THE SOIL OF TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1918, Page 3

THE SOIL OF TARANAKI.

—— .<> ADDRESS TO FARMERS. _ The suppliers of the Maketawa Dairy Factory held their first seance of agricultural instruction for the season at the factory yn Tuesday, April 16, when, owing either'' to the want of sufficient notice or the indifference of the suppliers (probably a little of each), only ten «ere present to meet the Education Board's Director of Agricultural Instruction (Mr. R. Browne). After he had explained the difficulties that this year hindered the arranging of meetings through one instructor having gone to the front, another having a breakdown in hea)th, and a third, though appointed, declining to fake up the duties, Mr. Browne said that matters had now been put on a satisfactory footing, and the board would be aWe to fulfil its share of the bargain made with the farmers by holding meetings for instruction at the various centres, and it lay with the farmers to do their part by attending those meetings, notification of which would in future be more carefully attended to. The subject of the evening's discourse was the pasture, its importance and treatment. In opening the subject, Mr. Browne stated that the soil of that part of Taranaki lying round Egmont was unlike that of any other part of New Zealand, and that, therefore, it needed to be studied On its own merits and treated accordingly. That it must not be thought that because certain methods produced good results in other localities they would do the like here. The Moa district was emphatically suitable for pastoral farming, even if the prevailing shortage of available labor did not prevent extensive cultivation. Besides the nature of the soil was such that continual cultivation without great care was liable to'cause serious deterioration to the productiveness of the land. The object, therefore, of the farmers should be to grow the oest pasture and to so treat the land that the growth Of their fodder should be prolonged as much as possible into the winter, as well as being of the best attainable quality. He pointed out how he believed these objects could be secured, as well as how the land, instead of becoming less fertile, could be steadily and economically improved in its productiveness. The reasons for using various fertilisers, and the best times and methods of applying them, wore carefully given. With a note of lamentation that, under existing circumstances, basic slag could not be considered, owing to its not being obtainable during the war. A comparatively new fodder plant, Berseem, had lately attracted some attention, and if' the characteristics with which it was credited were proved to be as alleged, it would possibly_be found to be better suited to this neighbourhood than lucerne. Experiments were being made with it in different parts of Taranaki,, which would be watched with keen interest. Though the audience was small, the attention given to Mr. Browne's remarks was keen, as was shown by the comments made after the address. The question of the next meeting, to be held here and at the Durham road branch of the Maketawa Company, wai discussed, and it was finally decided that a lecture on Wednesday. May 1, at 7.30 p.m., i n the Maketawa Factory, the subject to be "Rotational Manuring in Taranaki, and at th« Durham road", subject to approval by suppliers there, on Tuesday, May 14. It is to be hoped that the publicity given to the dates of these meetings will result in really good gatherings to greet the instructors, and that this season's series of lesson's will give impetus to the spirit of inquiry amongst the settlers of the neighborhood. , I