THE TWO FARMERS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 February 1915, Page 3

THE TWO FARMERS.

(By Walt Mason, in the Nor'-West Farmer).The slipshud farmer goes by guess, and has all kinds of black distress. He doesn't keep his head on straight, but sticks to methods out of date. You say, "Why don't you take a brace, and cultivate your blamed old place, in modern ittyle, with modern tools, hcoording to the latest rules? Why not improve your flocks and nerdsP Then you'd have coin to pelt the birds." lie answers through his old straw lid, "I do the way my father did. i have no use for modern rules, for agriculture learned in schools. No farmers' Journals do 1 need; I have no time to sit and read. I've too much trouble on my mind, to stand and talk here till i'ni blind; my cows are all producing whey, my liens have never learned to lay. my pigs are troubled with the thumps, my horses have the jumping mumps, our old stone churn is out of plumb, and so the butter will not come; the well is dry, the chimney smokes, niy fttred men are lazy blokes, and I mustkick around and roar, just as my father did of yore."

The modern farmer, up to date, has all things running smooth and straight. He knows the farmer must advance, and knowledge gain, at every chance. For farming is no blind man's game; the winner needs a lofty aim, must have a comprehensive view, and know what other farmers do. rie ought to know what kind of stock will bring him *oubles by the crock, know how to combat bugs and worms, and put a crimp on deadly germs; he ought to know what kind of grain will flourish best on hills or plains; he ought to know what kind of pills to give his horses for their ills, a thousand tilings he has to Know, if he would sidestep grief, and so he reads farm papers every day : and knows fche good one makes it pay; it pays a hundred times its cost—-the time spentreading isn't lost.

The cadet corps ot the Boys' Training Farm, preceded by the brass band of the institution, marched from Weraroa to Covin to-day (Wednesday) and put in the afternoon at the King's Theatre, rehearsing the programme for Friday's concert. Ten refugees from Belgium are part of the crew ol a steamer now in Auckland. One of the deck boys, who passed through the siege of Antwerp, relates in quaint English his hrst experience during the bombardment of the city by Zeppelins. "Eet vas like ze carnival. Everybody got out of beet in dere tail shirt, and rush about de street like dey vas mad, looking for shelter. ' .

Last night at 10 o'clock a tTiree roomed house at the Hokio beach, owned jointly by Messrs G. K. Douglas and F. W. Pink was totally destroyed by fire. It is not known how the fire started. Particulars regarding any man ranees that may ha ve 'been on the bifflding are not available.

An interesting position was taken up by the Taranaki Executive of the Farmer's Union in connection with the Board of Agricuture's circular concerning the eradication of noxious weeds. A member pointed out that the difficulty was in regard to the different classes of land. In one case there was flat ploughable land, and 111 the other t-herfo was land with deep (gulliies, where it was not possible to exterminate the weeds. It was absurd for anyone to sav that tho Act could be rigorously enforced. The only way in which weeds in the rough country could be dealt with was by planting it with inus insignis trees. He moved : "That the Taranaki executive of the Farmers' Union" is in favor of the Act being stringently enforced in cases where the land is capable of cultivation, but- suggests that it be enforced with discretion in cases where tho land is of poor quality and of a rough nature, where

weeds is practically impossible the owtlieir eradication would be too great an

undertaking by the holder. The executive also recommends that in inferior and rough land, where eradication it' weeds is parctically impossilbe the owner be required to plant pines and other suitable timbers, or that the State take over the laud and plant it." The motion was carried, and it was further resolved to inform the Board that the executive does not consider that districts can be classified, as in many cases the same flarms contain both classes of land.