Gisborne’s Ryegrass Crop Is Equal To Last Year's

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18632, 16 February 1935, Page 13

Gisborne’s Ryegrass Crop Is Equal To Last Year's

THE latest survey of ryegrass seed product ion in the Gisborne district suggests that the season*’* total crop of certified seed should approximately equal that of last. year. About a third of the crop remains to be threshed, and much ot that which has passed through the mills has been machine dressed. Figures matin available by the instructor in agriculture in Gisborne, Mr. M. A Black, shows that to January 31. permanent pasture seed from the machine lias averaged .1.1,76 bushels to the acre, compared with only 5.6 bushels tor mother seed. On these averages, it. is believed that about 1-1,000 bushels ot certified seed will be available for 1 hrmarket, or approximately the same quantity as last year. The, machine dressing averages vary greatly from last year. The average machine dressed yield' tor permanent pasture last* season. was nine bushels, and for mother seed eight bushels This summer, a'large amount ot goose

grass lias been, eontaiiied in the seeO from the older pastures, with the result, that, the- clean, yield of motliei seed has suffered considerably. The yield from the mills last month averaged 19.6 -bushels per acre for permanent pasture and 1 2.0 bushels !.oi mother seed, the machine dressed figures of .11.70 and 5.6 bushels respectively showing how the mother seed suffered in comparison with the permanent pasture, which has a better machine dressed average than last year. .A Loss of Bloom.

The estimate of 1-1,000 bushels includes 9500 bushels of permanent pasture seed and 4500 bushels ot mother seen'. bo far, 5344- acres of permanent pasture have been 1 threshed ami 506 acres of mother seed, leaving a total of 450 acres to go through the mill. The total area passed for certification this year was 1700 acres, compared with 1724 acres last season.

Merchants declare that Poverty Bay seed iu appearance does not. compare with Hawke’s Bay this season, although germination and purity are not affected. Gisborne crops were unfortunate to be caught in the showery weather at Christmas and New fear, and some of the seed is slightly discolored. One merchant explains that the Gisborne seed had lost its bloom. Yet, germination certificates were highly satisfactory, and except for a siigiuJy Jess attractive appearance the Poverty Bay seed had not suffered in anv way

Bush burns in many 'parts of the North Island had created a demand' for good types of farmers’ dressed seed; while good lines of permanent pasture (certified) seed were also sought at satisfactory prices, but the demand' from the dairy farmer who used mother seed was not great. Hawke’s Bay’s Harvest

Hawke’s Bay’s harvest is turning out very satisfactorily, except that crops are light. The average sample of seed is the cleanest the certification officer, Mr. J. W. Palmer, lias seen since he wen t to Ihe dist riot.

“Though tiie crops were generally lighter, the seed has been of good quality and weight, and the harvesting has been a more economical proposition for the grower than in recent years, due In the luck of ‘bottom.’ ia the pastures and the exeeptionallv clean condition of the average Wop/' ho said. “With a lesser bulk of waste elements to handle, trie work was pul. through more rapidly and at less cost to the grower. “So far as white clover seed is concerned, the season litis been an exceptionally good one, the clover in many eases maturing before the ryegrass, a condition which was practically unknown, prior to this season. Tim sample was bright and exceptionally clean also. Quick maturity under favorable conditions and the rapid disappearance of the annual clovers from, the pastures, due to I lie very dry.spring were (actors in assuring a good yield/ ’ lie concluded.