GRASS SEED.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9114, 6 April 1908, Page 6

GRASS SEED.

ADULTERATED SAMPLES. Press Association. Auckland, April 3. The question- of the manner in which the farmer is defrauded in the purchase of seed, was brought up at this afternoon’s meeting of the Auckland Agricultural Association. Mr J. Massey, the president, said that there had been a vast quantity of grass seed coming to Auckland, which was of very inferior quality. Mr Yates, of the firm of Arthur Yates and 00.. said that he had made a test of the cocksfoot sample before the meeting. To the casual , observer it looked to be a very fair sample, but on examination it proved to be comprised of only 57 per cent, of genuine cocksfoot, 29 per cent, of rye grass, and the remainderwas simply waste. Mr Pond, Government Analyst, also gave an interesting statement _ regarding the germinating power of seed which he had analysed. He gave a simple illustration of the best way to test the sample. It was, he said, only natural that seedsmen should refuse to take any responsibility when selling seed, but lie contended that the sellers should make a test such as he had just demonstrated, and then give the result to the farmer when he made his purchase. The farmer would then have a better idea of the werth of the seed he was®buying. Mr Robert Hail said that in the North the question of pure seed was a very serious one, such large areas were being put down every year in permanent pasture, Mr Massey contended that this question was more serious than would be generally realised. Last season he knew of a case in which a farmer had received a parcel of cocksfoot, of which only 10 per cent germinated. Mr Garland said the sample before them was a very bad one, and there a dozen “foreigners” in the sample he had and the percentage of genuine cocksfoot was very light indeed. It was resolved to forward to the Department of Agriculture a sample of the seed in question and ask for a Government analysis.