THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 296, 9 December 1908, Page 2

THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

\\'e are in receipt of a copy of the .sixteenth annual report of iiie Department of Agriculture. The Keport. which is a bulky volume of nearly soil pages, contains divisional reports ", m darning poultry, fibres, manure-sterilising, 'viticulture, biology and horticulture, veterinary subjects and chemistry; also notes on the State experimental farms and

•stock inspection. The statistics in ihe OjM'llilly page, of 111,. 1-fJIOI-t should have an interest fur others besides farmers, for tlicy show thiit uio»t sati-sfiu-tory progrc.-s is being made by tin- Dominion in mi industry on which Hie countrv j dependent fur its prosperity A .. : oud ninny of tlu->ic statistics have br.';i pmhlished previously, but it is iiilci-cyliiijf to note tliui the. number of holdings over olio ucrc in extent has increased by 1(K!I fur year, and bv J(l.«l during lb,. ■ last eight years. Another most gratifying fact is Unit the exports show a substantial increase. The total value (,f Hi,, produce and msiniil'iii-liiri-, sent from N,., v Zealand for lb,. vear ended S|.j,t,. m !i,.r ;j(i|h, 1(11,7, „. ls . fiS7,.">7:(. compared with Ul7,.Vil.s:ill for tlir twelve months ending September :«»"'• '!«)«: and as showing ll„. „,a„„j. Hide ;iiul importance of tb,. agriculni - al industry it may b,. mciit-oncil that. Ui,. Willie of Hi,, spoils of agricultural product, for I lit- year amounted |„ nu , less ihiin 1; 17.(1,10,17.1. or .sii.ii.-. per cent of Hie whole. Tile incrcn-c j„ ,1,,, ,„ t ,,' e.vjiorls for lini; compared with Jilipi was while the increase : t tile agricultural exports amwiuleil Ui C2,u:a>.:t!>7. Tl.es.. ligi,:Cs, which ar, but a lew out, of a great number dealing witli the agricultural industry, prove (as a contemporary points out) Unit the Uoiernmeiil strurk out in the ngllt direction when it established u Department of Agriculture, ami every penny spent in assisting fanners and tbeir work has been well spent. Last year ;1 ww undertaking, viz.. co-opera-tive experiments, was begun iiv the Department. In referring to these experiments the Itcporl slates that •.'„,„, groups nt fariuerj oi { the U'osl Coast of tlie -North Island ila ,' co-operalin,, pi demonstrating Hie elfcets of fertiliser. a».| the suitability of ~,rlui,i varieties of wlii-ul. .Although s„ lini,. has v-t ' been vi-;iliu-f-,1 in this dir<vti.m. ii' iJ justly considered „ ~„„, „!„;,, ~. \

.■nli-.Kion of llir ,i,-nion-t rations ~|- Mir <-X|ii-riiii.n( -.tnlinin. and n ili'vi-lupim-m. I lial ciiiiiiiiiiinls Ik:. nin!(i,i d.-Tj, from llii' iijrri.-iilliii-iil .„i ,„iilv. Th'-,<- ,-x----|,ennii-i.U i-iiii 1,,- ,« o W iau,-,| i|,,n 1.1 i.-v Lrinj.' I I:' t<> tin- fiinm-r tin. lat,->( h-s-----oiis hi llii- iijii-ii-nliiii-.-il Hiii'M. (1,, 1,,,. r..nl/iiml. of Kiiro|„., i M Am.-ri.-n. ami now i M Aiislr.-iliii, tin- i-Mi-iisim, i„ f.„._ lIIVIV 1K.11.t->. <M' til.. 1,"..,,,,, „f 11,,.. ,!,.. inoiißlraliotH .it ilie? cvniTinicMliil sl:iiiiid il i~ Ini-ti-il Unit !iii'..r. W ii„i!ti,in will 1,,- mi11i0n.,.,l to i,.i,|..|.|Mk<. 11,,-,. fnniwiV 01 .i)..-v.i:i'. ■ i-xp.-nin.-nls 0,1 Hi • scalo thill tlk-:.- importim,-,. wiiiTiinl-."' |

The numerous pnlilical i.uis of the Department are i.vi.lenlly a «rcal assist - ancc to farmer-, and iniich' appi-ccialed

liv them. Scvral Hew bulletins and leaflets. ~m<! new editions „f others have bee,. i-Mie.C. iijumhiU of -Jab.(Kill copies of pi.l.lications were distributed .luring

I iliv vear. and Ibon name; were added I to the list, of those desirous of obtainI in- tie- i.:il.i,V,ifii.|!s is-ne.l. far n. who are imt atreadv aw.nv of the fa-,t I will be .jla.l to learn that the publications ot ll.v i).-|iarliiieiil. can be obtained free on application to any district office of die Dcpaiimont. or from the Ivliiuivif riibllealimn, AYelllngto.t,