OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 June 1940, Page 3

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

FEED FOR PIGS (To the Editor.) Sir. —I understand that England wants bacon. I suggest that the Government should ask the Department, of Agriculture to co-operate with the Press, and pursue an active publicity campaign to give extensive instructions for the production of autumn and winter feed for pigs. These instructions should be widely advertised, both in the Press and broadcast over the air. and wireless broadcasts should urge farmers to read instructions in the Press on a named day and date. Wherever there arc threshing machines no doubt the growing of peas or other crops for distribution will be urged. In the absence of thrashing machines, it is probable that sugar beets and guerande carrots will be recommended. It is possible, however. that the Department might even recommend farmers who cannot thresh crops to sow a catch crop of partridge peas this spring in land about to besown down in grass. A stack of unthreshed peas will fatten a lot of pigs —pigs do not let any peas go to waste. There is room, however, for explanation on many details, such as: — 1. What variety to sow?

2. When to plant various seeds for

autumn feed? 3. When to plant winter feed? 4. How deep to sow? 5. Whether to sow on the ridge, or on the flat? G. What quantity and variety of manure? 7. What quantity of seed to sow where there are many cutworms which bite off mangels, sugar beets, chou moellier, etc, when two inches high. 8. What’ quantity of seed to sow in country free of cutworms? and many other problems. It is annoying and disappointing for a farmer to lay down an acre of mangels, and then to have to plough' in the whole crop because he sowed only' 21b of seed (instead 61b for cutworms, and 21b for himself). The Department should remember that it is asking men to grow pig food who have perhaps never grown it before, and full instructions on these details are of the utmost importance. We have an excellent means of publicity in our newspaper service, and this should be used much more efl'cetively for the national effort of increasing pig production. In the past, advice issued by the Department of Agriculture has received considerable, but unorganised, publicity. If such information were published regularly and repeatedly every week as a special and constant feature of every newspaper, beneficial results should accrue. Several newspapers have a weekly page devoted to farming matters. I think every newspaper in the country should have a weekly page devoted to agriculture.

To maintain a constant supply of information on agriculture generally, and bacon production in particular, should be the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture and any others who are able to assist. Many problems arise, and producers should be encouraged to write to the Department of Agriculture asking for information, and useful questions and replies should be published, both together, in the Press for the benefit of other producers. Thus there is the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture for giving information, the responsibility of the Press for broadcasting it. and lastly, there is the responsibility of the farmer to look for, and where possible, to act on the advice given.—I am, etc.

G. M. TOLHURST.