FARM INTERESTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 577, 4 August 1909, Page 5

FARM INTERESTS.

AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE. '* ? IMPORTANT SUBJECTS DISCUSSED. « i i ( ROOT, CROPS AND TrfE PESTS. 1 * t THE MINISTER AND FROZEN MEAT. • ;A bienmaliconferonce of farmorß represontj ■ ing the' New 'Zealand Agricultural /Societies' t • . • vas beguii yostorday everting.'s tfo-WeJlu'g-: ion Chambej Commerce'room: - Mr. J. G. J .Wilson (Bulls) presided m-.the initial stages, j , md the names jjt' tho; other delegates wero c published in yesterday's.issue.} • < : Tho Minister for Agriculture; the Hon. T., 1 bers iheads,■ .including « Messrs;,' Pope; (seOretary), i'Clifton .(Expert- J ment Farms); Kirk\(biology), Cuddle (dairy-, j ing), Aston''(chomistry),, Bisset (publica- 1 tions), etc ' j TlliE CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS. { t < -In his address the president, Mr. J. G. :V .WilsonjJ.said 'tfaat 1 ' at' the f Jast 1 - Agricultural, j i Conferehce, held in Wellington on.July. 30, i 19Q7,:.twenty-sis- A. and- P. Associations were t represented; by. forty-one .delegates, and, tt, ) ' . tvas generally ~ agreed. ..that; the conference j \as'i on«.'of/'the.,most interesting . ;»nd,;Biooe&'fi^;f^titiliasY©v©rr'_-li6Bia.-Md.v/.'At. i < (hat :conference Mr.. . <C.. J. Reakes, ( JI.R.CjV.Si, read a , most ■ excellent paper on ■. Queensland; tiok, and Mr., J; ■ A. ,Gili;utu ; : ' (Chiof/. Veterinarian) expressed, the opinion £ that there was a risk- importing, the. tiol> if.- Queensland 'fodder were ;allowed free .in-, gress to this country.' ;At the close of .an ln'tereatingdebate.a^notion,was,agreed to„ask- . ! ' . ing the' Government, to prohibit the lmporta- ( lion- of'any ■ goods; considered by, the expert r nkely to . convoy the/ tick., ■ The report or the committeo on telephones ' ~ Iras that the Telegraph Department had . , given /effect ..to';,tho recommendation- the. / tonforeiice bv abolishing-the fees for. switch-. ing private lines on to, burea.u lines, and for transmitting.-telegrams over ' "private lines, ; ■ ''whioh 'Would -bo agreat -booai.to the oountry BOttler3. ' ;'i"i I Fires. j ■ A committee-was also- set up to deal , with , the' quffltlon-'of 'fireSj-.and 'they ' recomrnended ' legislation as -follows-.—VThat; whosoever ;g- . mtesi'usesj,or carnosiivhen ignited,, any .in- , ■ flammable jmterialrjbyi;discharge^of-'.firearms - ■ * or.otherwise (within,'.loo yards, of ;«iny stacks, j of corii; piils'e, hay, or standing crops,'.' or , - plantations in ; an 'inflammable, condition, ; . or , within')• 22 yards of 'any growing jrops, stubble)field/,0r,-/grass;,land-r-T^vhen.in an .m-, ■ flammable 25 yards ;.of. , /' : ■ felled tiniber./awaiting a. running fire), '.where- ~ . by.•• property; of ; any person is .'endangered, in- .; "> ' ju red,-fror 7 destroyed, shall, for .such' offence., , • i be liable to lav penalty 'not: exceeding £50, Or , '• ' labour, for aiiy period-not exceeding three months.-. That any'person sustaining damage, ~ by.fire'may-demand-an-immediate invcstiga- : ■ . >: •••tldS i: li^ ( l-'a, ;• ;. ,view, .of ll .ascertain of - such sre,' . the'extent of-, damage sustained,-and the. \ ' amount-:of -compensation-)" that /.-'could. oe ' claimed ' againstthe -- persons'.'voausing;-. the ■ 6ame.":;,This- was'-accordingly'done,'but up to'the, present no action had been' taken 'n ; 'the<matter:■ -v ;yr-. ■ , ~ Organisation. The "resolution , of > last conference m' the direction of forming, a Permanent Committeo ; ■ with representatives fr'om ; : afßliatea bodies ' i ' had not bebn'fourid practicable. Consider•V: Table': delay ensued before the various bodies . ; v:, appointed their representatives; the difficulty . . -was"accentuated bylthe' fact.that' t : in.'certain '.caseslthe,motion only proVided'fOT.ohe mem- - ■ her to represent two separate districts, which " led- to'a little friction. • It was found quito : •; ! jinpracticabte!;to"getiracVV^|f l i :■■ ■■ committee ob- - fi- tain any ;di^te'-',iwblt^rttn.\Jii^^P.^ift6;; of tbe J sociations of the Ddmmion ;--.by correspond-, once. The mattcr;w.ould;-.obpe T ipiagam.-dur-. ing the present conference ' ' ' Agrlci(ltural Eduoatfon. • Dealing with 1 the question of "agricultural-, ■ education,^'Mr..,Wilson;'said :, ''The s , I wish to; emphasise is that we have no Chair ■ of universities.','. Is : : ' it'not ■Sextraqrdinarjrf ;• thjs.; ; immense -value htoi.our-Dominion of 'this - in-.' ~ ■ V dustry -(I need not quote you. the amount of , our produce-from.the land we are able to ex•port, after feeding and clothing tho people) V. .' that. weSale: : so belatedhave.;pliairs or Schools of Art, .and every . conceivable thing,'but not for. agriculture.; This " ' conference, in . 1903.urged'the .Government to, ; include '. agrioiil'tiifei in-Hhe' - schools : curriculum, and .beginningVtheiwhble of ;later.-}irir-'' ' 'pursuits! iNearly over'y-ronOYofi:'the I \school'; : boards'have now an instructor who does ?no- -; thing .elso hut idevote : his -energies to that branch.of the' board's.work:; •The other, day,- ■ • a meeting at/ Timam : of' representatives of •local .' bodies .recommended -.the: ap- ' pointment of an agricultural instructor, even : if £500 has'tovbo paid for-himi School:gar.dens are to be soen nearly everywhere in the Dominion, and.noticed that the agricultural instructor visited a school lately in the ■ V; ;. r We]ling : toh^'proyiric'e , ' with ; li-.'view;'ofr advising. • how the school. grounds could be beautified. ■; proposed Professorship. : V that,;/agriculture, (jaiuiot ■ ;,be taught in a' class-room, and there must bo a 1 : -' cpirtbiiiation -:6f - practical ' outdoor - experiment, and research work besides lectures, but that !•• Y seems' to me to present no insuperable difli- . , ciilties. If there was a Chair in ChHstchurch, ; :■> it is only a ■ short distance to Lincoln College, where, demonstrations • and experiments . might be easily carried out; in conjunction ■:i 1 with' the;authorities: there. / If in . Welling- .j ton, there is land at Trentham/ or there is. the experimental ifarm at-Levin, which-could-X: easily. :sparei;sufßciejit;area-:ifor ; ; experimental - ■ , Si culture., Ifin Dunedin . or Auckland, ar- ■ rangoments dould'be ma'de to get land, I am • . , . surej jiHthout difliculty,' .either; by. gift or, -if : •'nothing'was thus availablej- by renting a ;por- , , . tioii of a farm. ; , How 'are we otherwise going to-.teach our young, men the principles, of ' agriculture?-- . How; - .are / you ; going to , equip tho teachers to go out into the coun-;V:/-:tr'y;-;'and-'interest j'tfie -pupils: in "nature; study, and tho. cfops and agriculture , they c see 'arQund r themi' -Even 1 , those-, w;ho'go into ,the. cities to teach are-the; better of this know- : i ledge, for cities, al-e-as,.,much interested as | 1 -' ' ■ tho farmers i in crops, for their livelihood depends, on them. • • How -are you going to ■ train meil to manage your experimental farms ? • ■ The managers of those farms are, I -believe, " - good men, but any training they have they have given- themselves. If our ooroperativo ' . experiments are to*:be extended, as I . think they ought to be, how are you going to get trained men to conduct them ?:• We have even < had-to. import .all the directors at Lincoln College—there have-been-; four; to, my knowledge. ■ Mr, Buchanan's 1 Offer, ' • .. '"I <was lately at' a;• country;school, where a friend and I ■ had tried to creato an in..V. tcrest in draught horses, by giving a demonstration -.before. tho scholars. as to the points ' ' 'of-.Horses,, and I discussed school gardens • .with/the teapher. 'jHe..said;-he.wanted'. very .• much to 'learn how to start experiments ; arid teach the children !to -garden, ' but - he ;, know . nothing of gardening and farming. He had been teaching all-his life,: but had ; / in . the* way 'of ,-learriipg anything .of these';subjects/.'; True,;'the'.teachers at the Training Colleges'have • a : tiny - piece • of ' ground which they can cultivate at-Wellinc- •:, ton; .'it' ; is- not.'much' more thari■.a' few yards square. But it should bo''noted, that there is scarcely-'a-Professor- of ;Agriculturo else- , where.v.'bo has a ; farm .close.'to his .university and ",college j';they have . experimental;:farms, ■ but"nearly all detached /from .the 'college; ' The farm in connection'with tho , West of ; Scotland Agricultural College ■ at Glasgow in ■ connection with the University is at Ivil- - marhbek. The Nowcastlo- Agricultural College' has a farm-several miles: away at Cocklc PaTk; and so 1 on. There should be no difference here, and l am sure that.if Mr. ■ Buchanan were to; renew, .his offer, of, an experimental farm in tho ,?iVairarapa , to tht . university, _ for /.the purpose- of. training ti."?b?rF eiiablina farmers'' sons to taw

a winter-course : (they, of course, want the f class-room 'teaching moro than the practical,, t -.- fprvth6'y; learn .side ..at. thoir j ' parents':,..farms) j;- lie : would be, doing more ; ■ good ••'than? giving, it to. tho ..Government, i who,' so far, hay.e;.refused '-to.;accept .'-it: What .: a; benefit: to,'overy, 0110 of the : professors if i :th'ey 'cdilld'-.take'; I ;their':'class!;'., up ; into the; c couritrj' l as- a\charige,"from".tho'-diisty. town. 1 How Mr. .Grey (Principal.-of the Training t Ocftlege): .would . revel'- in;- the .thought 'of i •being able to take a class of toaclieis to 1 tlie country .for "a' ; week or:-a fortnight; i : . "Men We Have Lost." / ( j. .] V.'Evemif. wo cannot Chair of'Agricul- < f;, turd ■at oncej' certainly- every • training college ' / piece of; land -in-tho -country J ii liadhtlio man to ' fill-. the Chair Lowrie),.-. and we .< 1 let him slip away from, us. ! .He" is ,not tho 1 1 only man: we' liave last whom, wo should ' ... have retained at ;any ; ;cost.',: Ten 'years ago 1 . the 'question:-was-"-raised: at. Chnstchurch : A. .'and *. Conference: that' we'-.should have ' to ; i ' some of our universities, and Mr. Holmes ] moved a resolution 'asking' for'-the ; Govern- ;] merit .'to.'make: provision for: it. V ;\Ve, - have i - beon; talking--about. it ever- since; .yet no- I thing:-.has .-been-dona.- Meanwhile:'wo'have i ' had. a man who, did a., great'deal;.to teach . " the farmers through the. Veterinary ..Depart- j ment, arid "who/having gained knowledgq of .] V cur requirements, and conditions :of life,. .] j' : was ■ suited- for' the i position tit .-j !. professor in, connection with .the Gliair. The i I Victorian authorities, .however;, .offered hun , * the post 'at Melbdurno 'wo j " have lost Mr. Gilruth. What is our. loss i 5,..: J however, their .gain; -And it is not such j 5 a distance to -Melbourne. Why should we ; ..not; therefore,-..take advantage;:of.-'Professor' >'" Gifruth's teaching, even .if it is in Melbourne?': , 1 A few dayy-'will-'. take a student, there— ;', 1 about: the - same-'time .as it vi;ouldtake a j I student to go ;from Auckland toVDuhedin." -, . A Scholarship Scheme. : , /• : Mr. Wilson went dn'.lo.show that the Vic-- *■'. torian,Government had given the: Veterinary School an endowment worth £32,000, an d . :, Van. annual grant of,£42oo:to ( £ho-institution 5 and research; ~He: then Suggested; a, scheme ; j of scholarships, to give- us two New Zea- , , glanders with a degree Rafter five! years' itrain- . lug at a-maximum cost to the Dominion of :• £750 per annum. The scholarships would be £75-per. annum'.(tenable, for five years), to ! be awarded annually until, the total' .number . • bf-'Government;scholars was.ten.:VAmong the 1 conditions -which might be imposed ! were, the' following:—:(1.) Each scholar 1 to insure ,life }. with Goyernmcnt -Insurance Department' for ; * £400jthe'premium to-be .deducted; from the ' " annual payment of £75. The ; policy .to re- " main'the property of Government till termin-, 3 iation.' : of. : ;.'agreement; : .■>(2:)''-Each';".scholar, on, ?• graduating -:to...serve ;in :a: State.:' Department r :, for a period of three or four .years,, at a r stated salary. (£2O, per anniini), or refund tho amount .received.-;. (Granting the .minimum 5- salary paid to others to be £300 'per annum, r the whole . sum ~wbuld' thus bd ; recouped in -four, years;- >Should, of . course,; the'.scholar die, the .policy," would 1 - more' than - cover the l ''.- .disbursement.). (3.) A monetary 'guarantee . * will . pursue; .^e-^u^."^Tl(o';'^st^wonld^bo. ! as: followslst • year j. two -scholars,' £150; ?' -Sn'd.'year/ four scliblars,, ( ;;63oo;-,.3rd year,-- six .Ischolara, ' £450; Vith ' ydari ', dight'- scholars, \ ,'£Goo';:sthiyear,-ten; scholars;-£7so'; 6th year, 'v: :etc. 4 ,v-ten ; ' scholaraj^'£7so.-.''' Therefore, - for, an e - '-amiual ospendituro 1 0f,'£760: we,:would be in a , position of . securing i,-two colonial 1 graduates of- veterinary i'science; every year i for- State P work,:and,/.further,.,.iha:t.'expenditure would 3 be ultimately- recovered.-,. He; hoped .the con-ierence-would"take .steps to'put siich a; pro- - posal:before the Government.' .. - O : - o Rainfall and Climate. 3 ' The president expressed regret-that the Government : liad discontinued the issue, of 3 tho "Meteorological Journal," , which was y, started,at'l,liis.-.suggestion. Tho. few numbers, ■j tlia't??weie'..publishedTwere of...considerable -'ytft»i : !;!A;-;6limafeibigical .-map was also . re-, h : Queaheland had a rainfall map, but -the iriformatigri-Vcould bo extended so that vthe - niap.'vWpuld;' Show at. a glance such matC- "ters: as'-^M of land, agricultural or, ®i 'si«aß(»rai,"•tne?.v'arioties' : and yields : of crops, i-i >"We have had "no one," contmued Mr. Wil'"('lsonjS.'V.who.i'haSi -taken' up "the study' of the ■r\ 'conn&tion' betwcien:- climate and agriculture, V' ydt. it' is . so'close', that; it forms perhaps half ■> the-:cjiiiversatioh pf.:farinbrs when they : meet. ;'"> Mr;:'-Bates .once addressed the conference on. jts -"tho' relations df-,;-rainfall/'tb;the' succeeding'it f ,'yeaf's. crops'^an'd'showed that there was .such ir: a 'close connection as almost'vtoVpermit, of Is .prediction.of., .wha.t the following,season's crops ie.; .would tbdi from' t|id; previous;.winter's rain; a-.' i.We 'kndw v th'at in.-Ndturo'certain plants will jf only grow in certain temperaturesurely

there is'a great untouched scope in this direction ■ which is- Worthy : of our consideration." ■ ■ Frozen Meat. .- "The frozen meat trade has had a disastrous year; what the exact causes were is not easily understood, except that our output has increased and the demand decreased.: The competition in lambs-,• which is-our special.trade,, has nqt been so great,: even in tho combined, number of carcasses of . Australia and .the Argentine,\'yet prices have fallen to an alarming extent. The stores at Home are so full that somo of thrf vessels have not been, able to unload on account' of there :being no room. Is it not a question of regulating the supply, from this end by storing here and feeding tlio market in. Great Britain: judiciously? But the number of. companies and. exporting: firms make this very difficult to accomplish. The Danes are able , by the means of a-lie-gulating Committeo in London,, to obtain the very .highest , price -for their- produce. The attempt ; to •" combine the whole of tho. com-: panies on a financial basis; was shown some time ago to, be impossible, but- is the time not ripe ■ now?-' :Does' the situation,, -not demand that' some great effort should be made to come- to some ■understanding?' Why should not a - Freezing Coßipaiy • Association bo

formed, and a committee of men appointed to regulate the'trade? A ' 'P.N. '- could bo given as a guarantee of their determinatioli at any rate not to break their contract. And is not' such, a conference as this the very body'to attempt to bring about an entente cordialc, either by dinnissinij it in conference or regulating it to"u committee? I think'this subject should have the most careful consideration givqii to it, - for although we have this year far exceeded the number of lambs previously exported, the' number; of sheep has increased (by. 924,167 during the year), and with the encouragement of Vgood prices I can see 110 immediate limit to the number of lambs we could export if •continued as' profitable a trade as-it has been until this year. I am: almost forced to the- conclusion that -there is something else other than mere supply and demand at work, and to counteract this American move (if it .exists) corabihation : is the only weapon." , Scientific Progress. ; ' 'The president also alluded to the advances •mado. recently iii ' different countries .ill the manufacture of nitrogenous . manures. In New Zealand there should be no difficulty in , manufacturing cheap manures, but in practice., it' had,,been. found that nitrogenous manures .were, not so much required for our soils as phosphates. .He regretted that-no further'deposits of- mineral phosphates had been found since-tho conference last met. . In Australia large "deposits had been fourip. Ho: suggested that; the, secretary (Mr. ' Edwin Hall), who had made an extensive tour and visited a number of \the principal teach-: ing .institutions and experimental; farms in the world,- should place the ■ information he had obtained at the disposal of fanners in the form of a: pamphlet. In conclusioni the president thanked the delegates for the special honour of having placed him in the .chair on two previous , occasions, and for. giving him an opportunity of addressing .tliem.