Improved Type of Cocksfoot

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 20, 25 January 1937, Page 2

Improved Type of Cocksfoot

LINCOLN COLLEGE WORK CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 20. Lincoln College has produced an improved typo cocksfoot by selection and breeding from existing types. Today a 12-acre crop of the new cocksfoot grown by the college on Mr Edgar Stead’s property at Ricearton was being harvested. The seed will. be used for sowing more extensive areas this season and it is expected that it will be put on the market in one or two years. The work of producing the new type has continued for some years. The plant has been bred for its leafage or pasture purpose qualities under grazing conditions. It has a good dense crown and uniformly fine leaf. At the same time it is high producing, giving a greater quantity of herbage a year, with a better distribution over the year, than ordinary cocksfoot. It also promises to be quite a good seed-producer. The type has been developed from tho whole range of cocksfoot, including peninsula cocksfoot by selection and cross-fertilisation. The breeding has been done by Dr. F. W. Hilgendorf and Mr J, W. Calder and the propagation

work has been in the hands of Mr A, H. Flay, the farm advisory officer at the college. This improved type has been included in the certification scheme of the Department of Agriculture. Hitherto the work has been done at the plot of Linsoln College, but now that large quantities are required the college has not sufficient land for such a seed crop, consequently other areas, 15 acres in all, have been used. The sowing of these areas for seed is J the first organised attempt at the pro-1 pagation of the new line on a commercial scale. The 12 acres on Mr Stead’s property were sown last autumn with 151 b of seed and 3cwt of fertiliser to tho acre. After summer fallow tho crop made excellent growth throughout and was topdressed in the spring. Harvesting the crop presented some difficulty as the leafage was more than two j feet high, even after being beaten dowu by rain and wind. Single leaves taken ' at random yesterday were from 3ft 6ia. to 4ft. long. Cutting at the usual maximum height of 14 inches or so with an ordinary reaper and binder was impos sible, accordingly a binder was adap ted to cut at 2ft., leaving most of the leavage intact.