CONSERVING THE FLOCKS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3054, 16 April 1917, Page 8

CONSERVING THE FLOCKS

MOVEMENT IN VICTORIA.

Serious consideration is being given by the, Victorian Minister of Agriculture"/ Mr. Hagelthorii, to the necessity for increasing/the flocks and herds of the State, and he has already conferred with moat- exporters, graziers, and others regarding tho subject. Tho suggestion, says the "Argus," has beeu mado that people should be encouraged to eat less meat, and Mr: Hagelthorn intends to promote a campaign with that end in view. Mrs Hagelthorn stated recently that tho , movementwould bo begun after the conferences'ho was now having had been concluded, and when a practical r sclien)e had been! devised.' The co-operation ofrthe Education Department; w.oujd be asked when the campaign was entered upon. At cookery centres the instructors could point out what could be substituted for meat foods, and give demonstrations with a view of stowing _how iiieat coufl he more economically served. , - 1 Mr. Hagelthorn said that he had "received a letter from Mr. L. A. L. MaxTvell, lecturer in physiology at the Melbourne University, who stated that the world's .shortage of food demanded economy in "consumption in Australia.. ■That could be obtained by a'more judicious selection of foods in regard to their relative nutritive and economio value and by a reduction, in the amount of food actually consumed, especially meat. Mr. Maxwell also remarked that scientific research had undoubtedly proved that the quantityof meat eaten by tho average Australian was riot only unnecessary for the maintenance of health, but in the opinion of many leading authorities actually harmful to the individual. To reduce the quantity of meat eaten would not be an injustice, but would result in a saving of money to many, and, in many cases, betterment of health. The widest circulation an 3 emphasis of these facts, Mr. Maxwell declared,- would do much in serving to secure considerable national economy.

The turnip crop in Strath-Taieri, which a short time ago promised to be a good one, .is now suffering very severely from the ravages of blight and fly, says the "Otago Daily Times. With the splendid weather of late autumn there has been a wonderful growth of grass, and feed is so abundant that in ordinary, circumstances turnips would not. be largely used for weeks to come. Now, however, farmers are turning their stock on to the crops in order to eat it off before it is completely lost. A leading farmer the other day declared that this unfortunate disease is almost universal throughout' the Strath, and the loss caused must in the aggregate amount to a huge total. One farmer has been endeavouring ta secure specimens of the fly, with the intention of asking the opinion of experts as to the best means for stamping out tho pest; The loss caused is so great, and the damage so widespread that it is felt in many quarters that the Government ought to take tho matter up and institute expert investigations with tho /object of killing out the blight and the deadly fly, and of preventing them from invading other districts that have up till now a clean bill of; health in this respect. ,