AN INTERESTING LECTURE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1926, Page 2

AN INTERESTING LECTURE

At the Town Hall last evening, Dr Hilgendorf, biologist and director of Lincoln College, delivered a very interesting address to farmers. Air T.

AV. Duff, president of- ,the Progress League, presided, and introduced the lecturer. Unfortunately there was a rather meagre attendance, due to the epidemic and the boisterous weather, but the lecturer was able to engross the interest of those present for the evening.

Dr Hilgendorf began by comparing tbo farming interests of England with those of New Zealand. Folk were apt to consider, ho thought, that England was backward ill agriculture, be * in every way farming was more advanced and intensive than in this country. There was a larger farming pifiulat.ion, greater flocks and herds, and generally much advance in farming, though the people here would net approve of the length to which wOjnon were engaged in farming pursuits-, in the Old Land. Climate and local conditions generally were the deciding factors as to the branch of farming or Industry which a countur might take up. New Zealand followed fanning pursuits primarily because the produce could he exported to a market profitably, AAlieat was not grown for export here because the basic value of the product would not stand freight charges and ifturn the grower a profit. But dairy pro-' due© and other commodities of a higher basic value per pound which could stand the ocean freights-, were profitable to handle and so, the country developed its farming along those lines. There was-much farming in the Home land, but there the areas were smaller, the eifltivntion more intensive, and the produce which was most profitable to the farmer was milk for the teeming millions in the cities. Land, values in the United Kingdom were on a par with land values here, but stock was worth twice as much at Home as here. Taxation in England was. tremendously heavy, and incomes of £l2l had to contribute. It was wonderful how the people stood up to the taxation and paid their way, hut'there was the fact, and all were proud of what England was doing. The ileeturer gave some interesting

details of farming in England, particularlv relating to the care mid management of stock, and thei tilling and manuring of the land to pro\ ide winter fodder, much of which had to be hand fed. He gave an account also v of the fen country arid how it had been developed, and the process of securing the best returns from its rich soil. Following up the subject he diverted to plant breeding which had been do.yefoped by scientific research following tlio war period, particularly in regard to the selection of the right kinds of seed for special localities. l>r Hilgendorf then diverted to explain the work he had been engaged in for the past ten or twelve years in plant breeding in New Zealand. At the outset lie began on wheat which, was a very approriate plant to begin with in Canterbury. He described the process of selection from the vai ions plants, land showed how by selection from the best three of say one hundred original plants of wheat, a superior seed had been procured giving orichanced yields and well repaying the selection. The process of plant , breeding was not unlike that of stock breeding, and it was no less necessary, for it was i.i mistake to life to outgrow Itself without any effort to improve the seed. From wheat lie was now turning attention to cocksfoot grass, for grass was highly essential to New Zealand devoted as it was so much to dairy produce. Photographs were shown of the progress made with reference to the experiments, indicating how tli% best plants were selected and tlieir seed saved to produce in turn better plants. The mission of the lecturer to the

Coast was to take plants from any apparently worn opt ground and culti-U vato the cocksfoot to find the strongest and best samples, and then to select the seed for further experiment. Ho instanced wllat could be done with the right kind of manuring of plants for fodder, and in that connection referred at length to what Air C. S. Daigliesh had done on the State Farm in the Grey A r alley with experiments in the growing of swedes. There, wood aslies from the sawmills had been obtained .and the ground treated and the effect of the potash had had a wonderful'result. He stressed the value of this work in tlio district to grow a useful fodder for itself and what had hen dono ston'd be followed, up diligently.

At the dee© cf the address.- questions were asked'by Alessrs Butler. O’Neill and others, the questions lending to further interesting points being touched on. At the close of the proceedings, the lecturer was accorded a vote of thanks for liis instructive and interesting address.