CO-OPERATION IN PLANT IMPROVEMENT

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 1 May 1914, Page 6

CO-OPERATION IN PLANT IMPROVEMENT

A. W. Green,

The plant-selection work at the Ruakura Farm of Instruction has been greatly stimulated by the spontaneous co-operation of many farmers and gardeners who have visited the farm and have become interested in the efforts there being made to secure improved and more vigorons types of plants for the farm and garden. Some of the best types secured have been forwarded by these cooperators in the plant-improve-ment campaign.

Last year a variety of potato received from Mr London, and >: named Maori Chief, exhibited a very decided blight-resistant , power. This variety was a sport of the Northern Star. Another good potato was received from Mr Thomas Elliott, of Gisborne^the Rubicund —a good biight-re-sister and a heavy-yielding rosecoloured tuber of good culinary quality. Some years ago there was a strain of Rubicund which was discarded owing to its being a very light yield'er. Mr Elliott's strain is vastly superior. MrG.; V. Tate, of Waitara, has suppliedi many seeds of high standard'varieties, among them being the ; Yielder oat, Fison's Blue Stem' wheat, and named varieties of onions and lettuce, one of the former —a shallot—being of ex-' ceptional quality. A capital of ' Southern Cross potato was supplied by Mr E. Bond, of Auckland, about four years ago. Ithas proved^ the best blight-resister of high table quality grown atf-' Ruakura. Mr H. Ross, of Ham-" ilton, ha.= forwarded many high class garden seeds, some of which are the progeny of varieties improved by selection by Mr Ross. A Wellington gardening enthusiast, Mr G. H. Davies, has sent seed of a selected variety of silver-beet, which is of a decidedly improved quality on the samenamed variety previously grown at Ruakura. Selected artichokes peas and beans have also come from Mr Davis. Mr Webster, of Rototuna, has supplied varieties of barley, wheat, oats which are promising very well. The Marquis wheat is probably the best of them Mr Webster has aFso supplied a number of vegetable- ' seeds MrR Gunson, of Auckland, forwarded several varieties of Mammoth red clover. Messrs i"Jfi T d °0 -' the Auckland seed firm, have supplied seedt'of A. Allison, of Wanganui^who has also presented seeds of a tiees. Mr James Flemminff of ' Halcombe, has sent three V arietes of potatoes, two of whichQueen of the Veldt and Stefof Halcombe— are doing welk_jLd pea, unnamed, came from Mr"L of Auckland. Mvj\'^' H the leading clovei^n'i, °T °f Plots at the ExMMtor, ?°T wlnVh iQ oi, , IDltl°n» and oa» RuatStf Two^J6^^ 6ll^ ■ came from Mr eß° fluC f ern? Blenheim. The'o « Dysay\ f strains -of Cblonia? Tr^^ ■ ■ °f good qualih i - ey are sidevable vtw'- showin S con- , therefore been ol°' liav^ tion-woi at 1^ f eD fol> selec- ■■ I>eas. Irenes of garden