FARM AND GARDEN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4497, 15 August 1893, Page 2

FARM AND GARDEN.

Instiuction in Agiicultuie.

[TO THE EDITOR, W.D, TIHES.]

Sm,—Since writing my letter you 'so kindly published-last woek, re instruction in agriculture, ins., more infermatior. has come to hand, proving what great importance is placed on instruction in these subjects in France and England, Elementary !' Agricultural Instruction i> now given in all the primary schools of France. Special superior Bcbools have been founded for special subjeots, such bs butter "nd'oheesemaking, forestry and horticulture. In addition to large Sums voted by the' Departinentel Council to the ,'lo'oal Agriouitural schools, the Frenoh Government also gives a large grant for agricultural eduoatjon, This sum amounted to £186,000 in 1892. In England the depression ot reoent years appears to to have aroused the leading minds connected with farming pursuits, and we find the County Councils making great efforts to improve the present had stats of affairs. Tho Gloucester County Council for instarce hag established a Dairy school, and a faw months ago they sent a gentleman to visit the small centres of population throughout the County, the objeot of which is beat explained by an extract from one of his addresses :

"The great object the County Council had in view was to get in touch with the farming interest. In tho country districts people were isolated, and they 'had a habit of keeping their information to themselves. The day wis gone by for that sort ol thing, and they would stand sbouldor to shoulder or they wouldgounder.TheCounty Counoil were nnxloL" to know the wants anil wishes of the farming community, and as far as possible they would endeavour to meet them. He suggested the formation of a committee in eaoii distriotwith the County Councillor at the head, who might formulate the wishes of the farmers in eaoh locality, and forward th'em to the County Counoil at Gloucester. Having urged his hearers to guard against a loss of heart, he: said that farmers must realise that they had the whole world to oompete against. Certain nostrums were put forward by which it was supposed that prices would be raised, but he held that they must notlook to out. side people to help them. The help must come from themselves (hear, hear). How could they doit I One thing ho advocated waß combination amongst fanners, not only for trying to gain knowledge, but for the disposal of their produce. He knew there were difficulties in the way, but he was very much inclined to think thattheco-oporative i prinoiple was the right one, He then referred to the necessity of farmers acquiring mora knowledge if the principles upon which their ordinary work ought to be conduotcd, and strongly advised them to study tho composition of the soils of which' their farm was composed in order to see if they could mako them moro fertile, They wanted, to, learn something about the growth of plants. All plants took a oortain quantity of'nod from the soil, and they wanted to find out how much an average ercp of corn o; other produce took from the.soil, so that they might know what they had to replace. There was no question in farming matters about leaving nature to do tho whole of the work, They must put into tho soil what they proposed to tako out, In view of foreign supplies, ho certainly thought that the days of corn growing in England were numbered, and the question they had to consider was what were thoj goingto aubatituteforlt. They naturally turned to dairying to help them, and in his opinion the futuro of English farming would bo principally in dairy work. He was afraid that those lands which would grow nothing but corn must go to tho wall, whilst dairy farms would become more and more important as time went on. In dairy matters as well as in cverythlu 6 else they had to face foreign competition, and tho question was how on earth -to get rid of it. They had never had a good try yet, but he thought in course of time they could boat the foreigner out of their markets. To do this they must consult the tastes of the consumer and provide exactly what he wanted, regardless of their own feelings and opinions." I am etc, Knowleme is Power.