The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 18, 1918. FARMERS OF THE PRESENT AND FUTURE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 May 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 18, 1918. FARMERS OF THE PRESENT AND FUTURE.

In a province like Taranaki, where the farming industry Is- the main activity, I the annual conference of the Farmers' Union should prove of great use to the men on the land, for the subjects discussed are mainly those which closely affect the welfare of those engaged in this industry. New Zealand is a producing country, and in view of the abnormal conditions connected with the war, especially as regards the need for increased production after the war to enable the settlers to meet the burdens caused by the military conflict, it is satisfactory to find that the more enlightened among the farming community are rising to the occasion and are endeavoring to 'bring about the new conditions under which alone it will be possible to ensure a continuation of that prosperity which the Dominion now enjoys. There are many very important matters which demand attention both of the farmers of the day and those of the not distant future, not in one district only, but throughout the country. There are national questions to be dealt with as wall aa Jlase which, are more or

loss directly personal as regards those

engaged in fanning. Under present conditions the Government has a manifest duty to perforin in building up the. industry in all directions, from equipping the youths with the necessary teclinical knowledge that scientilic fanning demands, to assisting the seasoned farms ■crs financially and with expert advice in order that tlm Dominion may bring into intense cultivation all the suitable land tih.it is available. Those, and other cognate subjects, occupied the attention of Taranaki farmers at the Ha.we.ra Conference on Thursday, but it is to the address of the president (Mr. R. Dunn) we would draw special attention, for it traverse,! the position of to-day and the future in a broad and comprehensive manner, exhibiting a thorough grasp of the requirements needed to place the industry in a position to meet the new demands of both producers and consumers. lie rightly and strenuously cmpliasiscd the ''niperativc need for educating those who will be the I'armers of the future, so ag to enable tliem to waster the theoretical principles of agriculture, but, above all, the economic advantages of scientific farming, such as treatment of soil, cropping, the elimination of unprofitable cows and the 'building up of herds which contain only cows yielding the largest per cent, of butter-fat. In this connection MrDunn remarked: "Xo wonder the Farmers' Union keeps on hammering away on the subject of education for farmers, or rather our future fanners, for it is recognised that many of the present day farmers are hopeless; hut we want to put in a plea for the farmers of the future." In fimt sentence can be found the crux of the whole matter. The time has gone when makeshift fanning or dairying will suffice. The best means will he only good enough, and' if New Zealand producers are to secure the highest prices and obtain a reputation for the best quality of their output, education must play its true part as the foundation for practical experience to he gained on the farms. ■ Mr. Dunn sincerely hopes that the Government will see the immense profit that would accrue to the State by the introduction of a system of agricultural education that can be brought right home to the farmer boy at a minimum cost and without much interference with his work on the farm, We are very much afraid that Mr. Dunn is asking for the impossible. The necessary education for farming pursuits cannot he brought home to the hoy s o n the farm. They must rather expect to seek it at those places where it is provided. This may entail sacrifices, but in these days specialised education is worth far more than the small sacrifices entailed. At the same time pressure should be brought on the Government to provide scholarships »n agriculture as well as hostels for boarding students at agricultural colleges,,#uch as that which has been started at iftratford, the periods of attendance at study being so arI ranged as to avoid the minimum interference with farm work. It does not at all follow that a system which suits Denmark, with its long period of winter weather, would be a success in New Zealand. It is incumbent on the Government to prevent the perpetuation of that class of farmer who is "hopeless," and to accomplish this a generous system of financial help is required to make the land produce the utmost possible. It would prove a splendid asset, and would certainly stimulate the rising generation of farmers to enthusiasm in their work. Starved land is as great, if not a greater evil than using good pasture to feed unprofitable stock, it is the conjunction of the two aims—good land and good stock—that will spell success in the future. An improvement in butter fat production has already tafcen place to the extent of 13.8 per cent over the average cow for ISIO- -- There ha s never been a time so favorable to culling as the present. Culling and cropping must go hand in hand if the best results are to be obtained, and it is only reasonable to | assume that the farmers of the future who have bee n well-grounded in the knowledge of the chemistry and bac teriology of the soil, as we'll as in the | economic principles affecting the industry, will be best fitted to adapt themselves to the new order of things, and in due time the "hopeless" farmers will 'be replaced by those well equipped for the work, to the great advantage of the Dominion as a whole and to the farmers individually.