WESTLAND’S AGRICULTURE.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 February 1924, Page 4

WESTLAND’S AGRICULTURE.

AN APPRECIATION OF THE WESTLAND COURT. (Contributed). The Westland Agricultural Court at the British and Intercolonial Exhibition held at Hokitika ha- proved a very interesting feature of the Exhibition and shows in prominence the trend of Westland's future. Si me the opening day, many additional exhibits have been received which has necessitated forming the general lay mu of the Court. On entering ibis Court I min the fernery, the visitor is at once given a full view of Agricultural production oil the Coast. The blending of the colours of blitter labels as representing the dairy industry, the individual green sheaves of grasses, sample.- oi green pasture in boxes—the long .ere..a flax bushes in each corner with dre -wd fibre alongside, the bright yellow corn of the oat sheaves and the yellow lustre of tlie wool display, with enlargement photographs of Dairy anti Pastoral stones, make the Court quii.picturesque. A minute inspection will in once show that the Court is full <d inhumation regarding the dairying and pastoral industries, which all go to show that there, is a bright future ahead. On the loft, at first entrance a model of a West Coast Dairy Karin is the first attraction and liu- been keenly inspected during the whole period Miiee opening day. I lie next exhibit is a display of cheese from the three cheese factories, namely : AVataroa Co-op. Dalrv ( ■ . .41 miles from lien rest railhead <Ro- i. maun file til res cheese. butter and whey butter. Inter-Wanganui Co-op. Dairy Co.. (lari Mari, 30 miles from in a rest, railhead (Boss) mil lilt filet tire- ellee-e and whey butter. Waitaha Co-op. Daii'v Co., lo miles from nearest, railhead (lios-i manufactures cheese and whey butler. On lifting the eve fn.in the eheere display, one is at one. l met wit a lit" proiniii"iil c'liotapii repl'i-semative exhibit til the ill Coast butler Inoiories. Till's cxliibii i- well gut up and entailed much labour, the pillars ol the cenotaph represent in pound putts (labelled for export 1. t lie hut ter from each factory, and i- handed at foot: centre ami top by bailer boxes, while the tup is in lull i-eiiotaph fashion comprised of butler boxes showing the expert brand.- of each factory. With the electric light in the centre the entire exhibit makes a beautiful display. The factories rcpivsen! n I are :- -

Murchison Co-no. Dairy Fact ry. Murelilsua ; Duller Valley Co-op. Dairy Co.. Westport: Knraiuea Co-op. Dairy Co.. Karamea : Golden (Vast Co-op. Dairy Co.. Roeftou ; West Coast Co-op. Dairy Co.. Cn-viuoid h : Overland Dairy Cn-p., (In vmontli : Kunuira Co-op. Dairy Co.. Kiiniara ; Ar.-.hiira Co-op. Dairy Co.. Araliura: Westland Cool .Storage Dairy Co., Hokitika.

In addition, movements are well c.i the way for establishing of Ira-torioa at Oknra. '2O) miles south ol Hokitika, and nt, Mamin -ID miles north of Reefton. On i he walls adjaccnl in the Dairy Industry exhibit, of butter and cheese are enlarged photographs of dairy herds, giving weight of milk and !<■-!- front individual cows. Photographs ol farm steadings and dairy lactories. which show that the Coast has steading equal to oth"f b-alitie . A! photographs of i rops. an mlar '-e photograph of a turnip 'ran in k"ilerangi d'sti nt -3!) ioils pi r acre - shew - that the Coast can produce tin necessary winter food !y which is of great value to a ills', re :. Whilst photographic view - of a tractor at work <'U a South We.,ilainl farm indicate Unit the Coast iai-iiu-i . arc more alive to progrcs-ive method than is gonorallv (Ouri.btd by out siders. Two large photographs of watei falls on the Kokinabi River with a placard drawing til lent ion to the ini-devci-uieti power wailing to be taken in band by man gives mo t he idea of the thoughts Ilf the people mi the Coast, The next prominent I'eal ure i- Urn many -pleiidid >. Sibils el e.r.'i ■-( s and (■lovers. We have here some very t"-:-cellent exhibits; lialtnn l!'."-irass. I imot I iy. Meadow Fescue. I’rairie grass having a length of fullv live feet, v hi!" samples of Porksiuol, I’halai is Rulhosa and A Fyke Clover reach six feel in length. Two samples of Italian Ryegrass four feet six inelies in length with photograph ol a Ih'ld iron: winch samples were taken show ilia great growth this grass attains in a short time, the samples on exhibit bring la Icon from a field sown on the I lili. of April lasi, and til" winter l as been a severe one. Rotators are good and creditable. Teas appear to favourable advantage, well developed and 10 feet in length, although ih" seed merchants’ advertised height of these varirlies shown is

put down at 2ft. 9in. A show of passion fruit, ripe and of excellent quality makes the visitor doubtful as to where he is.

Leather travelling bags made by a Returned Soldier Fanner from Murchison district, and hand-made knives, leather cutter and wad cutter made from old saw blades by a voting Koiternugi farmer show that farmers have a knack of being neat and natty. Sheaves of Garten oats and Ryecorn are of first-class sample. Many visitors expressed surprise at the excellent colour and condition el the oats on exhibition, although oafs are on exhibition from other districts those in ilm 'Westland Court surpass them by far in colour and condition. Samples of Algerian oat ehaif and Carton oat (bail' are of good quality and excellently well cut. One sample of oats from iho * '.rev \ alley is . It. (an. in length A unique but interesting exhibit is that of three con ■ shaped balls of hay ropes used in being down thatch on : : taeks .Willy made immntur' hales iiav. -Low that hay can be made to perfection. Another interesting exhibit is that of hand-made farriers’ tools and a numerous variety of horse shoes. The .Pastoral industry is represented by exhibits of woo! and enlarged photographs oi sloe!,. Scoured and i’eece wool is exhibited in three glass pillars with an extensive array of fleece woo! in the roll on a sloping background. viiicL in studded with photograph-: ol the class.", ci sheep in vogue on the (’oast. .Needle-- ■;> say the Romney predominates. Kniargcd photographs'•■! I la* welMinov.il : 111 > lock are shown to advantage i.n ill- walls ad-jio-i'iit in liu* v.n'ii di-play. A o enlargement wile .• at oure lane- the eve is that of a ionr-yonr ad liereiotil bulib.k. which when i.itled a.ei dressed v sighed loTP's. and fattened on a .pi.year old pasture. A pliotograp.il of Ihe largest hogget kiiied in Westland, v.difell i timed the scales at liGihs. dressed wight i- on view. Sheep skin. land) ski id calf skin mats, and lamb skin capes all add to set this display oil An exhibit of interest and great value, and which brings prominently li'lore til" pubic one of \fe--t----land’s greatest assets Is t lint of tile dii'f •.•soil forms i I lime and lime-stone. I nformatimi is being supplied as to the various limestone deposits throughout (he (’oa-.t. which shows iliat lime can be procured along a lengthy extent of country—from Jackson's Ray to Murchison. Samples of pasf ures, specimens of oafs. giouui with and without lime, and enlarged photographic views of crops and pa-lures show very clearly and distinctly t lie great increase of value that is brought about by the use of lime on (.'oast lands. (exhibits i I deer heads, deer -.kilts, opossum rugs, and rabbit skin capes add a finishing touch to this ( olllt. and which dot's much to show wliai Yi'cstlnnd is capable oil.