FARMING METHODS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 January 1925, Page 1

FARMING METHODS

I AGILITIES IN OTHER eoI'XTKTES. A I'OK LAND, January 7. "It. Was an eye-opener to see the facilities given fanners in the United Slates in the shape of experimental 1,-ini! v. lahnralau ies and general leeaivli v.ork to .e-.-ist producer* iii eiii'ii. met hod''.” i-lated M: Claude Mei cin. a mend'er of the Dairy Coiitml Hoard ami. chairman of directors ,J |!ie New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Lid., who has returned in Auckland afler an extensive trip aboard in the interests of lie* board. Mr Mm ion. with oilier members of the delegalion. invest ignb'd a number of State and Government aeiivilies in hot li Hie United States and in Canada and noted flint while in nonie parts farmers were taking advantage of t.lio lari lil ie . offered, in others they were deriving verv liille benefit. This, remarked Mr Motion, was due largely in the fact ilia 1. many European immigrants preferred to follow I heir borne methods. Slate . -dablishmonls were eoiu'lucted on model linos, and farmers and factory tna lingers eouhl take courses of insl met ion as desired. Amerba'x main dairying activity, eont-inm-d Mr Motion, seemed io be directed toward the production of milk for domestic use, and consequently the Holstein was. perhaps, the most popular cow. on account of her heavy milk yield. At many of the Government farms visited champion cows were kepi under indoor conditions and milked by hand three times a day. The housing of cattle v.as genera! and in many place- cows would have liberty on pasture for eulv two months ol the year, on nreiiimt of the cold in winter and flies iq .slimmer. This eln.se eonfmenioni, tended io produce tuberculin trouble, against whirli continual care had to be taken.

“ New Zealand farmers should derive great comfort from the knowleih'c that tln-ir cows, through openair grazing all the year round, pns-e.-s .siieii outstanding good health am! freedom from disease.” said Mr .Motion. “The vitalitv and health of New Zealand stock and the purity of their milk inevitably have its influence upon the reputation of our produce overseas.” One phase of American dairying activities that impressed the visitors was the extent to which collective, propaganda had been employed to increase the consumption of dairy products. This duly was supervised hy the National Dairy Council and as a result of their systematic propaganda they had in the past throe years increased tin* annual consumption of milk b\ five gallons a head.

■‘The beautiful undulating countryside of England, with its well-culti-vated fields, came as n .surprise. Everywhere T went,” continued Mr Motion. <-T sau - nothing hut up-to-date machinery ami npcli.times being used, and T think we in New Zealand could learn mmh about methods of ' nliivation from the English farmer. Durum our stav farmers wore complaining of' poor returns, and one of the prin"ip.,l reasons for this position is tlio excessive individualistic iondtin.es of British farmers. They are not prepared to (■>'-.iterate to obtain the he'd results ami are. therefore, in.the hand* hiive-s. Although English fanners have mat mad" much movement toward rt,-operation, an ’ tncreasin.t interest is being shewn b> t ” then -Mini, and the. probability i" s M. , rr f the nest tew IS that m H.e roil! ■ s ... in roars same leaders will r.n=e who will command the loyalty of their colleague*.”