PERENNIALISED ITALIAN RYE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1387, 13 March 1912, Page 8

PERENNIALISED ITALIAN RYE.

AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT.

An interesting experiment is being conducted by Mr. \V. G. l'earce, of Colyton, who, according to Hie "Rangitikei Advocate," has grown ten acres of perennialized Italian ryegrass, and it is believed lie is the only farmer in the Dominion who has done so. The seed was obtained from the firm of Hodder and Tolley, agents for Gartons, who produced the seed after fourteen years' experimenting. This new grass is the result of a cross between Italian ryegrass and perennial ryegrass, a,'id its distinguishing features aro perennial habit, rapidity of growth, enormous hay production, and dense succulent herbage. Mr. _ l'earce has a splendid crop, vihich lias been cut and ready for threshing for over a month, but weather conditions have prevented the operations. Tho crop is all tho more remarkable, seeing that Mr. Pearce, thinking his experiment more or less a failure, twice grazed it off. Government officials who havo seen- the crop are so pleased that Mr. Pearce has been asked to supply the Department with several bushels, but as he is bent on still further experimenting, it is doubtful if ho can comply with the request, unless tho threshing proves more successful than anticipated. A sample sheaf brought into Feilding shows that this grass grows to a great height, and is much denser than the' old breed of perennial ryegrass. Speaking of the new grass, the official agricultural analyst for Groat Britain says: "The results of hybridising are most interesting. The chemical composition and constitution of the product differ very materially from the parentsItalian and perennial. The normal albumenoids of both are lowered, while the sugar and other carbohydrates aro materially increased. The constituents of this hybrid aro more available than in either Italian or perennial, consequently this new breed must be—and is—a more valuable food than cither of the parents."