The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 27. SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 May 1919, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 27. SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE.

According to the Dominion Year Book for 1918, which has recently come to hand, the land district of Taranaki contains a total occupied area of land of 1,705,800 acres, of which 1,284,551 acres are in culti vation, only 7050 being in grain ar pulse crops, 1,214,540 being in grass. Taranaki is essentially a pastoral and dairying district. Although the Auckland district led in the amount of butter forwarded for export in 1917-18, being credit ed with tons as against Taranaki 's 3537£ tons, the latter easily heads the lists in the cheese exports, having 21,289 tons against Auckland's 7501, and when there

is taken into consideration the fact that Auckland's grass areas is nearly a million acres more tha.i Taranaki's it will at once be obvious that the producing power of Taranaki land is better than any in the Dominion. If that is so under normal circumstances, some conception may be obtained of what would be the result of the application of science to the land in Taranaki. While applauding the action of the president of the Taranaki Provincial Conference of the Fanners' Union in his address at the opening of the conference last week, it is only politic to emphasise the importance that such an organisation is to the farming community, and how essential to the best interests of the industry are such bodies as the Farmers' Union and the A. and P. societies, both of which are designed for protecting and stimulating the farmers with the object of their attaining the most profitable results from their capital and labor. Now that a new era has been entered upon after the war, imposing on every section of the community the need for enlarged effort to meet the increased burdens of th-: State and the cost of living, apathy and indifference should be no longer in evidence and advantage should be taken of every means for increased production. Great as have been the strides made by the dairy industry during the last two decades, the farming community as a whole remains much in the same old groves of self-com-placency and makeshift as formerly, only the enthusiastic progressives moving ahead, though those in the ruck have gained to some extent by the work of the more enlightened men. Perhaps it is to" much to expect that the older generation will ever succeed in emerging from the darkness and entering upon modern, scientific methods, but at least they might pay heed to the voice of wisdom. There are, of course, many daily farmers who have not the education or training that would enable them to grasp scientific problems*, but are yet capable of unde--standing the cause and effect if they only went to the trouble of making inquiries and being guided by those in a position to make technical matters clear to practical minds. Mr Dunn rightly emphasised the fact that science had largely influenced agriculture, especially in the direction of the application of chemical am/ 1 bacteriological laws and facts to the operation of the various branches of farming; while biology explained the origin, life history and nature of domesticated live stock, cultivated crops and the pests which farmers had to fight. It may be taken for granted that he did not suggest that the older generation of farmers should set to work and study these sciences, but it may be assumed he advocated that their sons should be fittingly equipped with this knowledge by means of the educational facilities now i placed within the reach of all who will take them up. This view is supported by his reference to the fact that in the United States agricultural training and practice were far more advanced than in any other country in the world. His remarks on what is being done in America in the direction of agricultural education, research and extension are well worthy of note, the extent of the operations being evidenced by the fact that the bill for this work already approximated twelve million sterling, it being contended that money expended for this object is a wise national investment —as undoubtedly it is. especially as the colleges and,

experimental stations have direct ed their main efforts to increasing the profits from farming, thereby increasing national prosperity. If this is expedient, in a vast country like the United States, it is much more necessary in a comparatively small country like New Zealand. apart from the mere question of gain as the outcome of more advanced scientific farming, there is the aspect of a higher and happier home life arising from increased comforts and conveniences, such as telephones adequate water and lighting systems, the use of shelter and ornamental trees, development of farm gardens and provision of machinery and labor-saving devices to cheapen production. If the farmers of the Dominion were as united as they should be and unanimous in their determination to enter upon the new era in a new progressive spirit, they could bring pressure to bear on the Government that would result in placing the industry on the right lines, but they must show a disposition to learn and profit by the aids of science before the Government is justified, in spending large sums for the benefit of the few, and one of the first indications,of this new spirit should be manifested in the interest taken in the meetings of the Farmers' Union.