CAMBRIDGE FARMERS' CLUB.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 647, 13 July 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

CAMBRIDGE FARMERS' CLUB.

(Conlinwdfrom our last issue.) >. Mr Hicks said there were a good many valuable suggestions contained in the essay, to those who wont into thorn planting. He Ihoqght, however, that Mr Jtunciman might have treated the subject more broadly. Ho should have given some hints as to the best fences for the distiict. He (Mr Hicks) -was not, himself, a great believer in thorns, for he did not think that live fences would do in this district. The question to bo considered was the cost of fencing. > In thia conntry wire was the best fence ; possessing adTantages which others had not. It was easily taken down and re-erected anywhere, with little expense. Ho hoped to give them, some day, a papev on the subject. Mr W L Martyn could not agree with Mr Hicks that it was an advantage to be able to take down a fence. When he pnt up a fence, he wanted it to last. It must also be kept in mind that they wanted Bhelter in this plain as well as fences. He thought that on dry light land wire w.ib the best fence, bnt, on heavy land, thorns were to be preferred. He did not agree with " keeping the knifo off" the thorns, it all depended on the class of land on which they grew. They must be planted closely— he was now planting them 1 four ittthes apart — and, for the first two years, they should not be cut. He thought that there was no rule to go by ; oach must do what his experience tells him is best. * Mr Buttle wished to know how long it would take to get ft good hedge. - Mr John Kunciman said it would take about sevon years. ! Mr Buttle said that Mr Runciman, in his essay, had said the hedge was to bo cut when seven years old. It could not, therefore, be a good fenco at that age. Mr Kunciman had overlooked one thing : the suitability or otherwise of the thorns to this district. His experience taught him that they were a failure. They would not grow on light land. As soon as the roots got to the subsoil, they died. • The subject of the essay ought to have been, " What eort of fence was best suited to this country." 11* thought that blackberries would do bettor than thorns. Undoubtedly tlie latter made the beat ■ fence, if they would grow ; but, they would not. , Mr John llunciraan said be would be very glad to see the roots go down to the subsoil. They would not do bo, but run along the surface. It wonld be found, in taking down a fence ten or twelve years old, that the 1 roots had not penetrated many inches deep, when they would extend perhaps twenty feet along the surface. Mr Macleau said that brambles wero a great nuisance, and kangaroo • acacia was e*en worst, especially for sheep, 'their fleeces being much torn by it. Besides thia, it never formed a good fence. . » Thorns were, undoubtedly, the best for live fences,bnt he did not approve of Mr Runciman'a method of planting. • They should be planted on the flat, with a wire fenco on each side,' to protect them when young. The ground should be trenched twenty inches, and well worked. If any one noticed a thorn bush growing naturally, it would be found to grow in the form of the letter A. This was the proper shape to trim a thorn fence. He had thorn fences 20 years old. If they were properly taken care of, nothing could get through them. A member of that Club was cutting down his thorn hedges close to the roots ; this was very unwise ; the main shoot must be allowed to grow, or else the fence will always be a thin one, and easily broken through. -• Ho was glad to hear wire spoken well of. It was the best for this district, and, he believed that it would make permanent fences. i Mr Hicks said he did not wish to disparage any ono, but he thought there was iw great want of experience in wire fencing in.) this district. In Napier, experience Lad been bought dearly, hardly anything else wamsed there for fencing, he knew of a wire, boundary fence ten milos long. -..Mr W L Martyn said that shelter was •ranted. a». well as fences, they should be combined. , On largo runs wire answered very .well, but .ho did not think it was ro suitable for small furm3. ,'M.v Maclean isaid that bclta of trees could be planted. ■ Mr Hicks said thnfc shelter conld bo gob move readily by planting trees than

by any ether way, tbey would take less time to grow. Mr Fergusson said ho was a great believer in wire, but ho would like to ask Mr Hicks if it would be suitable for small paddocks ? Mr Hicks said that in the Province he came from — Hawkes Bay — it was found to answer every purpose. Mr Fergusson said that in Canterbury they found it did well enough for 10,000 acre paddocks, but it wag unsuiied for small paddocks. The rams would alwayi force their way through. Mr Walker said that he had a small paddock fenced with wire, and as yet, no ram had succeeded in getting in or out. It waa an eight wiro fence, with the posts eight feet apart. With regard to brambles, he thought they were tho worst things that could be planted ; he knew of a farm — that some years ago, would carry a bullock to the acre — which had become completely overran with them. ■ Mr Fergasson thought it would be very expensive to put up a fence like Mr Walker's, it would cost something like £IHO a mile. Furze, had been very much underrated, ho thought. When well kept it [ formed a good- fence ; they required to be looked after when youa*, but he thought if they were attended to, and the ground cultivated on either side, they would not spread. Several members spoke strongly against furze. The President said it was a great evil. It never fovoied a fence. •It was nearly alwayi in blossom, and to cut any plant when in bloom could not fail to injure it. . , ; Mr Fergus?on said ho had no experlei ea of furze in i-his district, (he did not think he would plant it, after the expression of opinions he had heard,) but in Canterbury there were somo fino furze fences ; they did not die out or exhaust the land there. Mr Bnttlo wished that Mr Runcitnan had said something of the diseases of thorns, 'ho h,»d aeon thorns apparently doing well-**Bud<lenly dying out, how did Mr Runciman account for tins? Mr John Runciman said he had in the essay pointed out that the fungi formed by tho decaying fern were fbe cause. It could be cured by cultivation. ' ' Mr Maclean' said the slug was also a great enemy of the thorn, he believed it came from J^elson, it vraa aiscJ destructive to fruit, even lime had failed to destroy it. Mr Hicks proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Runciman for his very instructive essay. Mr W h Martyo seconded. • - •Mr Clark asked the Chairman if he would be in order in bringing forward a resolution without previous notice of motion. It Wias a vory important one. The Chairman thought he would. , - i Mr Clavk then moved, " That a requisition be Bent from this Club, asking our members for the Waikato and Waipa, to use their influence with the Gfovi?rument to obtain a lower tariff for transit of manures for agricultural purposes, to be brought into operation at the earliest possible date— the present time being the seaion when these commodities are most required." In Australia, Government had lowered tho tariff" for carriage of manures, and he thought the same could be obtained here. If the Government did this perhaps tho W S N Compaay would do so too „•" Mr RII D Ferguson Bcconded. - Some disoussion ensued as to whether it would cot be advisable to ask for a reduction of the tariff for cattle going to shows, kc. when the motion was pub to the meeting and carried. . Mr Clark asked if anything had been done with regard to getting thirteen members to read an essay once a year. • • The Secretary said he had written to some of tho members and had received two answers. One was from Mr Leslie and the Other was from Me Seddon. Mr Leslie was willing to read a paper, but as he was unable ou account of his years, to be out late dining tho winter, ho would like if they could arrange for his essay cither in October or . November. Mr Scddon would not volunteer. This was all that had been done. Of course it waa understood tuit the five gentlemen forming the Cymmittco would bo prepared, so that lor this ymr.thoy h.id a sullicient number. Mr Walker \.as the next in order. Mi'Wii Marty* gave notico that he j Mould proi'o3o Mr -John Shaw as a mcml |bcr, j\b tiie next meeting-

Mr Walker gavo notiie that he would read an es9ay on " Sheep and sheep-pas-turo" at the next meeting. This was all the business, and after the uaual vote of thanks, the mooting closed.