and one of the best seen this year in South Canterbury was sown in this way. The practice adopted when broadcasting is to use the grain drill

and take the tubes out of the coulters, so that the seed is spread on the surface of the ground. If the seed falls on

a board (suspended under the drill) x before it reaches the ground, all the better. However, to have an even cover and to facilitate harvesting, the usual drilling method is most favoured. The seed should not be sown too deeply—a depth from jin to lin is sufficient.

As to the quantity of seed to sow per acre there is some diversity of opinion, hut, generally speaking, it is customary to arrange for a sowing of 301 b to 401 b of the New Zealand variety (the smaller seed) or 501 b to 801 b per acre of “ Moose ” seed. Whilst a too thin seeding is undesirable, a too heavy seeding, on the other hand, does not allow the side shoots of the growing plants to develop the seed heads, and this is uneconomic. The season for sowing will depend upon the locality, of course, but October-November months will appeal to many. The manuring of the crop will depend upon the conditions, and no hard-and-fast rule can be laid down. A hundredweight or more per acre of superphosphate will not come amiss with this crop. The harvesting of linseed will take place some time in March or April. It is ready, states an authority, when the seeds rattle in the pods. The crop is usually cut and tied with the reaper and binder. Some farmers prefer to cut the crop, with the binder and leave it untied—they say that the crop is easily harvested like hay, and that, since the heads are not pressed so closely together as in the case of tying into sheaves, the crop is more completely threshed by the threshing mill. A number of crops are cut with the side deify--ery mower and handled like hay. The danger of not making sheaves is that if wet weather ensures after cutting the crop -is often difficult to handle. Whatever method is used, the knife should be sharp, as linseed stalks are tough, and a plain rather than a serrated knife is preferable, as the latter is inclined to get gummy and to then cut less efficiently. Given fine weather, the crop can be stacked in three or four days, or it may be threshed from the stook. If the crop has had rain on it, it will pay to stack, as in this condition it is hard to thresh. There is no question that more attention could be paid to threshing linseed. Better separation of sheaves is necessary when fed into the drum of the machine. When sheaves go in whole, a lot of the seed comes out in the straw. Further, if the stuff is. fed too fast the riddles get blocked, and it comes out in the chaff. This year cases have been instanced where as much as 3cwt and scwt of seed per- acre have gone up the elevator or into the cavings. So long as threshing is done by contract and by the hour, this difficulty is going to be hard to overcome. Farmers with their own threshing plant will be able to pay the necessary attention to threshing their own crops. As to yield, this will depend a good deal, as with all crops, upon the climatic and soil conditions and the farming knowledge of the particular agriculturist. Yields may vary from 15cwt to 25cwt per acre, but the average yield will be around lOcwt per acre. The price of linseed will vary according to market conditions, but in view of the more general recognition of the value of this highly-concentrated animal foodstuff it is reasonable to hope that an area commensurate with the importance of our meat export trade will be furnished in course of time. The market to-day (Calcutta) is reported to be steady at £l6 15s for linseed per ton net, c. and f., Sydney, for immediate shipment.