BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1930, Page 7

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

QUARTERLY MEETING. At the quarterly meeting of the Board of Agriculture which was held at Palmerston North, the question of the embargo on the importation of live-stock from, Great Britain received consideration. At its meeting on August 6, the board passed a resolution to the effect that if Great Britain remained "free from foot and mouth disease until the end of the current year, it was considered that stock from Great Britain should be permitted into New Zealancf subject to reasonable precautions. This recommendation was embodied in a communication, which was circulated to all A. and P. Associations, breed societies and the Farmers’ Union, asking those bodies for their views on the subject. However, in September last notification was received by the Department of Agriculture that several outbreaks had occurred that month in Great Britain. This information which was made public, undoubtedly influenced the societies communicated with by the board, as practically all who replied were opposed to the lifting of the, embargo. The board decided that, in view of the recent outbreaks of the disease in Great Britain, it would take no action at present in regard to recommending a removal of the embargo on ptock from Great Britain.

The Director-General of Agriculture, who was present at the meeting, in formed the boa.rd that he had cabled to the High Commisisoner for New Zealand in London regarding the recently reported outbreaks of foot and mouth disease amongst imported stock whilst in the quarantine station at Buenos Aires. In his reply the High Commissioner stated that he was advised by the British Ministry of Agriculture that it was no uncommon experience for outbreaks of foot and mouth disease to occur among imported animals from Great Britain, while undergoing quarantine in Buenos Aires, the infection being of Argentine origin and taken into the quarantine station on fodder, attendants and purchasers. The period of incubation of the disease is so short that if cattle were infected before leaving Great Britain they would develop the disease on the voyage and would not be allowed to land in Argentina. No Britsli stock had ever been refused admission to the quarantine .station at Buenos Aires on this score. SEED CERTIFICATION.

The director and the agronomist of the Plan Research Station, Palmerston North, gave the board an outline of the seed certification scheme which has been inaugurated by the Department ef Agriculture, and which will greatly benefit agricultural industry in the Dominion by enabling farmers to obtain reliable seed true to type. At the present time, seed potatoes, rye-grass, white clover and wheat are included in this scheme and the addition of cocksfoot is contemplated. Members fully appreciated the value and the importance of this work and expressed the opinion that the certification scheme should be placed on a revenue-earning basis so soon as possible as the value of an official and unbaised guarantee to the purchaser of the seed warranted a. payment for such service, and also the imposition of a scale of charges for the certification of seed would relieve the Consolidated Fund of a portion of the cost of the work. PASTURE RESEARCH WORK. The members of the board visited the plots at Massey College, where investigational work is being undertaken with a view to the evolution, by breeding, selection and culling, of superior pedigree types of pasture plants. The officers of the Plant Research Station and Fields Division in charge of this work were in attendance and conducted the board over the plots. The immense possibilities which this research, in conjunction with the certification .schenie j has opened up in the direction of improvement in the Dominion’s pastures was readily apparent from the present stage which the work has reached, and the board indicated its gratification at what was being done.

RESEARCH WORK AT MARTON. From Massey College, the board proceeded to Marton to visit the experimental area operated by the Department of Agriculture, where a study of pasture production throughout the whole of the year and the investigation and trial of methods of manuring and management are being undertaken. The various ryegrass and clover areas afforded most valuable object lessons in grass-farming and the board was of opinion that it would be well worth the while of North Island farmers to visit Marton and see for themselves what is being done there in. demonstrating the economic 10-ses which must result from the establishment of inferior strains of rve-grass and clover and the great advantage to be gained by rising the right strains.