AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS.

The question, of the necessity for an experimental farm being established in the South Island has, within the last few years, been very often discussed. At the present time there are, in the North Island, at least four stations for agricultural experimental work, so that it seems only reasonable that the demands of the farmers of Canterbury and Otago should be met by the provision of experimental plots in the South Island. At the "A. and P. Association's' Conference a resolution was put forward by Canterbury, and carried, to the effect that it be a recommendation to the Agricultural Department that experiments by farmers be conducted under the supervision of a Department director in grasses, f odder crops, root crops ; and that experimental plots be provided in the South Island, where new seeds and plants could be tested, and those found suitable afterwards distributed to farmers. The director of N.Z. experimental farms emphasised the enormous value of the experiment carried out by the farmer, which was more effective in every way than the most elaborate experiment carried out by the department, and pointed out that the crop supervision or co-opera-tive experiment would be the principal phase of the Department's activity in the future. While earnestly commending the proposals put forward by the Department of Agriculture towards inducing the carrying out of individual experiments by farmers on their own farmSj this does not lessen the necessity for the establishment in the South Island of one or more experimental stations similar to those which at present exist in the north — at Moumahaki and Wairenga; We are told that it is more than probable that at least one of the existing experimental farms is to be sold on the score of economy. If this is carried out it is to be hoped that the Minister for Agriculture will not overlook the claims of Canterbury and Otago in the direction already indicated. There is a large area of pastoral and hilly country in the two districts named, N and the question as to how to improve the grSsses on the runs as of very great importance. Experiments have shown us the grasses that are best suited for agricultural landj but the best method of improving the pastures of hill country is a very difficult one, and this is what the pastoralists of Canterbury and -Otago would like to know. The necessity therefore exists of experimenting in the direction of ascertaining the effect of locality, soil, and climate on different farms. - Suggestion was made at the Agricultural Conference that some portion of one run should be set aside for experimental purposes so as to ascertain if any system for improving the pasture can be economically carried out, and in order that publicity should be given to these and other experiments, that frequent reports should be published by the supervisors, otherwise the results might not be known for many months after the experiments have been initiated, and' thereby much of the interest and value of such work would be lo*>t. It is a well-known fact that on many of the hill rums of Otago the pastures have greatly deteriorated, the trouble being that the native grasses are not capable of standing a fail- carrying of stock.' At one of t>ke experimental stations in the North Island extensive experiments have for some years been carried out with a view to showing what grasses and fertilisers are most suited for fattening sheep. It was originallj intended to graze the plots or to continue the experiment in the summer season only, but after -doing this for two seasons the authorities' decided to discontinue this method and carry on the experiment right through the "year. This alteration was considered more likely to make the records more valuable, as not only the gains, but the stock-carrying capacity of the land could be better arrived at. These points are mentioned as siiowing -the. value of tli-e-work now being carried out in the North Island. It is vitally 'important in the interests of the sheep and wool-growers in this province that experiments tending towards the improvement of grasses on the runs should be taken in hand by the Government. The Minister for Agriculture, is understood to be thoroughly aware of the conditions of pastoral farming in the South lelamd, and he should therefore be in a posit/ion to give effect to -what is t lie general desire of agriculturists by establishing experimental stations in the South Inland, from tfhicl farmers and pastora,Hsts would be more readily enabled to obtain much valuable information. j