AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8166, 27 July 1906, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

ME W. E. SPENCER'S SCHEME. Mr W. E. Spencer, Chief Inspector of Schools and Director of I echnical education in Taranaki, attended tlie Taranaki Agricultural Society's meeting on Wednesday night, and asked the co-operation of the Society in his proposed scheme for the furtherance (if agricultural education. In opening his remarks, Mr Spencer said it was being alleged that he was trenching upon the duties of the Agricultural Department, but thia was contrary to fact. The work oi the Department was administrative and authoritative, whilst his scheme was purely educative. Far from usurping the Department's functions, by this scheme the Departmental work woulci be materially as sisted. For instance, the Society had iust decided to ask for sample:of Taranaki soil to be anilvs l>v the Government Analyst. Of what use was it to show the constituents of our soils unless the farmer was given some practical instruction in dealing with it. Of course, experiments were carried out at the State , farms, but results achieved at Momohaki were of very little use to Taranaki farmers on account of the totally different nature of the soils. Winter cropping results at Momohaki would not applj here. Mi Spencer thought a good deal could be done cheaply and efficiently bj the Education Board by having Taranaki divided into sections. From each section would be taker samples of soil for analysis, anc thus the average nature of the soilin that district could be ascertained Then it was proposed that a small piece of land, two or three acres in extent, should be secured close to the saleyards, and the land cut into demonstration plots, in which to carry out experiments with various manures, seeds, and so forth. In eachacre there would be ten demont stration plots, separated by wide j 1 paths, to facilitate inspection by far- ' mers and to ensure that the experi--1 ments in each plot would be confinto itself and would not affect neighbouring plots. He explained that not only would different manures be tested, but different quantities on the various samples of soils. 1 so that a man could almost see at ? [ glance what was the best aid to productivity on his farm. Such experiments would pay the farmer ove; i and over again. The principle of 3 co-operation could be applied here, t as the farmers had so successfully applied it to their rairying, fire in-! j surance, and freezing works, and as _ they were now combining to have a t representative to watch the Home markets. Referring to the financial aspect, Mr Spencer said that anj grant made by the Society or by the farmers would receive a £ for £ . subsidy from the Education Departj ment if the work were carried out in c connection with the school classes ir nature study and elementary agriculture. In Stratford he had been as- ' sttred that once the initial work \va; s done, the children would give all ne r cessary attendance, and he would ac cept this as part of the children'; course of technical study. Shortly, a farmer would be. able to see what manure best suited his land, what results could be obtained by proper- • ly manuring it, and what it would cost him., This scheme would cost the farmer about i 7 -Sd per cow. 8 Uuld they point to any other scheme 1 ! ut ) voukl B'ive so much for sc littler Nature study was to be taken jit the Kahotu school, and he thought ie would be able to arrange that the s childien should take charge of these oemonstraUve plots as part of theii I lessons. r In answer to Mr Teed, Mr Spence, u said the plots would be under tin supervision of the farmers themselh 3Ut children would be undei K Ihe direction ot the teacher, so ,1 1; „ 'Ue uoi'emiiient subsidy might be earned,

wwi'T 10 ", uas raiscd that tht U.i«.ikaiho saieyaids were not suitably situated for the children, but Mr Spencer said his idea was that i,. llyniouth the experiments should be earned out on St. Mich..d s Square, adjoining: the Technical Sd lou . Wanvakaiho flat would nut b L a fair test, as it was an alluvial deposit.

thp t " C 1 a further question, the Inspector said "this scheme is fi-wnff to go, and I would lj ke to see toklT sta » »•" He had been told to approach the Farmers' Unins in regard to the management oi >e the plots, b ut sorae 1( , "~ ,d >»

A member said the Farmers' Uni m would doubtless give their sym w : L" wanted. SUPI, ° rt ' ' lot SymiWt)l^

nik?hi?-!i (;y fl SUB ' geSted the Society might take the matter up. It would mean creased usefulness of the Soot members'! tonCSl,olldin ff Urease S f kl he would sc! <=* new m\ sale Mrds, because he Knew what a trouble it was to get wy eve,?, gO ,| Very far out of the " M ni communitv. «*• Mr Okey remarked that if n,k were mentioned in Stratford "they would put their whole heart into it Iheyre not the same there as we are Eventually Messrs Okev, Amburv Stanley, Stead, and Hoskin Panted a committee to confer with

meeiin' nCer a " d ««o a future &s^'ugrir£