EXPERIMENT FARMS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1622, 13 December 1912, Page 10

EXPERIMENT FARMS.

dU GGESTED ■ REORGANISATION'' SCHEME. "ONE FARM—ONE OBJECT." REPORT BY SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE.: '•The'-'suggested establishment of, Bay, • :. twenty Government farms. for. demonstra- " tions,'' stud-breeding, experiments, and instruction of' learners,"'.is. the heading under..which; the Secretary, ofthe Agricultural Department, Mr. F.S v Pope,. makes .[ 6ome'interesting proposals in' tile annual report,of,the.Department. In introducing his'report, Mr. Pope points out the enormous .importance to New Zealand of the'right'Soiiitioii being * found for the probeni of hoiv best to instruct the present and future farmers. • - , "A Truly Deplorable Stale." After 'detailing' the heads under, which instruction' has been given in tlie past, ■ Mr. ' Pope' saysthe instruction may, to tiie-casual -•.observer; seem creditable.'. '"But,-" -lie-adds, ■ ''to one who digs a little'deepef;" it-represents a truly-(ieplor-abl£':state of affairs,. and one in regard to which it is (if vital importance that a more'enlightened' public opinion "should be created." /Mr.. Pop-e, in addressing his report to-tlie' Minister-lor Agriculture, expressed the hope that it might lead to the adoption of what seemed'to him "the; only really, practicable remedy'for the la-' meutable state oi' inaction now existing in the;Do:uinion" in regard.to the all-import-ant'.; subject of, instruction for 1 the farmers'."'!;. " '' ". ' ' In the course of . his ' introductory remarks, ilr. i J ope says the secret of the more' or less marked failure. of the Deparfment's • experiment farms is-the fact that-they. have, not kept-sufHciently . in . touch, with .the .change which, has taken place,"'.from, mixed to comparatively spec-. ialised'.'faifnii ng^.,. /Each of theprincipal ■ experiment, farms now in. operation is being conducted-either as-a riiixed farm or with and their staffs'have-only the comparatively imperfect knowledge .attainable, by those who are prevented.i'rom confining _ themselves- to - oho or two suitable lines of. study, experiment, iinu. practice. The Proposals Summarised. Tlio proposed scheme is set out in every detail .and;at great length .by"Mr. Pops, 1 whose main points ■ covering the requirements of New. Zealand agriculture to-day ■ are summarised "as under:— (a.) That each farmer should specialise, not entirely, but to a certain-extent, on : ' a few;; kinds of farming suitable for work-: ing together. (b.) That settlers should lie able, to see the particular'kinds of farming on which they are specialising carried out on practical lines by undoubted experts. (c.) That farmers should be able to buy foundation stock of animals, seeds, fruittrees, etc., of absolutely the. highest quality and at reasonable prices. (d.) .That experiments for the improvement of farming and the allied industries ' should be systematically carried out by . specialists-.for the benefit of tho farmers. . (e.) That persons proposing to become farmers should be able to'obtain practical V' courses of instruction, in any branch of, . farming in. return for. their labour and without fees.' ! : . . (f.) That the Department should be able to obtain fully-educated instructors for its - several-divisions. ■ ....... • Requirements Not Met at Present.. Two of the principal'experiment farms ; now working do not specialise,sufficiently, one-has two; specialties, unsuitable for * working together,, and two others specialise largely-ori.'a iliscredited-product. Consequently -farmers are shown an example of disregard of the requirements marked (a) nbovej and they cannot see 'their specialties in proper operation as required by '/ (b). - rt*ith.;.the r ,exception, of selling, .from Wcraroa a few young Hoistein cattle at ; high prices, nothing has been done, or is likely to. be done under the present system, to comply "with (c),.v. — The experiments at'present'carried out are spasmodic,- anddn most, cases unscientific, and'coiisCqueiitly are neither'reason- . ably complete nor reliable. Thus re-, quirement (d) is not provided for."" '- ■ The only'.practical.'farming instruction ' ' at present obtainable at a cheap price is . at Rii'ikurn, and thero'the subjects are; so diverse, th^t\tlie. learners cannot j)ossibly; get a fair'mastery of any'brahch . - during a reasonably short course. RequiTe'ment- .(e)as-therefore ;not,-filled. . Up- to the present, Lincoln College and' our experiment, farms have only provided a total 'of. three or -suitable and available for employment'as iristruc- . tors, and none of these were completely trained. -So the last requirement (f) is unsatisfied. , ......... ~ Tho Remedy.. The proper way to fill all these requirements is to 'establish, about twenty" de/ monstration farms throughout the Dominion. They should each specialise on one of the" following three kinds of farming—viz., (1), Raising live-stock, (2) dairying, or (3) growing (cereals,/fodders,;;fruits, etc.). 'These would show farmers the right way to specialise; would provide practical expert demonstrations of the proper /mode- of working ' each branch of farming; .would breed and sell at'fair prices (by-;ballot,. not by auction) foundation stock'cf animals, seeds, fruittrees,; etc.; .would carry out experiments . properly; would, -train scores-., of young men-;in practical', farming, charge; and -'would provide Bource from.;„wliicli .Departmental,, instructors could"be.obtained.' • . Those, of .farms that woiild bs de■r'otcd to;.plants or; poultry Ti-ould.each lie' '. the centre of system : , of demonstrations v ;or experiments; conducted ;co-<>p!ratively ty the Department and the settlers of the district, in .connection Afitii field crop 3, fruit, 'pan!try, etc. To igivOr-an .idea-, of < r what -is .proposed- ' for each kind of farming, Mr. Pope submits the following suggestions:— Livo Stock and Poultry Farms. These farms would bo'under the.general , supervision; of the. Director of tho LiveStock' and Meat Division. One might be provided in each, of, the undermentioned localities: AVaikato, R-otorua, Gisborrie, Hawke's Bay, : Wairarap'a, iPalmerston' North, Marlborough, Canterbury, West-land,Oa-nani, and Taieri/;;";. At these ..farms, 'siiiarljh'crds;.or flocks, of horses, boaf-cattle,- sheop,- pigs, Angora .'goats,';and poultry should bo kept, both as stiuls. and; (excepting horses, of 'course) us fatieuihg-stnek,' everything bell!--; m far as possible tho very best in t'lw Dominion. The horses should include, in addition to the usual breeds, several laind:; that are never (or but rarely) sc-fn in the Dominion at'present;, such- as Percherons, Sufiolks,. Hackneys, and Arabs. The t-Bsf-eattle might , include several breed* and crosses that : havo not yet Ixen thoroughly tried' under New I'/ealan',l conditions. The same applies to sheep, in spito of all that has. already besn .done by private enterprise. A series'of''dc'niohstrations of what can or can not be dono with th-3 pig industry here, when rightly handled, would be of immense' Value. Ansora goqts have not vet been adequately studied in local conditions, and.. they ' might bo given a good trial in those districts where there would be a reasonable liopo of their success,, whether as producers of mohair. and'moat, or mainly to control noxious-weeds. 'The poultry industry could probably bo effectively catered for at oilo farm in each Island, in conjunction with an extensive system of co-operative demonstrations'in which a selected settler would be provided with birds and tho material , for making the necessary house and run, on condition ' that he fed and treated the birds exactly .as the. Department directed,.and allowed interested persons access to tho demonstration; tlie. settler to retain the proceeds,* and, after the trial was complete, the house ,and run. Of course, at each' livestock, Demonstration Farm-the local conditions would have to be allowed for to some extent. For' instance, if in any particular district it was known that nothing could 'be done with sheep, only an ordinary flock would be" kept, for the sake of the pastures. Similarly, where any other, class, of live-stock' was manifestly' unsuitable

it would not be kept. The houses aud yards provided for the live-stock would be models of what the Department recommends settlers to adopt, and demonstrntions -of dehorn'ng, sheep-dipping, machine4hearing, wool-classing, etc., would be given. At each live-stock (or poultry) demonstration farm, pastures, roots, fodders, aiid cereals would be produced, but all demonstrations or experiments with them would bo in the direction of showing their effects on tho live-stock; attempts' to improve the crops themsolves, or demonstrations of such improvements, would be made at the plants demonstration.farms. A few dairy would-be kept, but entirely.for the purpose of providing milk for the livo-stock and tho employees. -.-.-. ' ■ The meat-producing animals from these establishments would bo specially observed at the meat-works (where, of course,'.tho inspectors belong to the Departmental division that would bo entrusted with the supervision of this class of demonstration farms), and thus all Experiments in connection with meat-production would be followed to their proper conclusion by the. staff of one division throughout. The prices realised for the carcasses ■would-be the true index of the value of the methods advocated at the demonstration farms.. _ "' ' . ■ Diseases requiring continuous personal observation could bs investigated-at these establishments whenever they appeared there. ' Young stock of all: the breeds kept and proved 'Successful would,be available for sale by ballot at fair prices. They would, as far as could be managed, bo of better Quality than those at present in the Dominion. Some young men could be taken as Earners of the grazing, stud-stock, or poultry-businesses.-in-all tneir aptcts': the teaching, to consist mainly of actual. experience'in. carrying on these industries. . Mcreorer, the' most likely of those learners: of the livestock. business could, if. willing, be given experience at several of the live-stock demonstration farms,, ■ami then assisted to go on to a veterinary college, witha view to fitting them for the positions of veterinary instructors in the .Department's' service.' lien so 'trained would lie invaluable to 'the Dominion. Of course they .would have to give guarantees to remain a fixed time in its service. Ally additional, poultry instructors required could similarly be trained at the poultry demonstration farms. Dairy Demonstration Farms. Theee farms would be under the'general supervision of the Director of the Dairy Produce Division. One might be established in each of the under-mention-ed districts:—Waikato, Taranaki, Manawatu,' Wairarapa, Ofaso,.and Southland. At each of these there should bo a herd of the highest possible quality, and consisting ot one or tiro bulls, and ■ from fifteen to twenty cows, of each of the following breeds:—Shorthorn, . ITolstein, Ayrshire, Jersey, and Guernsey. This 'would give a total herd of seventy-five to a .hundred cows for each farm. In addition', dairy cattle of breeds not hitherto tried in New Zealand (such as the .South DeTon, Danish, or Swiss) might be tested at some of these farms. The great milking-capacity of well-bred goats-might also bs demonstrated frith advantage. .The keeping of at least five different breeds of cows,'-,all of. the best quality, would show positively the relative merits of the breeds under conditions similar to these obtaining on..each farm: ' Milking-machines of ssveral approved types could be installed, one -kind at'eachi farm. : . , Cow-testing would, of course, be thoroughly carried out, not for the purpose of showing the comparative smallncss of tho undunt of "troubio actually involve;! in it, but also to' enable the milk-records-of the ancestors of all stock to/be given to buyers. The milk should be made into butter or-cheeso oii the premises, and marketed either in the Dominion or abroad, whichever paid best at the jime. ' Casein and milk-sugar might possibly bo.made on a small scale. ._ ; One »r' more of thessihairy demonstration farms e'hoiild. bs pro-rided with, a small laboratory, where -troubles in' connection with milk, butler, cheese, etc., occurring at any farm or factory in the district could be investigated. The extra prices obtained for the dairy produce would demonstrate the' Advantages of proper feeding, proper care of the milk, and proper''methods of mnkiig the butter or cheese. The milking sheds and- factories would be models both of construction and working. All fodder should be grown on the place, and hayj or ensilage, or both, should be made as found desirable. Sheep of suitable breeds, but not necessarily of high-quality, should be kept to,maintain the condition 'of: the -pastures. • - 'Unices casein and milk sugar were made, pigs should.be kept'-to consume the skim ; milk 6r-,wheV, and some other food fof'.them might .perhaps be grown. Young cattle of nil the "breeds kept and'found successful could be. sold each year by. ballot, at, fair prices. '. Experiments in feeding and treatment of the cows could, be mads,''also in butter and cheese making. A number of young men could be. admitted.at...each place to knrn the whole dairying business in. a thoroughly' practical manner. And, finally, tlia most promising':'of these learners cAuld, if -willing, l>e t*lcete<l, sent the round of the dairy demonstration,farms in ;the other districts, and generally given some spociai attention, in order to fully fit-them for the work of dairy instructors after a period of service in ono or two outside dairy factories. , Plants Demonstration Farms. These farms would be under the general supervision of the' Director of the Plants Division or Divisions. One suchifarm could with advantage be instituted in each.of the following parts of the Dominion: Whangrirei, ,\VaiKato, 'Taurariga, 'Gisborn l ?, Hawke's Bay, \\ Tmrarapa, Taranaki, Palmerston North, Maribormigh,. North Canterbury, South •Canterbury,Oaiharu, Central Otago, Taieri, and Southland. . A few sand-drift areas should also with. At the plants demonstration, farms, the special .subjects would bs. grasses, root crops,' fodder'plant's, cereals, pho-rmium, shelter .and timber tries, fruit, vegetables; and. horuj.v; but these would be 'produced in I quantities that would only : bs largo enough to ensure that the results obtained were truly representative;, no doubt smaller'quantities of field.crops would be grown on the plants demonstration farms than on the live stock or dairy farms; and ©f qoutso such crops as are known to be unsuited to any district would not bo grown in that part. Now varieties of any of the classes of plants mentioned in ihe last preceding paragraph would be introduced from other parts of the Dominion or from abroad; plant-breeding .would bo undertaken extensively; trials of varieties, under different nianurial and cultural conditions, and with various rotations, would bo carried- out; the several methods of preserving .fodder would be exhibited; a specialty would be made of implements for cultivating and harvesting; diseases of n?ot, fodder, and cereal plants would be studied and preventives tested; in places found to be specially adapted for fruitgrowing small cold stores ct canneries might be worked (with additional supplies from' outside orchards); ' the gest methods of pruning, spraying, aiid otherwise treating fruit trees would be shown; p-nd generally oil.suitable work in connection with plant industries would bo undertaken. The same conditions as to learners might attach -as at tho other farms. Farm Staffs would become Specialists. It need hardly, bo pointed, out that the staffs of such demonstration farms would have a magnificent opportunity of. specialising in tho particular kinds of work undertaken, and might, if well selected, beexpected to provide after a few years some of tho world's leading authorities on farming. The services of tneso men as lecturers, show -judges, etc, would obviously be of great valuo to the community. ■Mr. Pope points out that the lists of locations set out are merely for the purpose of giving a rough idea of how many demonstration farms he has in mind. Tho actual decision as to tho numlyer and locations of each class of these institutions 6liould, ho...thinks, be : left to a departmental committee, subject to Ministerial approval. _ No doubt it would in several cases be found advisable to have two, or even all three, classes of demonstration farms in one district. The several farms would be .worked quits. separately, each under its' own man-agea;. Attempts to combine uja-

dor one malinger any two or nil throe classes of these farms would cut nt tho root of tho wholo system, and prevent tho attainment of many of the. objects in view, and all for tlis sake of savins two or threo hundred pounds per annum.

Starting the Proposed System -Though most anxious to see this scheme adopted nnd put into forco in its entirety without any avoidable loss of Wine, 31 r. Pope recognises that it is impossible to bring it into operation in any other way ■than gradually. Even if all the necessary land could be reserved or bought straight away,~it would take o long time to staff it,'break it in, and stock it with buildings, implements, animal;!, and plants. For instance, when the number of dairy demonstration farms was decided upon, it would probably be advisable to select tho site of one (say Wereroa, which would doubtless be one of these), and tliore breed tho, bulk of tho dairy cattle needed for them all. In the meantime the young men, from whom the managers of tho dairy demonstration farms would be ultimately selected could be sent to Wcreroa for training. Similarly, if Ruokura wero decided upoa as a. live stock demorisfcration farm, tho training of tho managers, and breeding of the stock, needed for all tho farms of that kind could be undertaken there. Again, one plants demonstration, farm could be started, say in tho South Island, and tho. necessary training of. managers, and growing of seeds.ami nurst?ry stock, put in hand there. The Cost. . ■"Mr. Pope says he has not attempted to go'into the particulars of the capital cost of this scheme, but it may 1m roughly stated that to acquire, break in, and stock all the proposed institutions would mean an expenditure of from a quarter to a half-million pounds, spread over at least ten years. Fortunately, however, no very great sum would have to be provided in any one year, probably not more than .£'50,000 at the outside. Some of the farms would begin to earn a good deal at quite an early stage; and most of them should cover working expenses, and many of them pay interest, and yield an actual profit, within a few years of their initiation. And'even if this anticipation proved too .•anguine, and these institutions as a whole barely paid working expanses, should 420,0C0 per annum—the interest on the full • half-millionrrbe , allowed to weigh for one moment against' the inestimable benefits that would be conferred .upon'an industry that constitutes not only the head and body, but nearly all the limbs also, of our Dominion's prosperity? Competition with Settlers. It might be contended that the working of twenty farms would bring the. Department into serious competition with the sutlers whom it intended to assist. There •is, howeTsr, nothing in this contention. It must be renumbered that all tho Department's farming operations would be .Tt-strkted to' the' smallest compos; that ,r'culd nive, fair average results, and conssauMtly the total output would not bo groat, The sale of tho Department's stud ;stock would, not stifle, but would stimulate the demand for other breeders' animals, as. witness what has'occurred in connection with, utility poultry. Sine* the Department began to sell this line at cheap rutes th* prirate .breeders have iouid their business, increased manyiold; and the same would result with other cl&sks of'stock. Would-be buyers who could not get departmental stud animals would so: the advantage' of getting good b'cod from some source, and would .patronise the private breeders much more than hitherto. As regards produce other than stud ertock, ao doubt some hardship might ensue if the Department disposed of its output in small local markets; but to obviate this possibility everything .would .either'be exported, or sold in the' largo centres. Thus the effects of the competition of these .demonstration farms against settlers would be so trifling as to be actually imperceptible. ■

d d 1V 1(1 I it h t'j i--10 )- 6 ■e d o .1 li d s f .1 0 1 :1 f l r s > i i s ! [' ■ I ±1, nuiuu ua ausumreiy.essential tnac au h , eoncsrned- should set tlicir faces deter- y . mincdly to rosist tho specious and' int-idi- t ■ ous temptation to gradually Tcvert from » . this special to tho-general demonstration n : fara. To yield to such would involve tho s rapid dissolution of the whole sclwmo; j .. eonwinrently an: . ; -inflexible resistance 3 [ would have to be afforded to all appeals I . for departures, however slight, from tho r principle of "One farm, one object—livo t j stock, dniryiag, or plants."' • p •• ' r The most experienced factory manager 5 1 can. examine 11 "Victor" Vat from every ■ standpoint and find nothing but praise for < -. its superiority. Not a drop of whey is 3 -retained, by a "Victor" Vat—the curd is * 1 left Irish and dry, while the..whey escapes 5 dor.-n tha centre channel. Excellent work-- - manship - ' is another leading feature: or' s 1 "Victor" Vats. Albert J.: Parton,-'Car-. ■ terton —Adrt.; .-:■• ' .— '■ — : ——: .'■ \ A * ' , The Egg-laying competitions: for 11110-11 ) and 1:111-12 'were both won by pens reared •• i oil "A. and : P." Chick. Raiser. . The first i essential, for'profitable poultry keeping. * s Obtainable- from all.Storekeepe.rs.—Adrt..- t