EDUCATING THE FARMER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 245, 25 March 1915, Page 3

EDUCATING THE FARMER.

THE RESULTS OF GOOD MANAGE

MENT.

Mr H. G. Sergei, agricultural instructor to the Technical College and lecturer to farmers, reported at yesterday's meeting of the Taranaki Education Board that during the last month he had continued visiting in the districts of the Makctaiva Dairv <v ilinanv Norfolk Roa U) T arikii Beaconsfield Road ■jalisbury Road, -Ngacre, Rugby Road,' and John's Road, Waitara Road, ManS ol f> * te >, bcs ides going to Kaimata, and delivering a lecture one night to the local branch of the Farmers' Union. He had been hindered by bad weather, and by the fact that annual picnics had been undertaken by many of these districts on some of the Thursdays. He was very much impressed with several things In the first place, he had found a distinct attitude of progress adopted by many farmers, and a keenness toward betterment, and certainly the standard of dairy stock had improved during the last few years. As evidence of the former, be had found farmers in most parts willing to carry out reasonable experiments, especially in the direction of trying lucerne. He had come across sonic very excellent crops of this superlative fodder, and frankly was in great hopes that it would soon be demonstrated that on most well-drained lands it could lie grown. In the Mangorei district lie hoped to complete arrangements soon For a duplicate test of lime and superphosphate versus basic slag. The second thing that impressed him was (lie really splendid production of smile of the smaller farms: one could liardlv credit what good management, lab.ir anil fertilising would do in Taranaki. It pointed to a very' big future indeed for the province. The third thing was (lie excellence of the " semi-odieiiil te-l." This was going (o lie a big factor in the future, in building up the miiking qualities of herds, and they must hope that the day was not r.,r ,ii : .(„nl ü ben, at the .head of every her.!, would be a sire whose female ancestors figured in the " semi-official testing " records. The fourth thing to impress him was the hard struggle farmers had in certain districts with weeds. There would be distributed to the various dairy companies for the benefit of the suppliers a leaflet giving particulars as to predisposing causes of club-root in turnips, and preventative measures. He hoped it would be of value. He expected to start lectures next month in the various districts. ~ . ;rf . L |