ICj20.] 



Forage Crops of Denmark. 



3^7 



Grasses and Clovers. — As a natural sequel to his description 

 of Helweg's work on roots, Mr. Faber devotes his third chapter 

 to an account of the improvement which has been made in 

 grasses and clovers. The information is less detailed than that 

 contained in the preceding chapters, but contains much which 

 should be read with special care at the present time when we 

 are just discovering what great advantages accrue from the use 

 of indigenous races when laying land down to grass. Mr. Faber 

 starts by describing the work of P. Nielsen on the improvement 

 of pastures, and his researches to find appropriate mixtures 

 for seed leys ; but the greatest advance, the improvement of 

 races of grasses and clovers, was the direct result of the adapta- 

 tion of Helweg's methods to those crops, and was not begun 

 until 1908. In that year the State determined to arrange for 

 comparative cultivations of the above-mentioned crops in order 

 to discover the best races, the standard of comparison being 

 yield of hay. Foreign strains were included in the trials, but 

 here, again, home-grown seed always proved of greater worth. 

 As a result of the interest aroused by these trials, the acreage 

 devoted to grass-s ed culture has increased from 10,600 in 

 1901 to close upon 78,000 in 1919, and Denmark, from being a 

 large importer, has now become an exporter of grass and 

 clover seed. The majority of the seed, both for home and for 

 export, is grown by farmers' co-operative associations, and their 

 seed-cleaning establishment at Roskilde is imposing evidence 

 •of the excellence of their organisation. 



As an example of the confidence placed in the results of the 

 trials, it may be mentioned that the seed from the best Italian 

 rye-grass strain (Danish grown), in all 12 cwt., was sold in 1912 

 at the rate of about £450 per ton. 



Mr. Faber states that despite the short time that these 

 trials have been running, they " have done away not only with 

 the bad seed, but also with the dishonest and the ignorant seed- 

 merchants ; and, with them, have disappeared the florid 

 advertisements of indifferont strains with high-sounding 

 names " — truly a consummation much to be desired b}^ any 

 country. 



The Seed Trade. — The last chapter is devoted to " Guarantees 

 in the Trade in Seed." In it we are told something of the 

 development of the Danish Seed Testing Station between the 

 time of its foundation by E. Miller-Hoist until the present day, 

 when it is directed with infinite zest and capacity by Dr. 

 Dorph-Petersen. The origin of the Danish system of " auto- 

 matic control " is recounted, b\' which seed firms selling two- 

 thirds of the seed used in Denmark have voluntarilv bound 



