RYE GRASS CROPS

Taranaki Daily News, 5 January 1935, Page 20 (Supplement)

RYE GRASS CROPS

REDUCTION IN ACREAGE, RESULT OF DRY WEATHER. Mr. J. W. Palmer, certification officer in Hawkes Bay and well known in Taranaki, is having a very busy time at present inspecting rye grass and white clover areas which have been entered for certified seed production this season. Although the area entered is smaller than that entered last season, the number of growers is still considerable and this necessitates a considerable amount of travelling, remarks the Hawkes Bay Herald. All areas entered for seed certification have to be inspected by the certifying officers, to determine if. they come up to certification standard. Once the area has been passed the work can proceed. At present it looks as if an early start will be made with the harvesting of the Hawkes Bay seed crop, as cutting is due to commence on a number of properties around' the district during the next week or so. After the crop has been harvested the seed is branded and sealed in the paddocks by the certifying officers, and it is finally sealed and tagged at the various machine-dressing plants. In each sack is inserted a slip, stating whether the seed is of mother seed or permanent pasture standard, and also the registered number of the area from which the seed was saved. In common with the Poverty, Bay and Hawkes Bay districts, a reduction has also been recorded in the Canterbury district this year although the number of growers has increased. Last year there were 175 growers in the Canterbury district, and 4095 acres were certified. This season a total of 34162 acres have been entered, from 190 different growers. The bulk of the seed areas are located in the North Canterbury district, where 106 growers have entered 1891 acres. > Whereas the original acreage of ryegrass entered for certification was in the vicinity of 3500 acres, the continued dry weather, which has resulted in a shortage of feed, has necessitated the opening-up of several of these paddocks so that feed may be provided for the stock. This has led to the withdrawal of some 300 acres, chiefly mother seed areas. The total area now is consequently only 3200 acres,