An Experimental Farm.

Manawatu Herald, 21 September 1895, Page 2

An Experimental Farm.

. 9 ~ An interesting retain, on the motion of Mr George Hutchison, has bean laid on the table of the House. The return gives interesting details about the Waverley Experimental Farm. The area is 254 acres 2 roods 13 poles. Of this acreage 71 acres 1 rood and 24 poles are bush. The expenditure on the farm has been as fallow.-*!— (a) Buildings £577 103 ; (b) fencing, £367 6s 8d ; (c) cultivating, £887 33 lid ; (d) stock, £376 0^ sd ; (c) other expenditure, £449 10s Bd. The total is in addition to the price of the land, £2657 lls Bd— that is, about £10 per acre ! How many small farmers could expend such a sum ? The stock consists of 5 horses, 44 cattle, and 397 sheep I The total returns for two years have been the great sum of £81 2-3 lid. This is a poor return for nearly £3000 of expenditure. And this is an Experimental Farm under the management ot ihe Minister of Lands. We fear those of our readers who know anything aboiU. farming will not have an exalted idea of the Experimental Farm. We would like to see a similar return for the Levin Firm, which is under the manage* ment of the Minister of Labour. We are nfraid the return would 9how a worse waste of money. The Waverley return deals with the years 1890---03. The expenditure is still going on, and the Minister of Land* id allowed carte lla&che, and can spend money, how^&'hen or where he pleases. J|£;