AN IMPORTANT SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2624, 20 November 1915, Page 12

AN IMPORTANT SCHEME

DAIRY FARMING

EXPERIMENTAL FARM URGED

One tiling the agricultural community of Stratford has set its heart on is an experimental dairy farm. Some of tho leading agriculturists of the district havo had the project in mind for several years, and two years ago tliey made to tho Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) wliat they consider a very reasonable proposal, and they consider that Mr. Massey received the proposition very favourably. The idea, is that the State should procure 150 acres of second-class dairying land near Stratford, and stock it with two breeds of dairy cattle.' Each breed should havo 5U acres, and tho remaining 50 acres should be set aside lor experimenting in fodder orops. Tlfo promoters of the idea propose that the State should advance the money (at 4 per cent, interest) to enable the scheme to bo established, and that the promoters should guarantee that the farm would be self-supporting. As has been stated, the Prime Minister has been approached on the matter. Tho Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. D. S. Macdonald) has promised to go to Stratford and look into the question, and the Minister of Education (Hon. J. A. Hanan) was interviewed on the subject in 'Wellington last week. ■ The object of the deputation in waiting on Mr. Hanan was to impress on him the val'uo of the Education Department co-operating with the Agricultural Department in the matter. One of those interested in the project contends that the Eduoation Department is doing good work for agriculture, and' that if there was an experimental farm at Stratford the scholars from tho High School there could receivd practical instruction at it, and thus the work of both the Agricultural Department and tho Education Department would go hand in hand. "The. Education Department," he adds, takes a lad along till he is seventeen or so, and we want this farm scheme to take him up from 17 till tho timo he goes on the land." 'Another arguraent sot forward in support of the scheme is that more intensive cultivation is coming, arid that the farmers of the future- must be taught how to make small holdings pay: