AGRICULTURAL QUESTIONS.

Shannon News, 21 December 1923, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL QUESTIONS.

DISTRICT INSTRUCTOR’S VIEWS

Mr W. J. McCulloch has now commenced his work in the position ol instructor of agriculture ol the fields division of the Ministry of Agriculture, with headquarters at Palmers ion North. The scope of Mr McCulloch’s activities will extend throughout the vveilinyton-iucuiawaru districts and tie W.airarapa as lar as Dannevirke. 11l an interview with a “Standard” reporter, Mr McCulloch made some interesting observations on the activities on the. Central Development Farm, ana discussed various aspects of fanning oi general interest. SCHOOL FOR FARMERS.

Reierring to the work carried out on the development larm, he said: ‘‘ln co-operation with Mr A. H- Cockayne, the director oi the fields division of the Department of Agriculture, 1 started a farm school, the object oi which was to instruct- bona fide farmers in the different branches of farm-' ing. The course lasted for a week, and experts lectured on different subjects - during the. days and evenings. We had 80 pupils, all oi whom came from a distance, and their ages ranged from 18 to 60 years.. In addition to the lectures, practical, demonstrations were given oil the larm. Every branch of farming was fully dealt with, hut time was so limited that each ol the experts took their own subjects and lectured exclusively on them. The pupils" were kept busy; there were no holidays and all we charged them was 7s per day for their iood, and we found them in lodgings. The lectures started at 8 a.m. daily and lasted till 12 noon. Two more lectures were given tfclore five In the afternoon, and some ol them were accompanied by practical demonstrations in the fields. All the lectures were delivered in farmer’s language, and they took in live stock, dairying in all its branches, draught horses, sheep, pigs, poultry and concrete work regarding the floors of dairies and farm buildings. Full instruction was given iu the proper method of mixing concrete and using it. In every case we had experienced men engaged as instructors.” GRASS PASTURES. “Another important subject dealt with was grass pastures and cropping in all its branches, including instruction in the use of lime. “The pupils were very keen, and m the first year in which we opened the school we had to dec tine 25 applications from prospective pupils owing to lack oi accommodation. A similar number were declined last year, lhe pupils came from Taranaki, llawkcs Bay, Wairarapa and right down through the Manawatu to Paekakuriki. In the - first year we. had two pupils Irom Marlborough in the South Island.” , , , , Referring to the nature ol the lanu at the Weraroa farm, Mr McCulloch said: “The land there is very rich aim is the finest in New Zealand. It is noi, however, particularly adapted for experimental work, because 1 found the manurial tests, owing to the richness oi the growth, did not show the right comparisons, which were not very distinct. The farm is not at all suitable for cropping, but from the stud stock point of view—and we specialised hi Friesians and Red Polls—it is particularly good.” IMPORTANCE OF DAIRYING.

“There is no room lor white crop in this particular district, the reason being that the dairying industry is a much better paying proposition and grazing all the way through is better. In tact, dairying in this district is simply the only thing. It is necessary, in order to get the greatest benefit from grass pasture, that sufficient supplementary crops, should be grown such as maize, soft turnips, millet,, lucerne (where suitable) and other fodder crops. It should be understood that the maximum, carrying capacity of the land is really the minimum growth, taking the whole year round Let us assume that the minimum growth ol grass is on the basis oi the ground level and the maximum growth several points higher with an intermediate level by sowing some crops, they i'ail in many cases tu sOe the possibilities ol attaining to the higher level which is the maximum yield. This many fail to do because they do not put in sufficient crops. There is a big reason lor all this, as the necessity lor higher production was never so insistent as it is to-day. Therefore, if the fanner does not strive to attain to the higher leve[ ol the feeding capacity of his land Ids output must naturally • suffer. The aim of the farmer is to produce feed to market through the medium of live stock, as he fs using that stock as affimuulernan, and the actual profit comes from the soil in the shape of grass ' pastures supplemented by fodder When farmers come to recognise this .fact they will probably acquire a fuller and a> better understanding of the relationship that exists between the proper feeding of their stock and the. productivity of the soil. This fact cannot he too strongly emphasised. “While such farms as that at Weraroa .continue to serve a very useful purpose, the main aim of the department is to establish personal contact with the farmer on his own farm, and tO' deal as far as possible with the various climatic and soil conditions in the different districts. This will be the main object of my work here in the future, and I hope that my services will be of value and real assistance to die fanners of this district, and whose interests I have so much at heart.”