A. AND P. CONFERENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1510, 19 July 1905, Page 2

A. AND P. CONFERENCE.

(Per Press Association.) Weiliugion, last night. Tho annual conference of delegates ol Agricultural and Pastoral Associations opened to-day. Tho acting Chairman, Mi

Patiullo, remarked on the improvement in farmiDg methods, hut said there was still room for improvement. Ths prospects of dairying wore gord. In tiro main the industry seemed likely to go on improving till it equalled, if not surpassed, the frozen meat. Although pastoralists might not continue to get tho present high prices, still he thought sheep farming would long continue to be profitable, despite the competition of the Argentine and Australia. Mr J, G. Wilson was elected President.

IMPORTANT SUBJECTS.

(Per Press Association.) Wellington, last night. At ths Agricultural Conference the Hon. J. D. Ormond moved that tbo Government be urged to make arrangements to sterilise bones in New Zealand instead of attempting to do so at the port of shipment. Ho said the matter was of such importance both to stock and human life that he felt it had not been properly dealt with. Tha discussion whioh ensued branched off to the question of using artificial bones, Mr K. D. D. Meßean (Hawke’s Bay) moving that the Department of Agriculture be requested to carry out experiments with artificial manures other than bone with a view to their use instead of bone manure. Mr Aston, chemist to the Department of Agriculture, said the natural phosphates in New Zealand were not to be compared with bones ia any way except that they contained phosphate of limo. Professor Lowrie, principal of Dincoln College, declared tba't the colony could do perfectly well without bonedust at all. Mr McLean’s motion was carried, and the Hon. Mr Ormond’s motion was also agreed to. On the motion of Mr Patullo (Otago) it. was resolved that this Conference take steps to ensure that more information be given to farmers by means of various experiments; (1) by approaching the Department of Agriculture to establish better experiment stations, and (2) by endeavoring to Beoure a system of experiments to be carried out' by the farmers themselves. The mover drew particular attention to what was being drne in this direction iu Canada.

Tho question of eradicating ergot was introduced by Mr R. D. Mcßean, who said the pest was spreading more and more in Hawke’s Boy. Nothing was done in the matter by tho Conference. ,

Mr Mofisap moved that rnoro stringent means be taken to enforco tho provisions of the Noxious Weeds Act, eapeoially in unoccupied Crown or native lands. The resolution was carried.

A resolution was also agreed to affirming the desirableness of experimenting with Canadian thistle, to determine whether it is practicable to devise some remedy to cope with it.