FARM SCHOOL.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18420, 29 June 1925, Page 5

FARM SCHOOL.

METHVEN SESSION. The Canterbury and North Otago Farm School organised by the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture, opened its fhst sessions on Friday morning in the Anglican Parish Hall, Methven, before an attendance of about 50 farmers and others. The staff of the School are Messrs A. H. Cockayne, Director of Fields Division, F. E. Ward, Instructor in Agriculture, A. W. Hudson, B.Ag., 8.50., J. Kerrigan, M.R.C.Y.s., and J. G. Cook. Mr J. It. Dalton, chairman of the Methven Branch of the Hew Zealand Farmers' Union, welcomed the staff, and formally opened, the 'School. Messrs R. J. Low (president A. and P. Association) and Jag. Carr (cha.rman Mt. Hutt Road Beard) also spoke. The first tho syllabus was by Mr F. F. Ward, onP Crop Growing and Manures." The lecturer also used a series of lantern slides and dealt in detail with the result of experiments in growing wheat, rape and turnip crops, with different kinds of manures, and in different quantities. At the end of the lecture a general discussion took place, Mr Ward enlarging on the various points raised in tho questions. After tho luncheon adjournment members of the School motored to Mr R. J. Low's, ''Aberdeen," Highbank, for the purpose of a descriptive lecture on tho Clydesdale horse by Mr H. E. B. AVatson, cf Tai Tapu. A very interesting lecture ensued, amply illustrated by Mr Low's team of horses for demonstration purposes. Pending Mr Watsou's arrival Mr Low gave a short descriptive lecturo on Border-Leicester sheep, illustrating it by sheep from his own stud flocks. At tho conclusion of the lecture Mr and Mrs Low entertained the School to afternoon tea, and on tho motions of Mr J. W. M. Dart and Mr J. R. Dalton, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Messrs Watson and Low. The School then returned to Tiethven, where another lecture on the "Diseases of the Breeding Ewe," wa3 delivered by Mr J. Kerrigan, M.R.C.V.S., Chief Veterinarian for Canterbury.

In the evening another of a series of lectures was delivered by Mr A. 11. Cockayne, Director of Agriculture. Fifty farmers were present, and listened to the lecture with gic.it interest. The subject was "Wheat Diseases," more especially Lcose and Stinking Smut, and Hessian Fly. Lantern slides materially afsisted to make clear the salient features of the diseases under review. At the close of the lectuer questions weer invited and answered. A lecture by Mr K. W. Gorringe on "Swine Management" was also to have been given, but the lateness of the hour prevented this, and it will be given at a later period' in the course.