H,— 29,

APPENDIX A. Summary of Experiments laid down, discontinued, and carried on, 1st April, 1935, to 31st March, 1936.

SEED CERTIFICATION. Mr. J. H. Claridge, Certification Officer, supplies the following seed report:— The organization of seed certification, which in previous years has been undertaken by the Agronomy Section of the Plant Research Station on behalf of the Fields Division, has now become a direct responsibility of the Fields Division, and this report covers the first year's operations under the new supervision. Pedigree Seeds. —The certification of pedigree seeds has been a feature of the season's activities. Eight hundred bushels of Government pedigree stock perennial rye-grass seed was produced under certification, the total quantity having already been disposed of through trade channels. Orders have also been received for several hundred pounds of white clover seed produced under similar conditions, but the exact quantity of seed being harvested is not yet available. Contracts have been arranged for an increased area of both perennial rye-grass and white clover in the ensuing season, when it is hoped that a greater quantity of this specially raised seed will be available for distribution. Perennial Rye-grass. —The acreage of perennial rye-grass entered in the 1935-36 season for certification per medium of field inspection has shown an increase of 10 per cent, over the corresponding area for the previous season. In addition to this area, over 100,000 bushels of machine-dressed seed have been offered for certification in the "Commercial" class during the twelve months under review. Two-thirds of this quantity has been accepted as certified seed, an amount equivalent to the harvest of nearly 4,000 acres. The bulk of this seed was the produce of the 1934—35 season, but the number of lines already offered from this season's harvest would indicate that there is good prospect of a considerable increase in the quantity to be offered from the 1935-36 harvest. This scheme of certification was introduced only shortly before April, 1935, so that its development has been very rapid. Due to the unsettled weather, the harvest season has been rather late, but the germination of lines tested to date is better than was anticipated in view of the unfavourable conditions. Cocksfoot. —Cocksfoot entries are still coming to hand, so that it is too early to give any definite indication of the total acreage likely to be entered. The final figure for the 1934-35 season (7,886 acres) was higher than had been anticipated, and the area entered in the present season is still nearly 2,000 acres below that figure.

40

Number of Experiments. Type of Experiment. Discontinued 1st Laid down 1st . . gl f „ . As at dlst March, April, 1935, to 31st April, 1935, to 31st Aβ at 31st March, 1SWl> - March, 1936. March, 1938. m>6 ' 1. Pasture (observational) — (a) L.P.K. (including slag) ... 37 1 24 60 (6) L.P.K. .. . . .. . . 264 44 51 271 (c) L.P.K.N (new series) .... 50 26 Iβ 40 (d) L.P.K.N. (old series) .... 9 1 4 12 (e) Placement of phosphates .... .. .. 2 2 (/) Miscellaneous top-dressing . . 71 22 28 77 (g) Pasture establishment .... 11 2 1 10 (h) Strain trials .. .. . . 66 11 40 95 Grazing trials ...... 8 4 . . 4 Seed-production ...... 2 . . I 3 Inoculation of legumes . . . . 101 28 50 123 Whangamomona series .... 10 10 Mowing trials ...... 1 . . .. 1 Miscellaneous . . .. .. I 11 7 20 24 2. Experiments at Marton — Mowing trials . . . . . . 11 2 . . 9 Observational top-dressing .... 6 2 . . 4 Strain trials ...... 2 . . . . 2 Fodder crops ...... I .. .. 1 3. Lucerne manuring ...... 5 I 5 9 4. Crops— Potato variety ...... 7 7 2 2 Origin of seed-potato trials .... 11 9 . . 2 Potato manuring .. .. .. 6 9 16 13 Swede and turnip variety and manuring 11 9 5 7 Rape types. . .. .. . . 10- 9 . . 1 Wheat manuring ...... 1 . . 7 8 Wheat variety ...... 29 26 7 10 Rate of seeding ...... 9 9 Mangel manuring ...... 1 .. .. 1 Mangel variety ...... 1 .. .. 1 Oat variety........ 1 2 7 6 Oat manuring .. .. . . .. . . 2 2 5. Feed-flavour investigations : N. treated . . . . . . 1] 11 Feed-flavour investigations : Miscellaneous . . .. 30 30 6. Disease control .. . . . . . . . , 11 11 Control of ragwort ...... .. 1 3 2 Pampas-grass investigations .... . . .. 27 27 Ceresan treatment of cereals .. . . 13 35 32 10 Miscellaneous ........ 5 2 8 11 771 279 410 902 I