The Daily News MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2. SCIENCE AND TARANAKI'S STAPLE INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 2 September 1907, Page 2

The Daily News MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2. SCIENCE AND TARANAKI'S STAPLE INDUSTRY.

It is a hopeful sign of the times that the term "science" has become recognised as a factor for good, and therefore welcomed rather tliau shunned by the generality of people. Its real significance as applied to the affairs of life is thrusting itself forward with such persistency that its ultimate acceptance as the* chief factor in every department of national economics looms nearer and

nearer. It is being understood not only as a means to an end, but as the foundation of all success in this age of intensa competition. The man who a few years back had "reduced to a science" any particular pursuit in which he was engaged was looked upon aJ a marvel in his way. Yet the phrase was altogether a misnomer. With science it is not a question of reducing, but of educing. We must start with science, continue with it, and go right on to ihe end, no matter what the subject in hand may be, if we wish to come out on top and outstrip our rivals. As a matter of fact science is nothing more than exact knowledge. Equipped with this, the doctor, lawyer, agriculturalist, politician, and every other worker in the human hive can fight the battle of life and promote the well-being of tne individual and the community. Without it the struggle for existence would be a continual contest, wherein the weakest would go to the wall. But for prejudice the practical teachings of science would long since have been accepted by the farmer, yet even he cannot altogether be blamed for that uncompromising hostility 4 o innovations which has in the past characterised his class.

Until recently little if any attempt has been made to place before the rising generation of agriculturalists that elementary scientilic education which would have enabled them lo grasp the importance of acquiring an exact knowledge of the guiding principles of their business. The elder generation have had little inclination and probably insufficient spare time to devote to technical study. Happily, to-day, there is an awakening arid the demand has gone forth to the Government for the establishment of technical classes and agricultural colleges designed to prepare boys and girls for successful country life. At the recent Agricultural Conference the delegates spoke in emphatic terms as to the necessity of providing facilities for scientific instruction in connection with agricultural pursuits, and a strong resolution was passed urging the Government to formulate a scheme for that purpose founded on the mature experience of other countries, es.oally Canada and Denmark—our uost formidable competitors in the Home market. We have only to see what the Danes have accomplished in this direction in order to be satisued with the reason for their success as exemplified by the high price of their dairy produce. Denmark is essentially a country of small holdings, for while there are 150,000 farms averaging irom seven to ten ires, there arc only 1000 farms of between 200 and 300 acres, and 74,000 averaging 100 acres. The success of these farmers is due entirely to the methods adopted consequent on dairying and farming being carried out on scientific principles. What happy little Denmark has dune can equally "well be accomplished by New Zealanu, and as the Dominion Government lias shown its sympathy with the movement in a practical manner there is much hope for the future.

It would not take the wisdom of a prophet to foretell what would happen to i'arauaki if the same or even more advanced scientilic methods of dairying and tanning now in vogue in Denmark were the rule here. If, instead of the scientilic farmer being an exception among the many, the generality were educated in their business and the old-time ignorance could only be found as a rarity. The difference during the next ten years would probably be greater than ill it shown by Denmark during lite last decade as the result of the establishment of testing stations whereby the vaiue of the output from the same number of cows has increased by £2,000,000. The estimated yearly average of butter-fat produced by each cow in Taranakl is 1501b, and the vaiue ranges from £0 5s to X 7. The average in Canada is set down as llolb per cow, which is exactly the figure for Denmark in 1802. By fattening off all low test cows and keeping in the herd only those animals which give satisfactory returns experience has proved that the average yield and prolit can be nearly doubled. This process when thoroughly carried out in conjunction with other details in the feeding and management of tho herd makes it possible for the owner of Shorthorns to obtain a result that will favorably compare with that obtained from the rich-milking Jerseys.

Culling, however, must be rigorously carried out, and to enable this to be done each cow's iniik must be systematically tested. It may cost two or three shillings a head each season, yet what is that compared with the ultimate gain not only in the value of the butter-lat but alsu in the enormous increase in the price which the progeny of such cows will fetch! A good cow on a farm costs no more to feed and milk' than a scrubber. Here are two instances in point. A South Taranaki fanner had for his last year's average ,C LG per cow in respect of milk supplied to the cheese factory, while another farmer near New .Plymouth obtained an average of £l7 per cow for butter. In both instances the herds were iirst-elass Jerseys. It has be;n proved that Shorthorns can produce almost as good results. The lesson is obvious, and in face of continuous increase in the value of land for dairying, it behoves the farmers to become close students of the science of, the business in order to ensure success I instead of courting failure by continuing the condemned hand-to-mouth methods of the past.

Vet another clement in the scientific farming deserves attention, and tliat is land cultivation. The essential point of agricultural economy is summed up in the maxim that two blades of grass must be made to grow in the place of one. Take for instance the case (a genuine one) of a local man who took up an acre and a-half of land and worked it on scientific principles. Alter ploughing he put in a crop of oats with superphosphates, getting in return a splendid yield. The land was again ploughed and a second crop of oats obtained iu the same season. On this latter cows were fed for a time and then the land was again ploughed, manured, and sown down in grass. This winter that small patch of pasture has carried four cows during the day and two at night, yet there is abundance of feed, and to spare. We merely quote this authenticated case to show what can be do.ie with land if the right means are cmployed. It may also be mentioned that the expenditure for fertilisers was very small. Now if such a profitable result can be achieved in a small way it only requires a little mental arithmetic to arrive at the productive capabilities of the district as a whole when farmed on the only lines that will ensure success.

The imperative need of the day 19 the provision and equipment of experimental stations and facilities fol' scientific instruction in matters connected with agriculture and dairying. Nowhere in this country is there so great a necessity for these helps to prop-ess and prosperity as in Taranaki, the home 3f jiklry farming. Much lias been done by flic Government in the past to foster the industry. For that we are gratoIful, though it is only putting part of tha

people's money to a good use. There is a danger of our dairy farmers leaning too much on the Government experts. It is time they were out of leading strings and trusted to their own accurate kuowTcdge of the details of their business just as any other trader or professional man lias to do. What man engaged in any other business-could possibly hope to succeed if lie adopted the same policy as most dairy farmers have hitherto pursued? The day of makeshifts has passed. Let lis hope that the new era of scientific education will speedily be an accomplished fact. Both town and country will benefit by the increased prosperity that will 11 suit from the new order of things and New Zealand will lead where now she is compelled to follow.