EXPERIMENTAL FARMING

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10583, 14 March 1912, Page 5

EXPERIMENTAL FARMING

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Agricultural Committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association was held yesterday afternoon, there being present,— Messrs E. Harper (chairman), W. Perrv, A B. Wood, W. C. Miller, R. J. Dagg, G. Shaw, A. J. Percy, and H. Evans. The meeting was called for the virpose of meeting Mr G. De Bayliss, of the Agricultural Department, Palm«.rston North, to make arrangements l ,ov the sowing of seed in the various experimental plots throughout the cV?trict, with a view to ascertaining the most suitable varieties for crops on land in the Master ton district. Mi' De Bayliss explained to thos,present what he considered to be the best varieties of seeds to experiment with, and with the aid of Mr A. B. Wood, the following arrangementwere made in connection with experimental crops for autumn sowing:— Half acre Italian rye (to be sown lv autumn), Mr Shaw, Upper Plain, (feeding purposes); Mr Dagg (Uppcv Plain), hay; Mr W. Perry (seed). Prairie, Italian rye and eow-gra:s, suitable for dairying purposes.— Decided to be left for further considera tion. Mr De Bayliss considered this this might very profitably be experimented with' by dairy farmers, as jt gave an excellent growth of splend'l ■feed, and grew well in light- soil; .•Hen-nchen barley (1 acre .of.-Hem'• che'h and 1 acre of another variety, U, be kept separate, and' 5 a record of. stock feeding on it also to be Messrs Percy Bros., Te Ore Ore. Mv De Bayliss stated that this seed was imported from Sweden, and was fin\than Cape variety, and gave excellent yield, and should be very adaptalAto this class of country.

Wheat (winter variety, to be sown in winter, 1 acre plot).— K Mr H. Evans, Upper Plain ; suring sowing, Canadian variety, Mr W. O. Miller, Matahivvi. Mr t)e Bayliss said that this variety gave an excellent return, and was the coming wheat, and very probably would top the market in Ne v i Zealand, as it was now doing in Canada. . I Lucerne (plots .in which peas have J been sown,' spring sowing).- Mr A. J. Stone-Wigg. Opaki; Mr S. Shaw, Waingaua; Mr T. Wrigley, Kopuaranga; Mr E. Harrier, Matahiwi; Mr W. J. Chappell, Matahiwi. To be sown with a view to feeding dairying j stock. Oats (autumn sown. White Ligowo and Algerians, to be sown separately, for the purpose of comparing which, is-most suitable for feeding purposes, and corn return). —Mr E. Harper (6 acres of each); Messrs Percy Bros. (-1 acres of each.) •Oats for seed (spring sown, in acre plots)— White Ligowo, Mr J. Dagg, Upper Plain ; four varieties autumn, Mr E. O'Sullivan, Upper Plain; to be fed off and let go for crop. Autumn sown : 1-J acre white Ligowo and' \\ acre Algerians; 1-} acre Beardless Propsteir, for feeding purposes, and to be let run to seed later; Mr T. Wrigley, Kopuaranga. Mangels (owo varieties, two -J-acre plots)— Mr E. Harper, Matahiwi. Maize (1 acre).— Mr S. Shaw, Waingawa. The men gels, maize and lucerne crops are to be experimented on with a view to feed for dairying stock. Mr De Bayliss suggested that with a view to co-operation, there should be certain days fixed on which those interested could go round and inspect | the various experimental plots, so that farmers could be enabled to draw their own deductions as to what varieties of seed and crop.,' were most adaptable to their own particular class of land. A motion of thanks to Mr De Bayliss was passed for his valuable information.