FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 31, 2 March 1909, Page 4

FARM AND DAIRY.

AiLUiXiKD' aIUJJIDJjJKU METHODS. '"Every time 1 topne to Xuw Zealand I aim astounded at the muddling methods euuployed by the average New Zealand dairy-farmer." This statement was recently made by a well-known Danish dairy expert who makes periodical visits to New Zealand lie went ou to say that he saw no improvement h the ways of the local dairyman, who, in his opinion, did not understand the ABC jof his •business. Dairying was a science, | just as much as any other department of agriculture, but it appeared, to the visitor that 'the average New Zealand dairyman had not even a rudimentary kno'wledge of his business, and, what wjls more, evinced no desire to gain it. "If I could get a few Danish dairymen to come to Taranaki, results would be obtained from 'the land that would surprise the native Taranaki-ite. I guarantee that a Dane would get more out of 50 acre* of land tlwn the local man now 1 secures from 100 acres; that he would live better, that he would not have to utilise the service* of his small children or his wife in milking, as is done by a great many Taranaki fanners, and {hat he would not impoverish the land. In the first place, lie would have the milk of every cow tested and recorded, and keep only tho.se animals that were prolitable. In the second place, he would not take everything mit of the land and put nothing back, as your farmer does. He would, on the contrary, put back in manure more 'than he extracted, hi the third place, he would grow 'witch' crops—crops whenever he could, utilising every spare Wade of grass and cereal. Your dairy-farmers are only playing at "the game; they seem to be more anxious to sell out ii't a profit tlum to make a success of their operations, which they fail to take seriously enough. It is well that they have a good country and that big jfriees have been ruling for their produce, or they would have come to grief long ago."

AG R DOULT UK Afj INSTRUCTION. 1 "Remarkable progress has been made during' the last live or six years in coordinating our education system,'" said the Hon. Eowlds. in a speech at Petone last. week. It wa* true, he continued, that the expenditure had been heavy, hut lie hoped that before long they would be able to ease off in the matter of buildings, as almost every portion of the Dominion would, have had *ome reasonable provision made for it in this respect. In one direction the work of technical education had made very considerable progress indeed, and that was in connection with instruction in agricultural matters. Now the different education boards, working in co-opera-tion with the department, had taken a deal of interest in this matter, and during the last year a very large number of classes in agricultural instruction, 483 in all, had been recognised in different parts of New Zealand. They were distributed as follow: Auckland, 97; Taranaki. 24; Wanganui, 8; Wellington, 50; liawke's Bay. 1G; Marlborough, 14; Nelson, 33; Grey. 8; Westland, ij; North Canterbury, 30; -South Canterbury, 15; Otago, (>3; -Southland, 33. Some three years ago there were but about a score of them, so that the development iu tint direction had been very satisfactory indeed. It meant that in practically all the country schools instruction was being given in elementary agriculture to the children from the fourth to the sixth .standards. Tt also meant that all over New Zealand elVoTts were being made to carry .into the remotest parts of the country .soine of the elements of tcchuiea! education.

Promiiirat wciol merchants in 'Wellington state (says the New Zealand Farmers' Union Advocate) that the lack of knowledge iu wool-classing has been responsible for heavy losses at the wool sales this year. Instances have come under their notice in which fleeces havo been bundled into the. bales apparently without life slightest attempt at classification. Seejng that woolgrowing is the most important industry of the Dominion. and that a. loss of even a. halfpenny per pound l represents thousands 01 pounds in, the aggregate, it is the duty of branches of the Farmers' Union and A. and P. Associations to co-operate with the managers of technical schools in an effort to establish classes at which our young men (and elderly men. for that'niatter) may receive elementary, if not. practical, 'instruction in woolclassing.