Galway In Days Gone By

1921

Home-grown apples

Of the many kinds of fruit in cultivation, the apple is perhaps the most generally grown in this country, but up to recent years it was only a few districts in the south and north of Ireland that the fruit was grown extensively for commercial purposes, with the result that we had to depend mainly on imported fruit to supply local demands.

The amount of money paid out of this country alone must run into several thousands of pounds annually for foreign fruit that could easily be grown at home.

The exhibits of beautiful apples staged at our local agricultural shows go to prove that this fruit can staged at our local agricultural shows go to prove that this fruit can be grown successfully in County Galway, and we are glad to know that in Mountbellew and other districts several new orchards have been established in recent years.

This work, when extended throughout the country will eventually have the effect of cutting out the foreign fruit, thereby saving the country thousands of pounds annually as well as providing an important article of diet for our own population.

Defective seed

Reports to hand regarding our corn crops are not very satisfactory. Farmers, looking for an exploration, are inclined to blame, amongst other things, the weather, and the wire-worm.

Although in some cases failure may be due to these cases failure may be due to these causes, we are satisfied that the trouble is mainly due to bad seed. Looking back on last season, we find that the corn crop was sowed late in the spring, and that when threshed many of the grains were blind, and others not fully matured.

As a proof of this contention, we can cite cases of farmers who, this year, got from outside sources small parcels of seed, showing a high percentage of growth. This they sowed under the same conditions as their own seed.

In the case of the tested seed the crop is satisfactory, while in many cases the farmers’ own seed is either a partial or total failure. We bring this matter to the attention of our readers as it is of great importance to the farmer, and a subject about which it is difficult to convince him.

The result is plain this year in the case of the oats crop. But it should be remembered that the loss through neglect of testing in the case of ryegrass, clovers and root seeds, though hardly so noticeable, is also very great.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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