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Seed Certification. —Coincident with, the decline in pasture-seed production generally, declines are also shown in the quantities of certain of these species certified. The following table shows the quantities of the various seeds certified in 1947 and in 1948 respectively:— Seed. 1947. 1948. Perennial rye-grass .. 1,015,804 bushels 565,562 bushels. Italian rye-grass .. 178,941 bushels 32,154 bushels. Short-rotation rye-grass.. 174,443 bushels 83,225 bushels. Cocksfoot .. .. 469,317 lb. v 485,8691b. Brown-top .. .. 563,9391b. 379,3491b. Timothy .. .. 37,5051b. 15,0311b. White clover .. .. 3,182,9361b. 2,993,0901b. Montgomery red clover .. 519,344 lb. 598,957 lb. Cow-grass .. .. 303,6071b. 693,7601b. Subterranean clover .. 34,3371b. 155,8981b. Lucerne .. .. 2,1941b. 20,1051b. Seed wheat .. .. 98,963 bushels 113,251 bushels. *Seed maize .. .. 806 bushels Rape .. .. 487,2221b. 494,4561b. *Turnip .. .. 9,3101b. 94,3931b. *Swede .. .. 295,2551b. 340,4911b. Chou moellier .. .. .. 26,0511b. Onion seed .. .. 5,0001b. 14,5871b. Seed potatoes .. .. 6,799 tons 8,515 tons. *Kale .. .. .. 13,7641b. *TMs seed is termed " Government approved." The falling-off in the quantities of the various rye-grass seeds certified can be attributed in part to the restricted opportunity for export in 1947 and in part to the seasonal conditions affecting yields. The reduced supply of certified timothy seed is due in part to the ageing of the areas initially established. As further areas are sown out with the pedigree strain, increased production of certified seed may be expected. The output of certified cow-grass seed has increased very considerably. This is likely to extend still further when supplies of the pedigree strain recently released become more widely distributed. Some very heavy yields of subterranean-clover seed were experienced in the 1948 harvest, but most seasons are not so favourable to the harvesting of this seed. The increase in the production of certified lucerne seed reflects the wider distribution of the pedigree strain now being grown commercially. Production of seed maize is confined to the growing of supplies of seed by the Department. The disastrous floods general in the Gisborne district in 1948 were responsible for ruining all supplies of Government approved seed maize being produced that season. Fluctuations in the quantity of Government approved turnip and swede seed produced are the result of adjustments in acreage to meet estimated requirements taking into account the stocks of each variety carried over from the previous harvest. General.—The Agronomy Section provides the detailed supervision required by the Department in the export and import of agricultural seeds. In general, imports are restricted to the actual needs of the country, while the only restriction placed on exports is to ensure that local requirements are satisfactorily met. During the year, the Barley Advisory Committee, the Onion Marketing Advisory Committee, the Potato Advisory Committee, and the Small Seeds Advisory Committee continued their work and gave

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