Modern Agriculture

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 538, 15 December 1928, Page 29

Modern Agriculture

TRAINING NEW ZEALANDERS Are Facilities Appreciated? MUCH has been heard recently of the alleged lack of facilities for training the young New Zealander in the rudiments of modern farming methods. It is claimed that if the opportunity were given New Zealand hoys to undergo a course of agricultural training, more would turn to the land for a lifetime occupation. Few realise the extent to which modern farming methods are advocated in this country, nor do they know the avenues open to those who wish to improve their knowledge in this

• 4 T the call of every man on the A- land there are trained instructors stationed in all important districts by the Department of Agriculture These men have a specialised knowledge, and it is their job to place this knowledge at the disposal of the farmer. Most secondary schools contiguous to farming districts have incorporated from time to time in their syllabi a course in agriculture. Some schools still maintain such courses and find them well supported and popular. The general experience has been, however, that the study of agriculture has not been popular, and that even the boys who take it up at school ‘■enerally end up in city occupations. Higher education in farming is made available at Lincoln College in the South Island and Massey College in the North. The most practical source of knowledge, however, where experience likely to be of greatest use in actual farming practice can be gained, is that provided at the Ruakura State Experimental Farm. A course of training at that institution should be invaluable to the trainee in after-life. At Ruakura the boys are given an insight into the practical as well as the theoretical side of farming. They are required to attend lectures given by highly-qualified instructors. In addition, every department of farm life is controlled by r. skilled foreman, and every boy has to put in a certain amount of his term doing actual farm work in its varied branches During a recent visit to F.uakura the writer saw boys attending to the pigs, which were ' used in a modern concrete piggery. The piggery, it might be mentioned, was built by the boys under the supervision of the farm carpenter. All the painting, Ncarpentering, fencing and oe jobs are done by the boys, wader supervision. The milking and recording of the tests is done by the boys. They are responsible for the shearing, and attend to all the mustering, drafting, etc. The cropping-ploughing, sowing and harvesting—all come into their term. In the model apiary, poultry section and orchard, they gain an insight as to how valuable these sidelines can be made when run on the right lines. Perhaps one of the most valuable lessons Ruakura has to teach is the bringing in of swamp land into a state of highly profitable production. Much of Ruakura has been won over from the peat swamp and, as the boys have done a large part of the work, they have been able to -weigh costs for themselves and this, in later life, should be invaluable. Everything on Ruakura is run on the most modern lines.

management, the boys are given a chance to gain a sound rudimentary knowledge in scientific farming. When the knowledge to be gained at Ruakura is taken into consideratipn, there is room for grave wonder that greater advantage is not taken of the facilities offered there. The old cry that theories and schooltaught farming methods are useless when applied to practical farming cannot enter into the question. At Ruakura the practical is combined with the theoretical in a most satisfactory manner. Yet, the number of new boys coming forward each year shows practically no increase. What is the trouble It is not that the training is unsound. Is it that there is not a genuine desire among New Zealand boys to possess a sound knowledge of modern farming methods?

The buildings are constructed and laid out according to approved design. and farming procedure is in accord with the latest proven ideas. Thus, being in daily contact with the place and taking an actual part in its

WOOL SALE DATES The following is the calendar of wool sales for the 1928-29 season: 1928 — November IG—Wellington. November 20—Napier. November 23—Wanganui. November 26—Auckland. December 3—Christchurch. December 7—Wellington. December 12—Napier. December 17—Timaru. December 21—Dunedin. 1929 January 7—Christchurch. January 12—Wellington. January IS—Napier January 23—Wanganui. January 31—Invercargill. February s—Dunedin. February S—Timaru. February 13—Christchurch. February 19—Wellington. February 23—Auckland.

VICTORY FOR FRIESIANS RESULT OF BRITISH TESTS I By winning the Open Milking Trials j I Championship at the Royal Show for j the sixth year in succession, and at I the Yorkshire Show for the fifth con- : secutive occasion, British Friesian I cows have mairtained a remarkable ! sequence of victory in inter-bred contests during recent years. The August number of the “Journal of the Ministry of Agriculture” shows that British Friesian cows had the highest average milk yield of all breeds for full year cows in the milk (recording year 1926-1927. The facts are as follows: Average No. of Milk Yield

r A BALANCED RATION i EXPERIENCE IN DENMARK i r Satisfactory growth of young anir mals, satisfactory milking of cows, * and satisfactory work from horses, * can only be obtained from food con--5 taining the necessary albuminoids, j If, for instance, a young animal rej- quires to digest, say, 12oz of albuminoids a day, it can obtain this amount

excess of albuminoids, and can. be usefully mixed with roots or poor hay. A properly-balanced ration is one in which the concentrated food, combined,with the coarse foods, supplies the animal with the constituents it requires—l in 8 of albuminoids is a fair average diet, though this should be increased to 1 in 5 for growing stock and 1 in 4 for topping up when fattening. Scientific feeding must always produce the best results, and when the results are compared with the costs, it will always be found the most economical. — ‘Bulletin.” N.Z. FRIESIAN RECORD AN INTERESTING PRODUCTION The New Zealand Friesian Association. has issued its “production record” for the year 1927. This book, formerly called the Year Book, contains 224 pages of tabulated matter, including a full list of all first and second-class semi-official records gained by Friesians. In addition a list; is shown of all cows that produced 'on semi-official test at least 1501 b more than the minimum fat requirements, hut that failed owing to late calving to gain a Certificate of Record. Eight pages of illustrations of th‘e class leaders and other outstanding performers under test and in showring during 1927 make a very interesting book. The average for first class certificates of record gained during 1927 was 14,129.31 b milk and 502,091 b fat, which raises the average for all such certificates gained by pedigree Fries- . ians in New Zealand since the inception of semi-official testing to 13,439.2' lb milk and 473.551 b fat. SHORTHORNS IN BRITAIN HIGH AVERAGE PRICES ■ Broughton Astley, in Leicestesliire, \ was the rendezvous of dairy Shorthorn 1 fanciers from a wide area when 43 animals from the noted prize herd of 1 G. P. Golden were sold. The aggregate amounted to £4,519 4s, and the ; average, was over £lO5, the highest recorded for a considerable time at a 1 dairy Shorthorn sale in England. The i remarkable price of 1,000 guineas was t paid by Lord Daresbury, Walton Hall, i Warrington, for Lord Leicester the 57th, a two-year-old bull, whose dam. i Lady Clovely, won first prize at last j year’s Royal show. This was one of [ 17 bulls in the sale which averaged . over £167. It w r as succeeded in the t ring by Lord Leicester the 71st, a yearling bull, whose buyer at 450 gain- ’ eas was G. ‘Clarkson, of Dunton Bas- \ sett, Rugby. The next bull was Lord r Leicester the 69th, which realised 400 - guineas.

from 31b of linseed cake, which in combination with rough fodders such as roots or hay would supply its needs. Of good hay alone it would require 141 b, and if fed on straw and roots alone it would require 141 b of the former and 501 b of swedes — a quantity it could not possibly consume in a day. Practical men know an ill-nourished animal by its shape. The obvious reason is that it consumes much more than it should in order to obtain the albuminoids it requires. Such animals are always hungry. Denmark finds it most convenient to feed on imported cakes of various kinds and home-grown roots, red beet for preference, which together form a satisfactory diet. Australian farmers, with home-grown wheat, bran, lucerne and other leguminous hays and fodder crops, could easily supply sufficient albuminoids if they were only convinced of the need for it and knew the proportional values. Oats are a well-balanced ration in themselves, as also are the hays made from lucerne, sainfoin, clover or vetches. Roots of all kinds are rich in carbohydrates, but deficient in albuminoids, but when mixed with good hay make a suitable ration for stores, dry cows, ewes, etc. Peas and beans have, however, an

Bettor breeding combined with correct and adequate feed practically prevents runty lire stock, of which the average farm has about 7 per cent. Well-bred beef cattle, si and pigs yield from 5 to 10 per cent, more meat than inferior animals of the same weight, and the meat is of better quality.

Breed.. Cows, i n Gallons Friesian 817 Blue Albion . 754 Dincoln Red .. . . .. 1,681 709 700 695 .. 2,706 678 Guernsey 631 Jersey 616 South Devon .. Devon 557