INSTRUCTING THE FARMER

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 168, 12 April 1920, Page 5

INSTRUCTING THE FARMER

WORK OF THE AGRTCULTU'UL

DEPARTMENT. By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.

Maslerton, April 10. At to-day's meeting of the General Committee, of the Maslerton A. and P. Association, Mr, F. E. Ward (of the Agricultural Department) attended to ask tho co-operation of the association in matters pertaining to the instruction of the farmer. . Mr. Ward-Raid that he wanted advice as to the best method of assisting the farmer to get better icturns from his land. The Department received many individual .inquiries, ,but the aim war. tn reach as many farmers "as possible. That object could be achieved only by' something more than treating each case individually. , The chairman (Mt. W. Perry) said that the question of expert instruction for farmers had been brought up in tms district some time ago, and he had then offered a piece of land on which to conduct experiments on sheep-breeding. That same pieco of land was now part of the Penrose soldiers' training farm, Experiments could still bo carried out on it provided they were not too extensive. Ono difficulty in the way of successful experiments was that each paddock had to hnvt. an ample supply of water. Mr. Perry said that he would particularly like to see in the district plots showing tho different methods of growing ryegrass and clovers. He had been impressed with the plots at Weroroa showing the difference in the growth of the two grasses) when sown together and when sown separately. Another question of importance to the farmer was when and how manure should be used. For example, lewt. of manure might give a return of 40 bushels of oats to the acre; but if 2cwt. were used the return might be increased b) 20 bushels. This sort of tiling could be demonstrated by experiments which it would ultimately pay the farmer to study. A. statement had been made recently in the South Island that it was a mistake to manure lucerne That was hard to credit. Surely if the land were of pooi quality it would do no harm to manure it, thereby increasing its nutritive value, and bringing it into line with tho better class of land. Lucerne' as a crop had been neglected in this country. _ There tos ample room for experimenting regarding its culture. ,',,,. Mr. E. Harper said ho-concluded that the principal feature of Mr. Ward's work wiong the farmers would be (ondueting experiments. At the same time, said the ■speaker, a great deal could be dono by advising farmers individually. At present hardly two of them were working on the same lines. On the suggestion of the chairman, Messrs. L. Danielt, L. Wilson. A. H. Frtlloon.'and IT. Evans were appointed a committee to- confer with Mr. Ward as to the best method of getting in touch with the farmers.