Ryegrass Seed Yields

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17949, 29 November 1932, Page 8

Ryegrass Seed Yields

A LARGE increase in the quantity of ryegrass seed certified to last year is noted by Mr J. H. Olaridge, assistant- in agronomy of the (Department of Agriculture, writing in the current issue of the Journal. of Agrieqlturq. l{e states: —

‘‘There was.again a considerable increase. in perennial ryegrass seed certified. The quantify of seed sealed during each of the. last three seasons’ operations as follows: 1929-30, 17,032 bushels; 1930-31, 40,983 bushels; 193 L 32’ 51,186 bushels. Nevertheless, the price of certified ryegrass is still high, and the demand is greater than the supply. There is, however, a rapidly increasing supply of seed becoming available in the South Island. Already a keen demand for certified seed is being exhibited by Australian merchants; while inquiries have also been received from other countries, It is certain that the amount of certified ryegrass •seed produced can lie considerably increased without danger of overproduction.

“It. Is encouraging to note that seed twice grown in Canterbury from certified mother seed is still maintaining its true perennial characteristics. In this connection it was decided at the commencement of the season to delete first harvest seed as a separate class, and to include it under the head of permanent pasture. The words ‘First, Harvest Seed,’ however, are stamped across the tags and insert slips to differentiate it from -other permanent pasture seed.

‘‘ In connection with the seed eertigqd as ‘Permanent Pasture, eligible for reclassification -as .mother -seed after sample trial,’ 90 per cent, of this

U;ed has already been reclassified as ‘Mother,’ while about 9 per cent, has failed to come up to the, necessary standard. A few lines are still under trial. . ; “As a- result of the change in the scheme of certification of white clover, coupled with the general poor yield of .'white -clover seed in the Dominion in the 1931-32 season, very little seed was certified.

“Eight lines of certified white clover seed were obtained from the dressings of certified ryegrass in Ilawke’s Bay, After machine-dressing this gave 6921 b. of mother seed and 12191 b. of permanent pasture produce certified seed.”