THE EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1558, 30 September 1912, Page 5

THE EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—■' Will you kindly allow us to' say a tew words through your valuable columnt m the interests of tne Government's proposed experiment farms i Wo act on behalf -of a local committee which lias been entrusted with lonvarding the proposition that a property now for sale at Turakina presents u rare opportunity of acquiring a most valuable and suitable site lor one ut' these farms ur schools.' Having no chamber of commerce, nor borough council, nor local A. and I'. Society to take the matter up, tho residents held u meeting, had a request to the Minister for Agri-' culture to inspect the property signed by those who kuow what is needed, and a committee appointed. We submit, therefore, to all wno arc interested the following facto;— U) Tho central location of Tur'nkink gives it an advantngo over any other dis- ' tnet in the North Island, it is within easy and rapid daily reach ul everj town in the North Island, and is welt served with trains. (2) The unique accessibility of the property at Turakina under offer tor I his purpose. Tho drawback at M'oumahnki and at Weraroa, the present, farms, olul atpracticalty all the other places suggested along this coast, is that they are miles away from a railway station, Tii» Turakina silo fronts the railway station— a very important: consideration not onijr for visitors, but for all concerned. (3) Tho Turakina property is also Exceedingly weil served witn already-iormcd roads. U) It has also an abundant supply of water. (5) It is ndtnirably adapted for stud purposes, as a portion of it is very rich river Hat,, well-adapted for growing. ryes .-. and cocksfoot, and nil English grassc l ), It is splendidly sheltered, and, therefore, to a largo extent in readiness for such purpuses. The uplands of the propelly urn suitable for experimenting with root- . crops and grain. (8) The property is from tho geological point of view representative of a vast :. area of New Zealand lands-lands with a subsoil ■of heavy clay, which is greatly benefited by drainage. Professor I'ark, in his "Geology ol Nov.- Zealand." computes the area of such lauds to be 10,0110 square miles in tho North Island, and 2.'i00 in tho South Maud. ■ Experiments conducted, therefore, at Turakina would be applicable to a wide area of country. Professor Park says tho country thus Occupied by marine clays includes thn region between the Kualiines and Turanaki. The same authority cuts out from this formation Die country between l'u--' tiki and Paten, that is, therefore, inelud- .' ing Moumnhnki. Experiments, therefore," carried on in a limwtonc aro,->. like Mouniahaki are not applicable to the yast areas occupied by heavy clays. Authorities on the subject are agreed ~ that vegetation is affected'by tho geological character of subsoils. In the scientific application of manures this is borno out. It must be apparent at once that by successful experiments in manures and drainage in a variety of soil so wide- ..-. spread, 'hose who mrupy ihoe soils would, with the added knowledge, bo ablo to make them much more productive. This is the kind of. soil which to-day in both islands is more under cultivation than any other, and those who look into the matter will see that Turakina lies very near tho centre of these' areas. Trusting that these considerations will bo duly considered by tho=e responsible in the matter.—We are, etc., •. .TOIT.N (115 A NT. W. GLASfiOW. FRED, SISSON, Turakina, September .'.!", 1912.