COLLECTION OF ERGOT

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21583, 20 November 1941, Page 2

COLLECTION OF ERGOT

URGENT NEED FOR DRUG REQUEST FROM BRITAIN An intensive national drive is being made for the collection of ergot, from which is extracted valuable drugs used for medicinal purposes. A substantial part of Great Britain’s normal supplies have been cut off by the war, and New Zealand is practically the only alternative source of supply of any consequence. Ergot is a diseased transformation of the seed of grasses, but the col- i lection in New Zealand will be restricted to two varieties of grass, tall fescue and marram grass. The collection of ergot in the Dominion is being sponsored by the Department of Agriculture with the co-operation of a number of organisations, whose members are taking up the work with enthusiasm. At the meeting to inaugurate the campaign the bodies represented were the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, the Women’s Institutes, the Girl Guides, the Farmers’ Union, the Young Farmers’ Clubs’ Federation, the Grain and Seed Merchants’ Association, the r Boy Scouts’ Association, and the Departments of Agriculture, Scientific and Industrial Research, and Education. Patriotic Duty Mr R. B. Tennent, Director of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture, who presided, said that the campaign for the collection of ergot was being carried out at the request of the British Government, and those who participated were performing a patriotic duty. He stressed the necessity of confining collection to tall - lescue and marram grass, rp the ergot of a number of the other grasses were practically useless for medicinal purposes. The ergot gathered could be sold to any member of the Grain and Seed Merchants’ Association, and the price would be j according to grade. I In the discussion which followed |it was pointed out that the best : months to collect ergot were Decem- : ber and January. A pamphlet set- ! ting out the technique involved is bej ing distributed, and copies are availj able at any office of the Department l of Agriculture. It was urged that 'any person who has the facilities Vb | collect ergot should take part in this work.