FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1919, Page 3

FARM AND DAIRY.

STRATFORD MODEL DAIRY FARM. ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the Stratford Model Dairy Farm was held on Saturday afternoon. Mr. ,T. W. Deem presided over ail attendance of about 30.

The report stated. Inter alia:—Considerable improvements have been effected during the past year. A much-needed implement shed, manure and seed-room has heen erected in concrete. About 1H acres have been slumped and cleared ready for the forthcoming season's root crops. The access from the road to shed has been shingled, and about half a mile of new barberry hedge planted. Tho barberry planted last year has been kept, well weeded, and Is growing well. About ij acres have been sown down to pasture, which should prove of much benefit to the herd from now on. Twenty now gates made by Technical school pupils are now on tho farm, ami will be hung in position as opportunity occurs, l'upiis from the Stratford 11. n. School ami Stratford Primary School hare ireiiucntly visited the farm, and pupils from other Taranaki State school.! have done liwwise. Instructional classes were held on the farm for tholr hene--111, and simple lectures on culiivalion, the Browing of crops, top-dressing of pashm-, ard herd selection were held. The Tarsmki Hoard of Education has passed an appreciative resrhilion Ir. reference therein This phase of the Society's work will move favorably develop when the proposed Agricultural Technical nigh School Is fully established. The past season has been severe There wan a cold Uite spring and a. abort summer Such a seison affects most s'hi-cly farms which Ijave practically all old pi-store. Despite these i-ln-niiut.uic.es, the but - terrat yield shows a satisfactory increase All Ihe crops grown were satisfactory considering the season, and demonstrations were carried out in nir.nuri.il trials, fodder crops, and topdressing, but. further reference hereto will he mado at the annual meeting by the chairman (Mr .1. \V. Deem) in an address on "The Crops Crown on the Farm " The pri/icple of Improving the farm as quickly as profits permit has heen applied by your committee. Tho Hon. W. D. S. McDonald (Minister of Agriculture) paid a visit to Ihe farm, am! expressed satisfaction with the work done. The Interest and assistance of Ihe Minister and officers of the Department of Agriculture is gratefully acknowledged. The unremitting energetic, services of Mr Newhvntl and still w>nln contribute to the success of the fai-inine operations.

The chief items in the working account were: Expenditure: Waffs i : ::i4O, rent £l9O. rates £.17, Interest £H:>. Insurance £2. manures £"•!>, seeds £7C. repairs and maintenance £45, general expenses £ 1C; total, £ll2O 3s 7d. Iteceipts: Milk supplied to factory (7592 lbs. of butter-fat) £075, milk sold (IMS gallons) £2l, bonus from factory £59, produce sales £. r >2, bides and sundries £ll, balance £10(i: total, £»26. The live stock account allowed the value of stock at. the beginning of the year to have been £B2l. and stock purchased £O2. Sales of stock realised £315, and the live stock on the farm were '.allied at £(i"(i. The chairman congratulated tho Society on having had a very successful year in spite of adverse circumstances. He also congratulated the committee on the valuable work they had done. The working account showed a loss of £lO6. the stock account showing a profit of £lO7, so that there had been a nctt profit of £1 Is. This meant that they were oblo to use practically the whole of the (!ovmrmnent subsidy in making improvements. There had been an increase last year of 1411 lbs. of liutter-fnt, but the chairman hoped to see the yield up to 10,000 lbs. next season. Up to the present 50 acres had been stumped. Next year they hoped to be able to do more demonstration work.

Repbing to questions, the chairman said that 19 cows and heifers had been sold during the year, and 39 milked. He admitted tbero was much room for improvement in the returns.

Asked if the slock purchased for breeding purposes were pedigree, the chairman said they practically wore, but were not In tho register. In ri-ply to Mr Hawles, the seeretury said the slu.res in trie Stratford Hairy Company were rallied on the hooks at 10s each. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. In reply to a suggestion as to fatleninn pigs without milk, the chairman said the Idea jiad been well considered by the committee, which hoped to do something this year, In reply tn Mr. Eawles, the chairman said nothing could he done by way of experiments to ascertain which breed of dairy cows was more profitable until they, had got the farm In better order. Mr. nudge advocaled having a scientific man in charge of the farm, ami that the committee should buy heifers and soil later, at enhanced profit. The chairman said that the suggestion about heifers was exactly what was done last year, but the shortage of feed had made thorn a. little afraid this year. As for engaging an expert, they were gelling along very well so far wilh the attention the committee were giving te the farm. The chairman Intimated thai lie was getting Ihe assistance of Captain Wesson and that anyone desiring to visit the farm would always find either Captain Glesson, himself, or a member of the committee there on' Ihe afternoons of the first Monday in each month. Messrs It. Masters and \V. H. Were were reelected directors, and Mr. Coleman was appointed auditor. Ten new members were elected.

A vole of thanks was passed 10 the committee and Mr. Deem.