BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 May 1918, Page 5

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.

SHORTAGE OF SWEDE AND TURNIP SEED. QUESTION OF WHEAT-GROWING.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Board of Agriculture, after going exhaustively into the question of the supply of turnip and swede seeds, decided to issue a warning to fanners that j tiiere would probably be a shortage for the 1918 sowing, and to make the suggestion that they should reserve a portion of their crops for seed purposes. The position with regard to the li)lu supplies was still doubtful, hut it seemed extremely probable that Great Britain would be short, and attempts were, being made to persuade merchants and farmers to prow at least a thousand acres of turnips for seed, to be harvested about next December or January. So far as rape is concerned, there appeared to be a better supply i n store w> fulfil the 15)13 requirements, but there wa every indication that the 1919 supply would have to be largely made up from locally-produced seed. The Board resolved to write to thMinister of Agriculture stating that it considered the prospect of growing sui l cient wheat for next season was being seriously endangered by the uncertainty prevailing through the Government not gazetting the price to be paid for next season's crop. It was also decided to recommend the Government should follow the procedure established by the British Government in guaranteeing a fair price for a term of years, to ensure a sufficient quantity of wheat being i grown to meet the requirements of the Dominion.