HAWKES BAY RYEGRASS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 17 January 1931, Page 4

HAWKES BAY RYEGRASS

| .: A SHORT CROP In view of the fact that there was a Considerable purchase by Canterbury farmers last year of Hawkcs Bay ryegrass, at the exceptionally high price of from 18s to 22s a bushel, it is interesting to learn that this year’s crop promises to show a reduction in weight. The “Napier Wa.ily Telegraph” says that the yield in many cases' will be' light, and this, coupled with the amount of undergrowth to be handled, will mean fairly costly harvesting for correspondingly low production. Farmers off the flats who shut up for seed have found in most cases that thqir crops are entirely unsuitable. There was a good showing of rye in the earlier part of tho season, but through the dry weather many of these erdps withered completely out without flowering. The fact that these areas are unsuitable will effect the yield of the district to some extent. Even on the flats it is difficult to find a uniformly ripened paddock. The late rains seemed to .bring out a second growth, which came away some time after. This cannot mature and ripen at the

same time as the other—in fact, some of it is still in flower—and will result in a certain amount of loss. The avera .j C vipld per acre last year off the mill was 1(1.8 bushels and the average yield for machine-dressed seed was 8.7 bushels per acre. This applies only to certified seed, totalling 147 lines. THE CANTERBURY CROP There is reason to believe that the Canterbury crop of certified Hawkcs Bav ryegrass will yield quite satistaetorlly." Its more forward growth in the earlv spring prepared it better for the hurried ripening that was created by the drying winds of the last month. It was estimated some time ago by the Canterbury Fields Superintendent of, the Department of Agriculture, Mr R. McGillivray, that about 500 acres of certified Hawkcs Bay seed would be harvested in Canterbury this season. At about 25 to 30 bushels to the acre this should offset any Hawkcs Bay shortage. The conditions under which the seed is grown in Canterbury are better than in the North, in that it has not to contend with so much undergrowth, and it consequently loses less in the dressing.