H.B. GRASS-SEED HARVEST

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 151, 14 July 1937, Page 13

H.B. GRASS-SEED HARVEST

Figures for the Past Season RYEGRASS AND CLOVER The certiflcation of seed harvested in Hawke's Bay last summer has now been completed. The year has been a successful one generally and has been marked by a new record for the quantities of clover entered for certiflcation under the new system adopted by the Departmient of Agriculture. The high yields from Pedigree ryegrass areas was another reature, while for the first tiitte Montgomery Red clover made its appearance durlng the season on the record of harvested seed in this district. Many districts in Hawke's Bay share harvesting operations for the production of seed, and with the excellent returns obtained by the majority of growers it is certain that there will be a f urther # increase in future years. The growing of Montgomery Bed clover and Pedigree ryegrass and white clover for seed appear to offer particularly good rturns, while the possibility of harvesting subterranean clover is another avenue which will command attention in the future. Taking the Hawke's Bay district as a whole, 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 was certified as permanent pasture. Included in the mother seed was a certain percentage of seed obtained form areas sown down withi the Wovernment stoek seed and which will next year come under the hoading of pedigree seed. In addition to theso figures, a total of 1000 sacks, the equivalent of 7699 bushels, of rye was entered for certiflcation under the heading of commercial rye. Of tbis total 123 sacks wero rejected. 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 certiflcation to be given in three weeks from the time that the sample of seed was submitted as com* pared with a period of from 18 months to two years which was previously occupied in the planting out of the seed at Palmetston North and the carrying oulr of field trials That the new system is popular was proved beyond doubt during the recent season, the quantities oi ciover entered lor certiflcation proving easily a record for the district. Aetually thg amount. of clover eubmitted to the Department for certiflcation during the past season was 472 sacks a total of 78,6021b. From this entry 60 sacks the equivalent of 10,385 lb. were certified as mother seed and 268 sacks, equalling 43,2491b, were 'certified as permanent pasture. The rejections totalled 144 sacks or 247671b. There was a small quantity of seed harvested from Pedigro-. stock sown in the Hastings district t it season and this amounting to six suclcs, or 10301b, was duly certified as mother seed. As in the case of rye-grass, the seed from this area will next seaBon be certified as pedigree stock, providing, of course, that the quality of the seed produeed is satisfactory. Oue of the features of the season was the successful results obtained from tbo growing of an area of Montgomery Ked clover, a perennial which promises to increase greatly in popularity in coming seasons. Ten sacks of this seed were harvested during the $ear, representing a total of 19941b of seed. This gave an excelient return to the grower, and it is certain that there will be a considerable increase in the area sown for the production of this crop next season.