FARMERS’ UNION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9121, 14 April 1908, Page 7

FARMERS’ UNION.

SANDON BRANCH. PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. The annual meeting was Held, on Saturday night, Mr J. G. Wilson in tha chair. The Chairman gave a resume of the work done by the brand) during the year, pointing out that there had been several successful meetings. He referred particularly to the addresses given by several gentlemen in connection with farming, one outcome of which had been the interesting experiments conducted on Mr Perrett’s farm with regard to the growing of roots and rape. Unfortunately, however, the season had been very unfavourable and the results had not been commensurate with the troubleJJMr Perrett and others had taken in the matter. It was hoped they would bo continued another yeawas they were most important to tho district. FUTURE FARMING EXPERIMENTS.

They were fortunate in Laving arranged for another series of experiments under the supervision of Mr Clifton and Mr Baylis of the Agricultural Department, namely, on top dressing of pastures and tho summer feeding of cows. Tho first named would be carried out by Messrs Strode Penny, Morris Pearce, R. B. McKenzie and Ellis Bros., and the latter by Messrs Hartley, Makowhai, Goodrich, Ohakea, T. Ellery, Bulls, and G. Wicks. Also a number of gentlemen in theMartou district had arranged to carry out similar experiments, and Mr Fraser, of Pukehou, had undertaken to make some experiments in the growth of wheat, and these would be supervised by Mr Baylis of the Agricultural Department. He would notify all these gentlemen what was required very shortly. THE UNION AND POLITICS.

la regard to the Uuiou, it had taken part as as a whole, in the discussion of the Laud Bill last session, and although they did not get as much as they hoped, still the organisation had been instrumental in causing the-retention of the optional tenure. It behoved the Union to continue its agitation in a determined manner for the freehold, and to counteract everything in the form of nationalisation' of the cated by the theorists of the towns. The Union had taken part in the labourers dispute in Canterbury, where Mr James, President of the Provincial district, assisted by Messrs Evans and Aclaud, conducted the inquiry on behalf of the farmers before the Oouciliation Board in a very able manner. The Shearers’ Dispute, too, in the Wellington district had been arranged by the Executive, the parties having been successful- in coming to a mutual settlement. It was a curious commentary on the Arbitration and Conciliation Act that a few months after the award had been issued .their chief product, wool, had fallen in value 14 to 15 per cent., yet the award had to continue for two years. It was better, however, to have made au amicable arrangement than to have allowed it to come before the Court and cause au unpleasant feeling between the employers and employees. There was still a great work for the Union in watching legislation and in trying to form public opinion in connection with the various matters of the farming industry. There was the question of taxation for instance. He had found on looking into the matter that the land tax, during the past 13 years, had just about doubled. The taxation through the local bodies had also doubled. This had been done through raising the values of laud and decreasing, at the same time, the'values of the improvements. With the coming into force of the last year’s Act the taxation would he more than doubled. Then in relation to the tariff, it had become highly protective, as could be seen from the returns of the customs revenue, and the increased amount extracted, from the people in that way. One gratifying feature in connection with the Union was that young men were taking an active interest in scientific farming experiments going on. It was all the more gratifying because the young farmer was too apt to follow in the groove and do just what his father and his grandfather had done before him. IMPROVED METHODS,

In view of the increase of taxation it behoved all farmers to adopt -methods to increase their returns or land at present prices would not be worth holding. He sometimes thought that farmers did not realize how much had been done by scientists 4'or the increased value of farm products. If they could imagine the state of things in the Sandoa district, without the freezing process, it would assist them to realise the benefit derived by farmers from scientific discoveries. Before the advent of the .freezing wethers were selling at 8s a head, and now they were bringing double that ■price. The lamb tradejjwas non existent and the dairying,industry also. Everyday one felt more gratitude to those scientific men who haddevoted their time and attention to discovering this, and other matters affecting ■the farming industry. As another instance, was the discovery that legumes—i.e. plants of the pea tribe —received their nitrogen from the air and only the other day Professor Eottomly. of the King’s College, London, had been able to turn the culture of the to good account in the increase of the yields of crops. He had made dbe statement that not only were the leguminous plants affected, but also cereals and .grasses, although not by the same bacteria which did tiie work in the case of leguminous plants. He bad found a kind of slime on graraiuiferous plants which showed that the work of extracting the nitrogen from the air was possible even by them. Now that scientists had found a aneaus of extracting nitrogeu*from •the air, it was imped very shortly >that some moans would be discovered of producing it at prices which would enable it to be largely used in bringing about an increased yield from the laud. Experiments were feeing conducted at various colleges in England and Scotland, with this nitrate of lime, as °the product of the bacteria was called, and Proies- ■ sor Root, of the West of Scotland ■College, had stated that apparently there was very little difference between the nitrate and or ammonia and this new form of nuiogou, extracted from the air, as far as . results were concerned. A LOOAL EXAMLPB. Referring to the beneficial results from good farming to the value or ■tin yield Mr Wilson mentioned a

crop of Marshall’s White, grown" by Mr Thoraas’Masters on the Mangaone downs, on land that had not been considered capable of growing good wheat crops. It was as good as anything that had been raised in the district. At his suggestion a few' of the heads Lad been selected by Mr Baylis for experiment. Mr J. H. Perrett mentioned that the turnip rot had again made its appearance in tho crops, i Mr Wilson thought the weather that had prevailed had been cue cause of its further spread. He had noticed it during many years more or loss affecting the crops. Farmers in England had been much troubled of late by a disease called “finger and toe’’ in turnips and the best preventive bad been the use of basic slag, owing to the lime it contained. Mr J. H. Perrett said he iiad received the analysis of the soil from the Department of the plot on which experiments had been conducted, and hepwould send it to the Advocate for publication. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr Wilson for his interesting address.

The balance-sheet was read which showed the receipts to have been £ls 7s and the expenditure £ls Bs. The levy for tho ensuing year was fixed at Bs. Three new members were elected.

The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr J. G. Wilson, re-elected; Secretary, Mr W. E. Pearce, re-elected; Committee, Messrs Thos. Masters, J. H. Perrett, W. Phillips, J. McDonell, J. Penny, R. Perrett, A. McHardy, A. Harris, A. Eglington and W. Penny, sen. Mr J. H. Perrett was elected delegate to the Provincial Conference.