AT LINCOLN COLLEGE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 698, 24 December 1909, Page 10

AT LINCOLN COLLEGE.

FARMERS' DAT. It is tho custom of the woll-knoun Lincoln • ... ' : Agricultural Coilcgo to set ■ apart one. day. of . tha. year, for farmcrs to visit it, and see what iiis.being done on :the farm. On this occasion S i.vf V. (says-.a- Wellingtoninformant'.who.;: attended) tho visit- took place, on Tuesday, and .it was • . prize-day as well. .:Tho governor of tho college ! .promiricnt.';;agricuiturist:s . of, Canterbury present to : tlioiuimber,'ofabout' 120. ' -Tlio : .: .visitors-, are met- at - the -various 'stations,','and .'r: :: supplied with leaflets describing the work dono •"... ' .., ;during. theyear.',.; Tho leaflot. shows in detail Jth« f pnaracter.,6f f .tlie 'stock, s.the;)orop 1 rotations .that have .been followed; as suitable to. tho Sii ;'SV! : ,>'vpWsi:;of':soil,^and\other; interesting;- matter!": a *,■■■, The Hon. Mr. Stevens,, chairman of . tho Col- , logo Board, and Mr. Alexander, tho now prinoipal, -officially .received tho visitors: This 'was Mr.,Alexandor's first appearance : at tho annual gathering. .v- :'^ : ' :: the ..farm was. .tho 'first pro-;' httractdd, chiefs notice Vy^:^were ; "the,jfields';of,.the: two7imported;;wheats,. •• • > Bordier-and Odessa/ ' Bordier lias given : ungratified is .a' favourito with : the ,!: ;millers, and ; promises a great yield. -' • Tho -v. - i 1: .Odessa . straw.*is .-somewhat weak, and .in such . growing season.as the past; it .is inclined to! 'V be fallon.". 'Apart .from: that, it is a great yiclder; ■' .y .V V:>:. . .Several . varieties .of voats..: are; grown. Banner '-. .... : r is ono of tho choicest. • }: ■■-. ■ ■■'■..' ' ■; -v ' •,'. Visitors , lirero. V, greatly-., impressed..with -the . '. . . .. .beautiful ■•-'Shorthorn,. cows. . They . - arelargo <»ws;::showin'g''greatvquality-and development, of milldng ,points,: : To seo herds of cattle liko : \: ' these, .with their (.immense. frames -and'-splendid : ;, ; trust that .the. pMn-: -'.'.oipal: will: go/ oh'drapro'ving::until.he.'.has shown tho,-community, that .tho* Shorthorn-is; after '-■].'.V:- all, - a..-vValiiable : dairying , breed, '■■ and" a 1 profit-' 1 ' earner. * v.:. I - -The sheep also received appreciation from 'V .1 i • tho-.-visitors. ■ any - remark can - be: mado 'of . theso, apart from their quality - (which is un- ! . . impeachable), it must bo m .reference to the ■ fact that the feed had .been so. luxuriant that -; r[ :than: treblothoV stock could<: havo been. fed on -iti.il .This,'.-of-:course,- applied to all tho -district, and -it! has naturally Been impossible ■ ■■si■ ■': i for the management to control : the :feed' in", such an exceptional season. 'i-iv-'i.*After:, -vthe .the ; if were;-entertained;: at'Uuncheon,:, whore Uhe : : v.-v. 'chairman, Mr. Stovons, gave a bricf-history;of tho groat institution. He showed that its .-: v'benwts - were being highly appreciated: by 'ftu--i;bnly:'in. Canter but: throughout. I. New-' Zealand- ' thisj . two" young , men' >,' : from Groat Britain - had 'enrolled as: studonts, • j-and ono of these had gained some of tho - ' . . ; : i: greatest honours during tho. last : school year; Mr.v Stevens wont on-to remark" that exception' ■ ;:;^:y;;hadbeen : taken -to.the: college .'•iri...that:it,was.' .-, alleged to. appeal .to but tho sons of:rich men J,-:-:.^mostlyVdescribe'd■■ as' : But the' detailed list of students there showed that 4 : :;: • .only two ivere: the- sons ofmen holding imoro. -v.'. than 2000 acres'of Jsind. Others included the 'sons of business men .(their,, various.businesses. 'were-.-described). fs;.N6wj l.tho. ■ intention: 'of.V.the r//; .fathers 'of-theso"young..mon evidently ivas to : place v them::.on- the .'land. ;!: What, - therefore, Muldibii: more desirable .-.than ithat: such:; young , men,'--whoso, fathers wero' not landowners, should attend-at tho college, and receive there' i tho training, the equipmout, -wnich their ~ -fathers :wero .unableto give -.them at home? u ri', Were •. not -its benefits even more, .valuable ■ in ■ 'number -' of-: pupils . were drawn-purely .from thoso who were. al3;YS;: ; ;:that-'tliMO/j:6uUg; ; stitution' as that at Lincoln, would probably :•: -:never. : becomoi successful:-farmers, -or at -least • . they would ;have.:much.;,to.:learn -beforo .they 1 - "'Conld roach cthat stago. .. Ho -regretted that -in i. />!:•■ -regard: to'such matters-'as these Xincoln- College ; " tV•'■• ,,r a s 'i n^l i r ly'riticised. : \ . Stevens 'proceeded; to: express the "board's - i '!- r .1 pnncipal (Mr. Alexander), who had already .proved vhimself a-:.,-: capable: administrator,:..-a . ; scientific : • teacher, and one. .whose' regimo; and. ; 'discipline. Were;more than popular' with-:his. o!ir> . ipiipils. ti, .1 , ' ' The Principal, Mr. Alexander, m reply, ex- : 'applied ; to- young men vwhdi'.were coming; on ' : SJCtOi tho^-lincoln:: : farini'lathor::than : .ti^<theilater: v:;- . ot : teaching 3of ;the - lle : empliasised ; tlie : .' V - .importanco '■ of young men who . were . ci'?ning- ' SVAM.jto'.WrcoHeg^^ , .. • ablod them tO':talie a- foremost place at once , -":'omoug their pupils., Ho did not b hko. .;:.; :..tho. proposals that hacf .been mado that tho ? control vthe\in-;' ; - :StlLutlOn. ■■ ':,"i : ■ ■;, ..I ..v.: • ~ ■" : ■4'.v~.'',iftjKA<North Canterbury settler, iMr..O'Ealloranj. followed with a spcech, in wkicli good Irish ' vwit was combined ivith; a lot of. hard '.common ■: • .I'semse.' .'Of .'course,';'.he advocated ''the .right/ of : -W^vvii'prarchase.",^■ '