Turnip and Swede Seed CARE NECESSARY WHEN BUYING

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 69, Issue 2, 15 August 1944, Page 149

Turnip and Swede Seed CARE NECESSARY WHEN BUYING

There is always a risk in purchasing seed without some guarantee of strain. This holds true for any crop which a farmer may wish to sow, but it is very well exemplified in the case of a line of locally - grown “turnip” seed which was recently on the market, THE producing crop had received no particular care or attention to safeguard its purity, 1 but was a feed crop which had, very truly, “been let go for seed.” Analysis The produce of the area was marketed as “early turnip seed suitable for lamb fattening.” The analysis of a crop grown from this seed revealed that it was comprised of

Per cent. Yellow-fleshed greentop turnips 40 Yellow-fleshed purpletop turnips 25 White-fleshed greentop turnips .. 5 Rape .. .. .. .. .. 15 Hybrid plants (the result of cross-pollination of rape and turnips) .. .. .. .. 15 Some farmers certainly do mix different varieties of turnips, and even turnips and rape, for feeding purposes, but they prefer to make their own mixtures in proportions to suit them selves rather than to have the seed “ready mixed” as in the above instance. Further, to obtain only 5 per cent, of an early variety of turnip in seed described as “early” and at the same time to discover the presence of 15 per cent, of plants similar to that in the illustration is hardly one’s idea of a “ready-made mixture.” The insurance against such a result in a crop should of course be obvious. It is to purchase only “Government Approved” seed.

—J. H. CLARIDGE,

Seed Certification Officer, Wellington.

Pig Industry Broadcasts

UNDER the auspices of District Pig Councils broadcasts will be delivered in September as follows: — Auckland —IYA, on September 20, at 7.15 p.m., /‘Avoiding Losses in Pig Production,” by F. Barwell, Supervisor, Bay of Plenty District Pig Council. , • Wellington— on September 17, at 7.20 p.m., “Whey Feeding,” by C. H. M. Sorensen, Supervisor Taranaki District Pig Council. Christchurch 3YA, on September 21, at 7.15 p.m., “Housing,” by Hector Mclntosh,. Supervisor, Canterbury District. Pig Council. Napier—2YH, on September 14, at 7.30 p.m., “Avoiding Losses,” by I. H. Owtram, - Supervisor, Tairawhiti District Pig Council. . j . ! Units of measurement may be i converted by the following simple table: Ins.,to cms. 1 Multiply by 2.540 Yds. to metres „ ' .900 Miles to kilometres ~ 1.600 Sq. ins. to sq. cms. „ 6.450 Cub. ins. to cub. cms, .... ~ 16.400 Grains to grams .. . . » .065 Lb. to kilograms . . . „ .450 Cub. ft. to cub. metres .... ~ .030 Cub. yds. to cub. metres-.. , „ • .760 Cms. to ins. „ ' .400 Metres to yds. . . ' „ 1.100 Kilometres to miles „ ■ .620 Sq. cms. to sq. ins „ .155 Cub, cms. to cub. ins. .. . . ■ „ .060 Grams to grains . . . '. „ 15.400 Kilograms to lb ~ 2.200 Cub. metres to cub. ft. . , . . „ 35.300 Cub. metres to cub. yds. . . „ 1.310

SHORTAGE RELIEVED

Sheep Drenching Instruments Primary Producers for two years have been handicapped on account of insufficient supplies of Sheep Drenching Instruments. The news that persistent efforts to obtain supplies have at last been rewarded will be welcomed by sheepfarmers. , Limited supplies of the famous Elliotts Automatic Drenching Guns and Pistol Drenchers have already arrived, and during the next few months supplies will come more freely to hand, and should be sufficient to meet longstanding needs. The Elliott Pistol Drencher, when supplied with a special Phenzeen Nozzle, is the only drenching instrument suitable for administering Phenothiazine Drench. There is also the welcome news of the arrival of supplies of Elliott’s new 10 C.C. Vaccinating and Drenching Syringes. These dual purpose instruments will prove very popular indeed and are priced very moderately. Farmers are urged to send in their requirements at once so that the supplies, when they arrive, can be allocated and orders more quickly met. Full details of any, or all, of these instruments will be supplied on request without obligation. Enquiries and forward orders should go through stock firms or direct to the N.Z. Representatives Premier Products Ltd., Huddart Parker Bldg., Wellington.