MASSEY COLLEGE.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 226, 1 March 1928, Page 5

MASSEY COLLEGE.

PARTICULARS OF SCOPE. Basis of Agricultural Education A prospectus has been issued by the Council of the Massey Agricultural College outlining the work that is to be carried on there when the college opens on March 2. There will be two terms, the first dating from the opening to May 12, and the second from June 11 to September 8. A short course in dairy farming and the course for the diploma of dairy manufactures will commence at the beginning of the second term. The courses leading to degrees will occupy the full college year. The college farm is some 865 acres m extent, and possesses a wide ranee Of sods Which will be a distinct advantage. Pending t'he erection of the permanent building classes will be held m the old homestead of 10 rooms with an annex. Tenders are now being calico for the erection of a model dairy raetory for teaching and research work. The stock at present consists of purebred and grade Jersey and h nesian dairy cattle, Aberdeen Angus steers Romney and Southdown sheep, Berkshire and Tamworth pigs the farm and stock will be used for! practical work in connection with I teaching and for experimentation andj -esearch, and ti t crops being raised represent the lauge of forage and root crops normal to the North Island. Eighteen subjects will be taught m re college, and students may attend lectures in any one or more of the subjects without necessarily taking one of the complete courses offered. Two types of course will be offered (1) courses leading to degrees of the University of New Zealand, and. (2) short courses. The first is intended primarily for men who intend to take up agricultural science as a profession, that is, to become research worueis, teachers, field instructors, technical experts with commercial firms, agricultural journalists, etc. It is also to provide a very valuable addition to the practical training of the men who will be farming for a living, and it is recommended as such to those who can afford the necessary time. The question is whether the field of employment is sufficiently large to attract many students for the primary object of such a course, which from the number of professors and expensive lecturers to be employed will be very costly to maintain. As to whether a young man who intends to go farming will be more successful if he is a Bachelor of Agricultural Science is another question. The most piactical work to bo undertaken in the way of instruction will be the short courses ’ in dairy farming, to meet the needs of the working dairy farmer’s son who is anxious to improve his knowledge, but who cannot be spared from home during the milking season. As he will already possess a reasonably goo.! experience of the annual operation of dairy farming, the course deals mainly with the principles underlying such subjects as top-dressing and pasture management, the growing of forage crops, feeding, breeding, farm Veterinary . practice, etc., with an understanding of the technical side of his occunation.

The course covers two years, and consists of a term of 10 weeks held in two consecutive winters, that is ■during the off dairy season. Another useful winter course is for.,.dairy factory assistants, in which the .scientific principles underlying the processes ot the manufacture of butter and cheese will be■ emphasised, and this will cover 10 weeks in three winters. ~ The college fees cannot bo looked upon as hijffi, and lodging will cost 25s to 30s per week. Taking‘the prospectus generally, it is, no doubt, an ambitious scheme, but from wlmt one ■can see it will be a very costly one, and it will depend upon tiie number ot students that will be attracted whether it will net be necessary to niodifv it.