NORWEGIAN OAT.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 289, 14 July 1875, Page 2

NORWEGIAN OAT.

We, Southern Cross, have had our attention drawn to the fact that there has just arrived in Auckland a parcel of the real Norwegian oat. Some time ago Southern telegrams informed us that this oat had been introduced into the province of Otago, and that the results of trials made had not belied ■ their Yankee fame. For ■several years past extraordinary prices have been paid in America and other places for seed samples of this oat, but it is satisfactory to learn that parcels of seed can now be obtained in Auckland at moderate prices. A well-known agriculturist, Mr. John Reid, Elderslie, Oamaru, Otago, writes thus respecting his experience with this variety of oat: —“ The Norwegian is certainly the most prolific oat which I have ever had to do with. The yield on a very rough broken piece of land of 340 acres was 28,000 bushels, many pieces yielding over 100 bushels per acre. I only sowed for seed one bushel per acre. I have sent to Melbourne about 10,000 bushels, and have sold a . considerable quantity here.” Messrs. W. J. Hurst and Co., seedsmen, Auckland, have obtained a parcel of this oat, and we are informed that many of our leading settlers have obtained a supply of seed from them. The grain is very large, free from awns, and is reported to be better for hay-making purposes than the common Tartarian oat. Of course, no experience has yet been obtained in the province as to how the Norwegian oat will grow, but the experience obtained in so many different countries, with such variety of climate, goes far to prove that the introduction of this oat will be a great advantage to our farmers.