GRASS SEED SUPPLIES FOR UNITED KINGDOM

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 8 March 1917, Page 3

GRASS SEED SUPPLIES FOR UNITED KINGDOM

Cabled advice was recently received from the High Commissioner, London, ,to the effect that he was informed by the English Board of Agriculture that, owing to Denmark prohibiting the export of cocksfoot and other grasa-seed, supplies for the United Kingdom might be deficient. Sowing in New Zealand was suggested. A reply was forwarded by the Agricultural Department to the High Commissioner substantially as follows:—

The position, .as far as New Zealand is concerned, is that our exports of cocksfoot and rye-grass seed could be largely increased without special sowing by merely closing up . additional pastures for the purpose; but whether farmers would be prepared to do this would, of course, depend mainly upon the season the extent to which their pastures were stocked, and the price offered by th« United Kingdom, Another source of a arge quantity of oocksfoot-seed would, be the cutting of the enormous area growing in what may be described as odd corners. This, however, would require special organisation of the necessary labour, and would again be largely a matter of prioe. So far as the present season is concerned the amount of cocksfoot available for export from NewZealand to the United Kingdom will not be great, as it is unlikely that the crop is large. The local demand for cocksfoot will in all probability be comparatively small in 1938, and therefore a .large part of that harvested here in that season should be available for export. In normal times between 20,000 and 30,000 acres of cocksfoot is harvested in ITew Zaaland, and if the conditions are favourable next season a large crop should be secured.