MESSRS YATES AND CO., SEED MERCHANTS, AUCKLAND.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 261, 19 March 1898, Page 4

MESSRS YATES AND CO., SEED MERCHANTS, AUCKLAND.

We are in receipt of Messrs Yates and Co.'s price list of firm seeds for autumn, 1898. The brochure contains illustrations of thested fi.r.m at Maotere and Papatoitoi and o'. the various clovers and grasses slocked by the firm. These sec 1 faims have been established for the good purpose of testing all kinds of farm and garden seeds, and for the growing tf select varieties of seeds, many of which the firm have great difficulty in getting pure from professional growers. "In hamling you our price list for the coming Autumn it gives us pleasure " says the firm," to state that neatly all the leading grass and clovers are low in price. This is as it should be considering how low farm produce is. Expecting a busy season, we have made extensive preparations to cope nidi a rush of orders ; and if our customers will scud us their orders in good time thoy may rely upon them being executed promptly and well." TRIAL OK GRASSES SUITAIiLE FOR TOOK LAXDS IN" AUCKLAND. Present Results.—We referred in our previous Catalogues to these ti ials of grasses which we are conducting with the object of finding out the most suitable varieties for poor clay soils, and sorts that will withstand the hot, dry summers we get in the North. The " A" trials were surface sown after burn ing off light ti-trec, part of the land having a licht dressing of bonednst with 8 per cent, of potash. With "B" trial the land was ploughed and harrowed twice previous to sowing, manure being added as in trial "A " over part of each trial. The land in " C" and "D" trials was draiued in addition to being ploughed and harrowed as in trial " B". The "D" trial was treated with 2Jcwt. Bonednst and 8 per cent, of potash to the acre, the "C" trial being sown without manure. "E" trial has been treated same as "D," but in addition we have grown a crop of mustard, which has been ploughed in, ami re-sown with mustard and clover, which has also been turned under, and the trials sown after rolling, etc. The results of "A" trials show that very few grasses will grow on this land without niaoure. Red Top, Fiorin, Cocktfoot, CJhewing's Fescue, Fine-leaved Fescue, Danthonia, Lotus Major, and Corniculatus, Creased Dogstail, Poverty Bay Ryegrass, Alsyke, and White Clovers have done the best without manure, but they have done ever so much better where the manure was used. We could not secure a sample of Poa Browuii or Eatstuil to sow at time of planting these trials, but both of these grasses are doing well on similar land. •In the " B," "C," and " D " trials the results also show the ncccetsity of using manure, aid in most cases the growth is weak if manure h»3 not been used. The "E" trials are looking perhaps better than the others, as the land had been worked more, and the green manuring is very noticeable. These trials are on poor, dry soil, and we do not wish our customers to run away with the idea that such grasses as Foxtail, Meadew Fescue, Timothy, Cowgrass, and many of the better grasses, will not do in the North, a? they are by far the best to sow if the land i 3 fair or good and sufficiently moist.