AUCTION SALES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 15, 13 October 1919, Page 8

AUCTION SALES

- r V-V : FOETHOOMING FIXTOEEB TO-DAY. "Ityrtl'o ..Streot, Lawcr Hutt, 12.15 p.m.— I--- Furniture Bale 'E. Johnston and Co.). 'Waik'aniie'Yardß, I p.m.—Stock sale tN.Z. - , Loan Co., Dalgety and Co., and. Abra-ham-and Williams). ' ft Lambton Quay, Wellington, 1.30 p.m.— ■••Drapery sale (0. W. Krico and Co.). t. TO-HOBKOW. i-Colombo Road Yards, Masterton, 11 a.m.— .Stock sale (Levin and Co.). •Levin-,Yards, 12.15 p.m.-Stock sale (Dali?oty ,aiul,Co., N.vj. Loau.Co., and Ahra- • - ham and Williams). '"105' Customhouse Quay, Wellington, 2.30 p.m. —Property sale (S. G. Xathan and Co.). , 45. Mnlieb Street, Wellington, ..2 p.m.— ' i\irimuro sale {Radford and Co.), WEDNESDAY. Waiwakaiho, 10.30 e.m.-Stock sale (Newton King). Hanakau, 1 p.m.—Sale of stock and implementß (Abraham and Williams). Woburn Hor/i, Lower Hutt, 1 p.m.—Purni- . tnro sale (H. E. Leightan). Asßembly Kali, Hastings, 3 p.m.-Property . sale (J. A. Killer). ■ ' , HELPING THE FARMERS .' WCffii OP THE AGRICULTURAL ■ DEPARTMENT. 'I The annual report of thq Director of ;Agriculturo states' that the work pf the .'Department is extending greatly in opler • to meet ,the growing desire of the agricul- - turaJ and pastoral community for ex- , pert advice and' assistance in all fanning matters, and the need for further developing these industries with a view to increasing prinjary production must '■necessarily involve a'still greater expansion of the Department's services. ■ "The development of a mo'ro comprehensive and efficient scheme of general agriculturav education is one of the great-_ est necessities of tie Dominion at the* ' present,.time," says the report. "As it is, a very great deal of 'work is -being done .' in this direction—much more, indeed, than the Department sometimes receives credit for. The Ruakura Farm ' especially is rabidly developing into an educational institution, largely the result of it being utilised for the purpose .of training returned soldiers in 6pecinl branches of outdoor work, also for special ctasses for teachers and for farmers* these latter being' organised and carried • out in co-operation with the Auckland Education Board. The Weriiroa Tarm has 'been undergoing 'a reorganisation process within itself, and is now undertaking a new departure in educational work'in connection with returned soldiers. The Moumahaki Farm has proved of 'considerable value' to farmers in the -surrounding district, practical demonstration work being its special feature. "Steps are now being tftken to give effect to a new general policy in connection with the experimental farms. Under this scheme a sufficient area, on each I farm'will Im set aside for. experimental r .work-planned on litoes calculated to elucidate new facts and obtain new information. The remainder will be conducted as a demonstration farm in modern up-to-date methods, and be made profit-earning. Separate accounts will bo ■kept for each branch of tho farm, and annual balance-sheets, based on commercial principles, will ba furnished. Jt is ..considered-'that the, usefulness of these ( institutions to our farmers will bo much : enhanced by such means. .. . "There .is a strong demand throughout ; the Dominion for . more experimental :; Jiiras, but this demaaid has to be coh--iidered..-in, connection with the wholo "question.ofagricultural education, ofwhich experimental farms,/properly conducted, are one important feature. Such ■ farms alone, however, aro not sufficient for the country's requirements in this direction', ' and v a special n&d lies in ' tho provision of capable \ advisory offi-' • -ceVs—men, possessing both practical and scientifio-qu.iliications, who are ab'le to I. ' impress, farmers with the value of their knowledge l ,- .and thus..bringt about tho _;a<loption of their advice, with a resulting -.increase^,in the'general .efficiency of tho fanning, industry. _ The present instruc-:,ticnnl:-staff: ;is. doing excellent, .work in : -this direction, but it is intended to *•'' ..strengtheniit.materially. - Two officers of .'sound educational and practical attain- . ments have already been engaged, and inquiries -are" being, made for others of the right type; these, howover, are not • ■ -.easy .to.secure without depriving other public activities of personnel. "The specific, scientific services of the " Department have a wide scope of activity. The Chemical Laboratory carries out a great vovumo of analytical work in 'eon--nection with soils, manures, food plants <uul food materials, animal-specimens, etc. The; Bacteriological Laboratory (WnFace.r ville) deals particularly with matters connected with tho prevention and tho control., d'fieases, whether , scheduled as contagious diseases or otherwise/ ; ;Other special features of its activities lie in the examination of specimens of all kinds sent in not only by offices of the. Department l>ut> by stockowners, .■ ' nnd iiso the examination of milk-supplies. •y~~ The Biological Laboratory is doing especially ffood work in seed-testing, and though this'is carried out on a>purely ' voluntary bnsis so far as the senders of samples for testing are'concerned, it • is of preat benefit to pastoralists and f agriculturists 'trenorn.l'y," and undoubted- | ly goes a considerable way in ensuring : ' -thnt purchasers of seeds sccure supp'ies r whjell, are pliable both from tho point ; ;;f>f n v'ew of .freedom from serious contamination and-in .germinating power. In .i addition, "considerable /work is carried 'hiit' by" this section *n connection with | '/ the idenf/ficnHoii 'of plants, and scientific v .work generally connected with problem 4 afi'ectin" animnUfood plants, plant breed- ;-. ' ing 'and selection, etc. It is intended, as finances aIW, to consolidate and further develop these sen-ices."