CLOVER SEED RECORD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19376, 14 July 1937, Page 2

CLOVER SEED RECORD

CERTIFICATION RESULTS HAWKE’S BAY FIGURES The certified seed harvested in Hawke's Bay last summer was marked by a new record for the quantities of clover and high yields from pedigree ryegrass. For the first time Montgomery Red clover made its appearance during the season on the record of harvested seed in this district. Completed certification figures show that in the Hawke’s Bay district, a total of 9350 bushels of certified mother ryegrass was obtained during the past season from 828 acres, while 25,253 bushels, harvested from 1407 acres were certified as permanent pasture. Included in the Mother seed was a certain percentage of seed obtained from areas sown down with the Government stock seed and which will next year come under the heading of pedigree seed. In addition to these figures, a total of 1000 sacks, the equivalent of 7699 bushels, of rye was entered for certification under the heading of commercial rye. Of this total 123 sacks were rejected. New Testing System Used The past season was the first in which the new system of the picric acid test for clovers was adopted by the Department of Agriculture, the change over to this method enabling the decision of the Department in regard to certification to be given in three weeks from the time that the sample ol' seed was submitted, as compared with a period of from 18 months to two years, which was previously occupied in the planting out of the seed at Palmerston North and the carrying out of field trials. Clover submitted to the department for certification during the past season was 472 sacks, a total of 78,6021 b. From this entry of CO sacks, the equivalent of 10,3851 b, were certified as / mother seed and 268 sacks, equalling 43,2491 b, were certified as permanent pasture. The rejections totalled 144 sacks, or 24,7671 b. A small quantity of seed was harvested from pedigree stock sown in the Hastings district last season and this, amounting to six sack's, or 10301 b, was duly certified as mother seed. Ton sacks of Montgomery Red clover seed wore harvested during the year, representing a total of 19941 b. of seed. This gave an excellent return to the grower, and it is certain that there will bo a considerable increase in the area sown for the production of this crop next season.