FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 January 1918, Page 3

FARM AND DAIRY.

-Ti;A'j"rti!.:n Mowa dairy i-wiim. Spv;';;in;' i.i !!••' MieV! Hain farm at '■Slr-ili'iird, Mr. ■!. A' - ' l.'-o-n. ti'V- eminent field, Nipcni.-or, \.;. ivjiuini -ay.-..-The fiii-iu acipiifc 1 .-oi,M-ts ei I Nt acre.. on the (lii'.ini road, ad joniii.;; lliu ■borough of Stratford, and wilhiu one mile ol !blunder lieavv bush but. witii ihe ewcoiion of a -mall patch 1,-fi for sbeltev. ihe hil-di has been felled lor between iwenlylive and thiny years, and the lami is now mosJ.lv bleak and w : iu!-wept. Two or three acre, had keen properly stnmp-

led, and. the smaller .-.tumps had been rei moved Sjroni anoti-ei !•"> or Hi acres, while about -0 acres in >l ! had been ploughed bv going round ih; : •rv.cv stumps. Fully "iuMhird of the ploughed area had not been sown down and is now a mass of couch and sorrel. The remainder of the farm was still in stump-. With the exception of two of three acres no topdressing had beer, done, and tlie pastures are now thin find run out There is a little cocksfoot' and rye. o i.iir amount of Pna pratensis. and considerable misce'.laueoir nihi'ish. Hlaekhem. ragwort, mid yellow broom are present but not in alarming quantities. The whole of the pastures require renewing either by cultivation or top-dressing. The fencing, wit h the exception of one fence dividing the farm in two. is done for and will require renewing. The 'buildings consisted of a small cottage in'bud repair and a mnkovbelicvc enw.-hed. The former was worth repairing, but the latter had to be removed. Altogether tha property was in bad condition, having been occupid by tenants who had done little to improve it. The farm is bounded on the south by the Pa tea river, and the latter, together with two internal streams, provides ample permanent, water. When taken over on duly 1 last, the farm was eaten out and quite devoid of feed. It may be mentioned here that the promoters were of opinion thai the establishment of this farm under disabilities quite as severe as the ordinary farmer has to meet would prove of more demonstrative value than had those disabilities not existed. The Education Board pnmnscs securing an area of land adjoining the society's farm and establishing on it a residential high school, with a strong bias wards agriculture The society has olso come to an arrangement with the board whereby the latter may take over at a cheap rental an area not: exceeding '2O acres of the society's fr.rm. as required for school farm work. It is lioped that the officers of the Education Board, the Farm Society, and the Department of Agriculture will work in cooperation, and (hat the work done will form part of one whole scheme. In working the school area the society will, when convenient, provide horses and implements. On the other band, it is anticipated t'.iat the pupiis, under their instructor, will assist in keeping the society's, farm records such as in cropping and cow testing, also assist ,at times with -ome of Ihc lighter farm work. Considerable assistance should thus be given to pupils taking the course in agriculture. They will not onlv have the theory of agriculture taught them bv the school, but'they will be able to participate in approved farm practice as directed bv practical farmers.

The energies of the society—For the first year at Ion<:1 —will he ehielly in the direction of repairing fences, erecting buildings, and providing food for tlie dairv herd. A Utile demonstration work in tile way of top-dressing of pastures and tile growing of root and fodder traps will be taken in hand, but it is felt Unit not very much can be at tempted tliis first season. Owing to (he scarcity of feed and the backward state of the farm, cows could not be purchased uiilil late in the season, when there was little choice The committee therefore decided to buy about thirty crn«=!>red cows for the initial period. Later a more definite herd policy can lv> laid down. The scope of the society is practically unlimited, and continuous and enthusiastic attention to the undertaking will undoubtedly bring fruitful results