RUAKURA FARM,

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1920, 1 December 1913, Page 7

RUAKURA FARM,

AMERICAN APPRECIATION

"Tim Ruakura training farm ih conducted 011 admirable lilies, and there is probably 110 other place in the world where the work is done with so much regard to practical value." Such was Uip criticism _ mado by Mr. O'Neil Sevier, of Now York, on returning to Auckland from a visit to the farm 011 I? 'rida.v. Mr. Sevier lias seen all the principal experimental farms in ITIO United States and Canada, and is in Now Zealand as 0110 of the commissioners sent by the President to invito tho Australian States and New Zealand to be represented in the I'aiiama-Pncilic Exposition of 1015. Mr. Sevier was particularly interested in the amazing production of alfalfa (or lucerne) nl: the farm. Similar crops could be obtained in America only off irrigated laud, where tile water was under direct control. As Interne was the greatest forage crop in the world, the. importance of the big production shown at Ruakiirn was apparent. Income had been fotiud to lie better than cow-peas or medium red clover, and only one cutting could be got oil' cow-pens and two o;- three of red clover..against eight or nine cuttings which were obtained oT lurerne in New Zealand. This forage should be a factor nf great value in tlie feeding of stnek. particularly catllc and lings. Mr. Sevier commented on Ihe fact that by the use of fortilis"r.i 10(1 bushels of oats wore gl'o.vn to Iho acre 011 the Ruakura farm. The yiehl per acre in tho United States was only ,')(! bushels. He was strongly of opinion ill at every farmer's son should to llnnkiira or :i «im ilar fa rm for a period to learn scientilie farming.