AGRICULTURE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1454, 31 May 1912, Page 6

AGRICULTURE.

IMPROVED METHODS, PRACTICAT, ASSISTANCE FOR • FARMERS. Realising as I have that tho farmer was rendv and anxious to improve his methods if be were only shown tho way and given the opportunity, I have laid it down as the policy of the Department of Agriculture that- the inspector must, be au instructor first. The effect: of flic new order has been most gratifying. Tho experts lvilh their special knowledge are approaching the fanner in the ricrht spirit, and the farmer is appreciating the fact. There is now a mutual uikWstanding between the farmer and the Department's officers. The seri-ms rmestion of so-called "fishincss" in butter has cost this and other countries enormous sums of money in the nasi. .As a result of experiments carried out by mv Department during the last two years I am elid to be able fo announce that this hitherto mysterious defect need no loneer bo a menace to the 'industry, as definiie "leans have discovered by the X'ew 7ea'and invcsti<rntion of preventing its development. Information received from Tendon indicates thai the presence of this defect in Xew Zealand butter Ins been less prevalent this season than in nast vears, owing to advice i;*iven to manufacturers at the beginning of the .season as the result of the investi"afion work in "fishiness" conducted by the officers of my -Department. It mav be said thai whenever the primary producer has a difficulty to face the Department is prepared , to render him practical assistance. The experinienf.il farms of the Department, established mi several instances to solve lor.nl problems, have now passed beyond the development staues, and aro well equipped centres for exneriP'enfal and demonstration work. Ins'tr-ad of being a draw on the resources of the Dominion fhev are now a source of profit, and thus while their activities for irood are being extended. For the past finance • vcar they have shown n. profit of JtMGOO. 1 Farm Training School. The most interesting development in agricultural education of recent years is llio farm training school, a practical ' workshop" where tho farmer's son may acquire a proper knowledge of tho fundamental principles necessary to fully equip liini for his life's occupation; not . to train tho specialist," but the men who aro to carry on the work of the farm. It is such an. institution which I intend should be established in connection with the experiment farms of this country. The farm echool docs not demand of the farmer's son a. scientific education, but a. sound training in tho three R's, with which if is hoped to coml lime a good practical knowledge of the latest methods of cultivating, manuring, and farm management, toaretiier with some knowledge of animal anil plant disease; in other words, knowlcdgo which may le immediately applied fo current problems of tho farmers of tho Dominion itself. The great need of the country, anil tho need will become the keener with the advance of closer settlement and increaiin'" market competition, is the supply of better breeding stock for the farmer, especially the milk-record bulls for the milic producer. I have decided to make this wtnk a feature of the three chief experiment farms in tho North Island, with tho object of being able in a few years to provide annual drafts of purebred milkrecord bulls of the leading dairy breeds for the dairy fanners of the Dominion. I he better feeding of stock is also beiii" encouraged by tho experiments "and ile" monstrations conducted in connection wit.i improved methods of forage-crop production at the experiment farms The work of the farms" is being taken direct to the producer by means of co-opora«ye experiments, in which important work no fewer than -100 farmers are. workin" in con junction with my Department to provide practical lessons in improved methods and the value of new and better varieties of plants in thc-ir respc-ctivo districts. London Markets. Wo have at last succeeded in solving the problem of the safe oversea carriage of our fruit, and have thereby demnnstra°t cd that a trade with British and European markets is feasible. Recent trial shj.,. incuts have shown that many oversea markets are open to us. The South American market is affording a good opporbinJtv for a nrofitable trade in apples, as is that of Western Canada, while the completion of the Panama Canal will op«'t up good avenues for our fruit in liie eastern cities of America, our seasons being favourable to supplying all mari-ets in the Northern Hemisphere. Every "en courageinen t and assistance has 'been given by the Government to openin" un the export trade for our fruitgrowers°Tli'i Department of Agriculture is steadily attaining the ideal I have in view—a 'com prehensive service assisting the farmer to make the best use of tiie splendid natural resources of his country, nml maintaining ;ho exported products "f New Zealand at a high, standard of c-xce'i-lence. The Rural Exodus. A problem receiving tho serious consideration of economists and public nien in older lands, land which must be faced even in this young country, is flint of the rural exodus. In some countries it has become most acute, so much so that notwithstanding the liberal fostering of agricultural industries the drift io 'he cities has proceeded at such a rapid pace that the position has been aptly ter'n«d "Hie d.viug land." While the' country population of Xew Zealand in 1881 was 150 to 100 in boroughs in lflil if was oniy !I0 lo 100 in boroughs, or while the proportion of country to borough population was 1.5 in 1881 it, fell In .!)!) in 1911 The one solution of this townward tendency of the rural population is to make country life moro attractive, to afford the farmer some of the conveniences and comforts at the command of the tvtv dweller. This tho Government is doin"