VALUE OF SCIENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 30 December 1933, Page 6

VALUE OF SCIENCE

FRINGE OF WALES AND FARMERS • .'STUDYING THE CONSUMERS

LONDON, December 23

The Prince of Wales was the chief guest 'at the anniversary banquet of the National' Farmers’ Union, where he was greeted as the “Farmer Prince.” The Prince talked as an expert and discoursed with the skill of a. successful farmer on pigs and milk. He laughed and chatted with his farmer neighbours, anil ‘’frequently the courses were hiter"spersed "with: ‘‘The Prince wishes to take wine with tliose from Buckinghamshire,” ‘‘With the ladies,” or “TVitli those from Wales.” In his speech the Prince made reference to liis hunting days. “The Melton Mowbray branch were particularly hospitable to sonie of us hunting .people, whom they were kind enough to allow to ride over their land,” he said. “It was in the days when I had the leisure of enjoying hunting four days a week, and they were the best,-days of my life. Those were days when I got.in touch with farmers and ,got to know them. So I give my best greetings to all’ farmers who have been kind enough to let me ride ever their land,. and I hope usually over the tops of their fences.” (Laughter).

BENEFIT OF COMBINATION ■The main 'justification for optimism, said the Prince, was the fact that av laSt’the farmers Were learning to combine, “The fact that we farmers have combined •’hsis made a very fine impression throughout this countrj r ,” he said, *jand there is definitely ".growing up on all sides a far more sympathetic appreciation of the possibilities and the difficulties which beset us. And let us also realise -that this Very intelligent spirit of combination does not mean that our individualism lias been completely takeh from us

•“Quality will, in the long run, decide on Which ’side of ‘our -profit ‘and loss account the balance will appear. This brings me to what'l think is very important—a closer study of the requirements‘of -our'-consumers. It has always puzzlqd me Why therestill exists ,a gulf between "farmers and distributors, because the interests of both are so very iriter-dependerit. Take the livestock industry as'an example. It is to the credit of any farmer Who is producing beef -'which meets the present-day demand for small Points.” .

.'Speaking /of commercial horticulture, the . Prince said: —-“By, (this I mean ’ffuit arid vegetables as well as flowers to merit the ever-increasing demand for those commodities which i kriow' there,*.is to-day. The enterprising farmer will -consider the advisability of 'using some portion of liis land for this purpose. As an example I can tell you of a tenant I have who started life at 12s. Gd a week arid who has now a holding-of 30 acres, mostly under glass, arid'employing 40 people. The possibiliin this direction are well worth inWestigaling; ~ and though -here again some of us. may be up against geological arid ''geographical difficulties, many 'parts of'the country are-'suited to that form of. development.

AGRICULTURE AS A PROFESSION

“Although these are seasonal trades, and 'this form of development is of seasonal trades, we should be 'able to can more of the produce in the glut periods in order That consumers’ demands may. be; met out of season. In all our activities and enterprise we farmers recog-' nise "the valuable services that have' berin rendered us by the various agricultural colleges and the county advisory experts to ensure a happy com(biriatiori of science and practice. “ “No farmer can compete successfully nowadays unless he is up to date with tlie technicalities of his business. So strongly 1 do I feel on this point that. I hum seriously considering instituting through my Duchy of Cornwall a i scholarship)at the Seale-Hayne Agricul’tural College at Newton Abbot for the benefit of my Duchy pupils who really ‘want to take up agricultural as a profession.”