A German Scientist.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLV, Issue 264, 23 December 1903, Page 4

A German Scientist.

IRVESTIGATION OF OUK METHODS OF AGRICULTURE^ Dr. Huchb, who came here about three years ago to inMestiigfete on behalf oi the German: Government ,the conditions of aigridulture inithis colony, returned to Wellington on Jft'edneaday by the Victoria in order to camtique his inquiries in tie same direction.

In conversation with a represemtastive of the New Zealand Times, Dr. fiuchp said that his invariable plan fs to visit a country at least twice, allowing a reasona'ble interval of years to elapse between each visit, fcefore making a report to his Go» vemmaatwith reference to the conditions existing in that country. He does this in order that he may the more accurately determine the progress or retrogression, as the case may be, wmch has taken place fn the interval, amd in order also £bat his first impressions may be

<nore accurately tested. Dr. Hucho •is a Doctor of Science of Leipsic "University, and. is a graduate in ithe practice and theory of agricultural science. As a delegjate from ■the German Government to study the conditions of agriculture not only 'in New Zealaafcl, but in Australia, he has had his headltjuarters in Sydney for the past five years, and has travelled aver the whole of the Australian States and a great jjart of this colony during that Itiwe, assiduously carrying out his anissiotn, his official position -being iriescrJbod as that of "Attache for lAgriuulture to the German Consul-jate-General." He has now sent re« |>orts to Berlin dealing with agriIcuKure in Victoria and Queensland, land one of his nest will be that reftatinfeto New Zealand. On his present tour in the colony, Jwhioh is to last about six weeks, he twill \iisit Neleon, to study the conditions of hop add fruit growing ; .tt'hunce he will proceed to Canterbury land travel over Banks Peninsula, land from that he will travel aideratoly in the Canterbury district, tvisiting fche farms as far south as rTinwwu. He is likely to go aieo to IDuusdib. He proposes to investigate the conditions of the hemp Brndustry in the Foxton district, and (to study dairying methods in Taranaki. 'rime may not allow him to ■igo to Auckland, hut it is possible Ithatbe will be able to visit the Government vineyard at Wairangi in (the Waikato. Dr. Hucho is very much struck jwith the progress witrich has been anade in New Zealand.' during the (past- three or four- years, especially {as during that time Australia has graeswd through a period of severe Wepressioln. "Your statistics," said be, "show that you have advanced tvery rapidly in your frozen meat &rade, in your dairying, in your lienrp industry, and in fruit-girow--Jtog." Whilst saying this, however, *e expressed surprise that more is mot being done by New Zealand in *ho pork industry, and said that .the statistics showed that m pigbreeding we are going back-at any J-ate, so far as numbers are concerned, though it is quite possible that the quality of the bacon produced may have improved. Agricuituie in Germany is in a .fcad way just now ; and the cause of this, Dr. Huobto explained, is to be found ui the severe competition iwbicfe the German farmers have to face an the part of their rivals in .other Continental countries and in iAmerica. In fact, America is Ger--tnatoy's keenest competitor so for #s agricultural products are concerned, arid sends annually large Quantities of wheat into Germany itself. The wool industry may be quoted as an instance of the effects »l the bitter competition between Germany and her rivals. As the result of this competition the woolfgrow*ig industry in Germany has become a thing of the past, and the rnmiber of sheep in that country has reduced in an astonishing degree. The Government, amongst other measures It has vaken for the assistance of the farmers, bas organised missions to distant countries such as that upon which Dr. Huche is engaged. Whilst he is working in Australasia other agents are employed in a similar way rn America and other parts of the world, and are keeping their Governments continually posted in the latest developments of agriculture. The German farmers are doing a gofcld deal latterly in dairying, and have resorted to the cooperative system with good results. There is no grading of produce, as an thd's country, for the reason that Germany finds her best market within hor own borders, and does •not export dairy produce to Lon- > don, as we do.