PURITY OF FARM SEED

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1896, 3 November 1913, Page 10

PURITY OF FARM SEED

During tho solving period of last year tho British Board of Agriculture and Fisheries caused an inquiry to be made into the quality of somo of tho more ccmnion kinds of farm seeds, 'l'ho inquiry was directed mainly towards testing the quality of seeds that would bo supplied to persons making their purchases locally, and 208 samples were procured, of which 168 were purchased by one of the board's inspectors, ■'from' seventy-seven centres, and forty were forwarded by farmers. "l'tfty-six of the samples consisted of . seeds sold as English or Welsh ; red clover, thirty-ono wore white' Dutch clover, twenty-nine alsike, ton sainfoin, thirty-seven Ita'ian ryegrass, twenty- - three perennial ryegrass, ono cocksfoot, 'ono foxtail, and twenty mangold.. All the samples were analysed at the School of Agriculture. Cambridge University, with the following results;— Thirty samples of red clover contained dodder seeds, and in twenty it was present in considerable quantities; eight of the samples contained both Chilian and European dodder, while eighteen ' samples of wliite and nineteen of alsike . clover contained seeds of dodder. The average roal value of the clovei seeds (as calculated by the formula employed at Cambridge University) was, ior red clov-'r 67.3-1 per cent., white clover 50.6 per ccnt., and alsike 54.45 per cent., whiio out of the total of 116 samples of clover seeds analysed only elevon gave a real value of over 00 per i" cent. .

The average purity of tbs sainfoin 'seed was abovo 99 per cent., but owing f to indifferent germination the average real value of - the samples was reached to 45.8 per cent. Tlio real value figures for thp: samples'.'of Italian ryegrass averaged 79.24' per cent., and for tho samples of ' perennial ryegrass avoraged 72.5 per cent., wliilo the samples of cocksfoot end foxtail gave real values of 88 per cent, aud 61.2 per cent, rest ectively. Tho samples of mangold soed gavo an average germination of 116.45 per cent., the highest being 191 per cent, and tho lowest 52 per cent.

iWERAROA MILK RECORD BULLS. Tho special attention of nil those interested:in dairying is drawn to the sale of tho:AYeraroa State Farm bulls, to be offered at the farm on Tuesday. ; 'l'he"inajority of the 20 Holstein bulls have for their siro the champion bill! "Oak do Kol," second Homestead Forbes, and the other sires are "Canary l'aul, Fobos Homestead," "Sir de Kol, Inka Pieterje," -and "Pietjo 22nd, •Woodcrest Lad;" who is recognised as one of ,the world's greatest sires. The dam of this bull, "Pietjo 22nd," _ is said .to be one of the best importations from Holland into America,'and has an official record for six months of 13,6731b. milk, showing 453.281b. fat. , The whole of the Holstein bulls, whose ages range from nine to thirteen months, are in excollent order for the coming season, and tho public this year .will have the opportunity of seeina; ibe.ir dams, whose milking record will ba gjven at. time of sale. 'The two Shorthorn bulls are from the far-famed M 'Darbalara Estate" Milking Shorthorn herd, and as this breed of milkers is undoubtedly fast coming into prominence, fanciers should'take this opportunity of securing ono of theso animals at liis own price.

Following the usual.custom, tho sale will'be ;unreserved,' and will 'be couducted Jjy Messrs. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., auctioneers, Palmerston North. .CARTERTON SHOW. STOCK SALE. Messrs." W. .and G. Turnbull and Co., Ltd., report taring Md on Thursday, tit the Carterton Showgrounds, a successful tale, when they offered fat ewes and lamba nn account of exhibitors of the show.. There was a representative present, from each of the.companies and private firms operating in fat stock, in our .district, consequently bidding at auction was very animated and exceptional prices were realised. for first-quality stuff.. The firm offered and , sold UG, fat lambs and fat ewes. The following sales .were made:— On account J. and W. Fisher, i!l 10s., '£2 Is., SSL 25., SSI ss. Gd.,'.£2 65., '.£3 Is., ,£o 35., to £3 Us.; fat shorn ewes .£1 25.; fat woolly ewes, .£1 13s. On account W. Howard Booth—Lambs, SSI 135., .£3 25.; Tlibs, Ingley, .£3 is.; Colin Campbell, ;fat lambs; .£2 Is.. £2 '45.;" H. and C. ijforison, '.-£1 135.; E. and l H. Perry, .£3; Wiggins Bros.. £1, ■ ,iCI 3s. 6d., and .£1 ss. 6(1.; Alf. King, 18s. Gd. and 19s. 6d.; Harry Oatt, .£l, .£1 os;'Gd., .£1 7s. 6d.; J. itonoghan, ill ds.