AGRICULTURAL.

Southland Times, Issue 997, 3 August 1868, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL.

The advantages to be derived by the agricultural interest from the establishment throughout the province of Farmer's Clubs in the various districts — the whole being connected with a central association — have been recently partially disdussed. Further attention to the subject leads to the conclusion, not merely of their advantages or desirability, but of the absolute necessity for their establishment if the agricultural interest in Southland is to do more than hold its own. Not to progress, is virtually to retrograde; the march of improvement in the neighboring colonies and in. the nations of the world generally will leave ourselves far in the rear, unless with all the means at our command we exert ourselves to keep step. The material is within us to ensure success, and the capabilities of individuals engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuits in either a scientific or practical point of view, are in no way inferior to those of other provinces or colonies. The want is of some practical system, by means of which the resources of individuals shall be rendered available to the community; that the successes and failures of solitary instances may, by their cause being ascertained, or by the application of remedy operate to secure as far as possible general success, and to prevent the recurrence of individual loss. There is no more perfect illustration of the true principle, admitting the necessity for earnest individual exertion as well as of ultimate dependence on the blessing of Providence, than that which is expressed in the oft quoted, time honored saying, " Jove helps them that help themselves." It is altogether beside the mark to expect success in any special or marked degree, unless the infceJlect, as well as the bodily faculties, shall have been tasked to secure it. It is further unreasonable to suppose that in the wide range of subjects, more or less affecting the successful pursuit of agriculture as a profession, that individual experience should in any case realise the whole, while by the establishment of societies encouraging the interchange of thought and union of effort, the experience, not merely of individuals, or even of districts, but of the whole world is brought to the aid of each individual. Referring again to the fearful malady to which reference has been so often made —the rust, which has affected the wheat i crops in South Australia to so great an ; extent— it would have been next to a matter of impossibility that the evidence collected on this subject could have been obtained by the commission, without the aid of district societies, similar in character to those of which the establishment is now advocated. The commissioners appointed to conduct the enquiry appear to have themselves selected the scientific witnesses, while the district councils, or clubs, have sent forward the farmers most competent to give evidence. Assuming that these gentlemen were, as we have every reason to suppose, members of the various existing clubs or councils, and that the malady had been the subject of long and careful discussion, it is impossible to conceive of any method by which more valuable or reliable information on the subject of the disease could have been obtained. The knowledge of the disease in its various forms being admitted the first stage to cure, the value of it will be more readily acknowledged. The recently published Agricultural Statistics in the neighbouring colonies, have in many instances been found to be either very defective or grossly incorrect, and here again the value of institutions which in their respective districts could readily detect and remedy these inaccuracies is felt. It is not, however, in cases like those above referred to, which are after all exceptional, that the true importance ofDstrict Agricultural Societies is apprehended. It is rather in the ordinary every day business of life, in its influence on the application of industry,

and in the employment of capital, that the benefit of co-operation is most sensiblyapparent. Next to the expenditure for labour in connection with agriculture, that of machinery forms the most important item in; the outlay of a farmer, and the avoidance of unnecessary as well : as the diminution of necessary outlay will often result from the use of the experience of othe.s imparted by means of the Society. The arrangements for ploughing matches, local shows , and the various competitive exhibitions, would necessarily be included within the spheres of operation of these societies. Healthy emulation would be excited, and practically, there is no limit to the benefits that would accrue, as such would be ever extending, Without venturing to assert that by the adoption i of the means recommended a panacea for. all the ills, difficulties and discouragements which have beset the agriculturalist would be attained, it may be connden±ly assumed that it would do much towards' realizing that, without which agriculturalists must for along time remain in the back ground, viz — the adoption of the best available means, with the most reasonable "prospect of' success. "When it is remembered that mercantile and professional men combine to form, associations which have for their objects the obtaining and disseminating information which shall beneficially affect them in their respective callings, the question may be asked with a degree of surprise, Why an undertaking involving an amount of training and skill, with a large expenditure of "capital to render it productive, should be left dependent on individual experience ? Without doubt the result will, in every case, mainly depend on the energy and habits of the individual following the profession, but that which is to be deplored is the absence of combination by which the results di individual study and experience may, without individual loss, become common property. The foregoing remarks may seem to have been written with a special reference to agriculture ; they are, however, equally adapted to pastoral matters, and as time rolls along it will be found that the union of the two hitherto regarded as almost separate interests is the best and surest method of realising uniform success. The details of such societies as those the operations of which have been outlined, need be but fevt and simple, and may be conducted at a trifling expense. To foe of practical benefit, either a Beading- room or a Book Society, including the best publications on' Agriculture and Agricultural Chemistry, as well as pastoral farming, should be connected with it. Meetings for debate on such matters as affect the interests at stake should be encouraged, and occasional lectures or readings by the members had recourse to. There is probably. not a district in the Province, however sparsely populated, which does not possess, within itself, the means for the establishment and proper conduct of au undertaking of this character. Let the experiment be tried in any given district, and the faithful co-opera-tion of those concerned in it will, within one year, produce such results as that other districts will be glad to follow the example. The question now appears to be " Who shall take the initiative ?"