EXPERIMENTAL PLOTS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 10 December 1912, Page 5

EXPERIMENTAL PLOTS

j (By Telegraph—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Last Night. I Tno Auckland Executive of the Farmers' Union has recently been discussing the question of co-operative field experiments, and has decided to ask I Union branches to give the matter 'consideration. The Department of ! Agriculture lias also'boon requested to send particulars relating to the con- : duct of such experiments. Northern farmers "have apparently been rather j'slo.v to take advantage of the assist - a-nce that has been given- to farmers for the past four or five years in the way of individual experimental plots. In the various districts last year there were no less than four thousand co- ' operative experiments in progress throughout the Dominion, and elabo : , rate tables have been published from I time to time, setting out the results that have l>een gathered in the Journal published by the Department. Tb« conditions governing field experiments are clearly set out, and fanners wishing to follow up research with any special variety of seed or manure are invited to approach the authorities', so that the request mav be put into effect as early as possible. In some localities the opinion has been expressed that a small demonstration area set aside at a central woot such as the one at Marton would: servo a, better purpose than a largo number of plots . scattered all over the country. Mr Clifton. Director of the Fields Division expressed the opinion that the indivi- ■ dual plot is likely to produce the best j result, because the farmer under whose direct supervision the experiment is conducted understands every detail of that particular experiment, and is likelv to put the knowledge thus gained into practice, besides communicating his experience to bis neighbours. Where there is <a larger demonstration, the information gained is» of a more general nature, and experience, so far lias .shown that as a rule farmers do not visit the ex"" mental areas in any considerable numbers.