A VISIT TO MOUMAHAKI.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 15, 8 May 1914, Page 6

A VISIT TO MOUMAHAKI.

BY STRATFORD FARMERS. About .eighty Stratford fanners made h, visit of; inspection yesterday to the' MoumahaJti : Experimental Farm, under, the auspices of the Stratford A. and P. Association, Jiboyt half a dozen ladies being among the number. Also ’included in the party were Mi; J. B. Hine, M.P. for Stratiord, and Mr H. Dingle, ‘ the newly, elected member of the Board of Agriculture . The weather, on;* leaving Stratford was uninviting, But Taranaki farmers are. not afraid of a little rain, and at the farm they enjoyed comparatively- fine weather, enabling them to inspect the whole of the farm. , Oh arrival at Mdnmahaki two fonr-in-lVancls were waiting

for .the,.visitors, two, trips having, to be made IJefore they'were air landed at the farm. After 'partaking;, of an excellent luncheon, tlie "party proceeded on a tour of inspection, under, the guidance of Mr Hill,. the plant specialist. The visitors were Shown the whole of the crops ~'hy Mr. Hill, who delivered a lectnrette at each plot, indicating the,manure and.seeds used’, the results, 'and ‘ experiments which had been conducted. After spending two hoiu's and a half in this pleasant and instructive manner, a return was made to the house, where afternoon tea was partaken of. Whcni this had been disposed of, Mr .IV'H. Healy, president of . the’ Stratford A. and P. Association, thanked the acting manager, Mr Kirkland and Mr Hill for their kindness' and courtesy to the visitors, and for the instructive information furnished. Messrs Kirkland and Hill suitably replied, regret 'being expressed at the absence in Australia of Mr Lonsdale, the manager. The party returned to Stratford by the mail train in the evening.

All members of the party spent a' thoroughly enjoyable and •instructive time. The farm specialises* in root and fodder crops, and the*specimens of these in evidence on the farm could not be "excelled'. Several visitors left orders for seeds, their intention. no doubt, being to emulate the achievements of the farm—no easy matter. The farm is in, a very isolated position, and the staff generally appreciate these visits of bodies of farmers. The interest taken iiv the visit was evidenced by the, fact that the party included members of the Association from as far away as Inglewood and Huiroa. The party would, no doubt, have appreciated the visit more if there had been butterfat results of different breeds of cattle to go into; but the fanp special-! ises in roots and fodder, and there 1 is only a , small: herd of Ayrshires, some of the tests from which, however, were excellent. Nevertheless, as mentioned previously, everybody spent an . enjoyable and instructive time. '