THE WEST COAST.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1917, Page 3

THE WEST COAST.

experimental tests. Mr. A. H. Wheeler, of Rotomnnu, Westland, upon whose fnrm several interesting fin agriculture and fruitering have heen conducted un dor the auspiciea of the Department of Agriculture, was in Christchurch and in the course of a chat with n reporter gave an interesting account of | the results which have heen achieved, j Last February under the direction I of Mr. A. McPherson, Government Fields Instructor, twelve varieties of lucerne wero sown; and the results so far as the. experiment has gone proves that in Westland, as in Canterbury, the Spanish variety shows best results for winter growing. Mr. Wheeler has also had some remarkably successful results with maize A crop was sown in December 24, 1914 and ten weeks later Mr. Wheeler was ' able to :hm\ the Minister of Agriculture. the lion. W. D. S. MacDonald, a growth of ten foot. The maize was stacked under the supervision of one of the Department’s experts, and lett for two years, when it cut up perfect [ ; Iv sound and sweet, and with a minl- . 1 mum of waste . [ j Extensive experiments in apple gr~ov- | ing have also been made by Air. 1 tv heeler who expresses much gratitude : to Air. W. J. Courtier, Government or- ' chard expert for assistance and advice. 1 The experience up to the present shows | that the Worcester, Pearmain and Ry- | ipier varieties nFe most bu ited to the Westland climate with Cornish Aromaio and Reindtte du Canada next in

- • order. An experimental plot of various sorts of apple resulted in the following varieties bearing fruit in the third year of budding:—Beauty of Bath, King o’ the Pippin, Emperor Alexander, Jonathan and American Golden Russet. Lady Carrington an apple with a remarkable pineapple flavour, also gave good results. Air. AVbeeler is a firm believer in a bright future for AA'estland as a dairying and fruitgrowing district as soon as the Otira tunnel gives direct rail connection with Canterbury. Ho has experimented to a considerable extent with various breeds of cattle, and after a long triaj of the shorthorn strain has finally selected Jerseys as most suited to the conditions. His experience as •a pig raiser leads him to consider Berkshire* ns the best breed for Westland.