CAMBRIDGE FARMERS CLUB.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 669, 2 September 1876, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE FARMERS CLUB.

TnE usual monthly meeting of tbo members ot tliu U.no wat held at i lie JS'uLioml Hotel on Tuesday last, 'ihe following v/xirti the niemboiu |»ivi»ciit : — Messrs ilickn, Clark, Joiui H'Uiciuun, ti Uuy» uolild, A Keynolfts, jßut.le, l'rirson, ii i'urr, J Mihir, and J.i.nen liui.cinnn. Om the motion ot Air Olirk, Mr John iijtier took tiio chur. Tim minuted of the previous meeting harmg tutm read aud oontinuaa, The Secretary nud a tj.egram from Mr Muclcan, utatiug Hut m ojnsequoncd of his htivi^g ut^B'd ihj tram ho would b uuitbte to arteud. M. jjr )I y and Air R Fisher having bieu propose 1 na momhera a\ last'JgjOL ing, soinu di^cistiou look pld(o 4>*rt whi-ther it wauld be ju»t to exuot from tbe 11 tbe subscription for tiie current year, wliioh wm now dr.iwmg to a clo«u. i'lie new ycur cimaeiicei in Novembir It vr.n thought the tit'ore that it wuuld bo hardly iiii* to inaUe the gentleuion ilccttd to-night pay *t tbe rate of a guinea a month. Ultimately Mr Cl?rk lnorod '" that it ii desiuiblc that rule 4 be impended for the remaining portion of th" year. This having been carrird, the memberi proceeded to ballot for the gum It men proposed, i ho resnlt ot whioh was that they were elected unani-nously. Tno iSecr«tttry read a letter from the W 8 N Company, »tatmg thut they had mitde a reduction in the freiylit of mnuurei. It w*j agreed that the Hecre Ury should write to thank them for their note, Mr Hicki then road the following paper on

FARM INSrECTION. I have heard it remarked that it i« premature to introduce suoh a system into our die net, but I am of opinion that at no time will moro depend upon the knowledge and experience we bring to bear upou all we do than there ii at present. A great deal of our capital hat* to be laid out in works of a permanent obaraotar, suoh a* building, fenoiug and plaatiug, which i« tbo bams of all our operation!, and our future mcceki will mainly depend upou the way in which it i* carried out. It ii evident that, to carry on our farms profitably, * complete reiorm must take place in the managemeut of scock. It seems to ire that the limiting ourselves to summer fattening for the Auckland market has reached its climax. Very »oou Waikato will fatten a« much stock in summer as »ill be oonsumed m Auckland during the year. The question is, oan we, with the aid of roots and Lay, extend the supply to all seasons of tbe )oar, instead of one or two? My own opinion i* that, in attempting to do so, we shall discover the strongest part of our poMiion. lv support of Ins view, I may mention that one of our moat practical men, a neighbour of mine, has buuouodeil in growing tea acres of turnips, which lit) vmiui»teii, at the rate they aie heiug eaten, will keep six hundred sheep from two to three months. 'in « means

u&e<l to yet them was dimply the plough- j ing down a clover paddouk afler (.'brist- I mas, and seeding it towards the evil of I February. Doubtless there are other districts id the Colony capable of growing roots as easily as we can, but, in feeding off were grown, boih l>y sheep and ca*;tl»' f our advantage* are mcnnipaiably gi eater than any with whuh I am acqnaiuted. In the wottes-t season, our light lands ctu be docked with either cattle or shee,>, without injury to them. If then we succeed m growing root* as easily as in the case I have mentioned, there it u itbiog to prevent us from extending the system intietiuitely, which must result not only in enabling vi to send fat stock to market at all seasons of the year, and iv bringing our young itook to maturity a year sooner than we d.< at present, but in immensly enriching oar lands, and tbu-t enabling us to turn our attention to any bra. eh of farming we ohoie. I am strongly of opinion that, as a means of gathering all the practical knowledge that can be gotupunall f-Ttningmatters, inspection of our farms by practical men is the best that can be employed. . In this way we shall be put in possession of the' principles upon which the most successful operations are carried on. I venture' , to »ay that d^zuns of things th»t are a necessary pa 1 1 of farming are done on far rounder and more economical principles than many of us are acquainted with, and the worst farmer among us is not so bad, but that he can contribute something to the general fund of knowlidge. To do juitice to a principle we must practically show its meriti. Mere argument will seldom coovinco as that a certain waj of treating a thuv£ i» superior to our own ideal concerning it. How, for instance, in heai ing the discussion which lutely took place at oaa of our meeting* on thorns, could one form an opinion aa to the men's of the »»>*iou» systems advooated? The arguments adduced in suppoit, wero each such that one mi'.'hl lo»s up which to choose from ; yet there is rerjr little doubt I hat in testirg the mutier by companion of remit, on« or tho other would proce superior. There ia another view of the queatiou wh'ch 1 think n scmcr] j le-s important than the one I hare taken. I believe it wilt protu aj potent agent in muking us uiu to the best of our abi'i'y and knowledge we possess manj things whoh we pats by uith indifference The-*!} will, under its influence becom* objects of care and interest. A new tone will be giren lo all onr actions and a deeper interest will be felt, in every undertaking. Stock being our chief care, J think the baginniug of winter the. mo»C euitable tune to carry out su?h an o\ ject To bring us all within it* influence, I would suggest thut mstltiU should be uiven foi a.lmoat everytbtfitf pertaining to fanning. I a;u RWjrt) that grain niopi" at that senson of the year cannot be done jiutico to ; but. io huving «.n annual inspection we uiu>t m c"K«anly look to tt.e object* which affect vi most. Tho following is a list of the different things for which I think medals ou^ht to bo given :—: — 1st — Tho best manajed farm. 2nd— The beat pron«ion m .de for winter. 3rd -The best mixture of grasst*. 4th- lho best !>ras«"d I arm. 5th — Tbo best crop of Mangolds — without manure. 6 h— Do do with do 7th— Do Turnips without do B.h— D,> do with do 9th — Do Rape without do lUth — Do do vu'h do I It li — Do Cmois without dj 12th — Do do with do 13th— Do Potatoes without do I Uh — io d> with do loth — Do Hay (qnnlity and quin* tj to be judge- 1 per acre.) 18lh — Do Wi,«a6 <lo 17Hi— Do Buri.y do 18th D»» • I>ns1 >ns do 19, h— D» P m do 20th — I he b"«t mnd» and thatched ft>ck-j. 2lbt — llic best laid out Oiiiu nnd lioiuustead with * vie iv to economy und convc lencß. 22nd — Tho moat i-itensire and best ln!d out plantation \Mth a \Lw to chiller and ormment. 23.-d— The best o ouaid planted ihre<j yeais und unwiinls, 21th — The best orchard planted under ihree years. 23th — Tho best gates and gateways 26'h — In« ben live fence, 10 cluins and upwards. 27th — Tho beat wire fence, (posts bored or stapled. 281 h— Tho be«fc c illeci.ion ( f implements 2£hh - The best brv-a s otkot cnttlo. 30ih— Jhe best bied BU'i healthiest mob of ypin'lingH. ?Ist — TUc bon 1 bred flock of sht-ep. 3ind-~Tne best bred uud heiiliineit fioulc of hogm'ta. 33 d—ld — I ho most useful lot of howea. -3 1> h — Tim [tent kept luvrniss. 11.1 1. i* to bo uudnratood of course thot erery miormaiio : m to b» jjivfi to tin 1 julg.'S couuerniiig t he things competed for, to as to enable them to form » ooncct ofinuu a* to their respective merits. lho CliHtrniin thought it would be necossarv for ilr Hicks to move » resolu*o that othor members c»uld itp-nk to it Mr Hicks th'ii moved, "Thit the pro|>o<-ii* (ontained be carried out " Mr J Kuncim.ii) seio .ded. It. was sufg-at'-d that a good many tlwn<>' might be brought under the operation of 'he Agricultural society. Mr Clark asked if the Agricultural Society oropj^'d taking any uciou in ihe matter of fjitmsj pnz«3 lor produce. MrJas liuncirnun —^o far us roots are concerned, ttiey do not. The time at which the show will be held would not suit; it is not favourable for them. So c people seem to think it. is an overlook, Imt it i« not. The.-o t Lings would come under the he.id of an Autumnal Sh>w. Tho S /cieiy's show will be paitoral Mr Clark thought thu was light. It was folly, he laid, to give prizes for roots at a • ovp; he had pointed this out. before. The roots ihown were alwaji grown in some corner. The coming show, he lupposed, would be mereiy a cattle show. He would hko to know if it woul l be practicable to got up a ploughing much. If the Club could not do it mngly, thej might unite with the Agricultural Society in initiating a tluug which would bo for the beneii; of both. Mr John Runciman agreed with Mr Clarks idea, but he thou^nt it ought to be doni- by the h'ociotj, as only a email proportion of tho laimers of the district were memberaof the Club. (■level al members also (poke to the same effect. Mr John Runciman s lid it wa< scarcely fair for the member* ot the Ulub to pay for other people's benefit. Hr Hicks pointed out that it was his intention to restrict compel ition to members ouly Apart from the fairneu of the thing, if everybody were admitted it woutd be a difficult thing for the ju.igen to go all rouno the district within * reasonable time, conßeqnently one farm might be mspeoted at a different season to another, which would hardly be right ; besides this, what might suit one district would not »uit another. The Chairman said there were many things in ttie paper which he did not agree with hiuiierf. Many would ii»t Hgreo ai to tue things to Ua examined. Pt)ihiut, too, the list wua rather long, but this could be modified of ourse ; and if it, was found that the scheme would not work, not hum was etui, r than to abrogate the whole thin . It wui, however, clearly the province of the «.lub to deal with I this suiter, they wero the inoit proper

body to do so. They hid reason to bo}.o tint ll successful other districts \\ou!d follow in their foot'tep^. Mr James Kuncimau would like to ask Mr Hicls what time it was proposed to hold the inspection. Mr Hioks thought that the uutuina or beginning of muter would be the best t.ms. Mr John Bu r ciinun thought that was a mstfer that could safely b- left in the hand* of aeomn.iitee. He might say in pulsing, however, that root* were scu<Hy in perfection at the time mentioned by Mr Hicks. Several members gave it as their opinon that they Were Mr Cl..rk said it wat very desirable that it tho ild tuke plice. Great difficulty would however be experienced in fixing a time that would suit all torts of things. He fully believed in the groat value of the inspection. He thought however that the inspection of prniu belonged more properly to an Agricultural Society. Air J^mea Rauciman said u prize had been offered by tbo old Society for the beat 5 acres of wheat ; — no one competed. It might work with the members ot the Club, because they all lire wuhin a few miles ot each other. A member thought not. Some of the members r, tided at Hiimilton and some at Ma'anuta The Chiirman thought it would bs bttter to pass the diff rent items on the list atriatim. The Secretary thought that they had better pick oue 6or 7 of the best, and afterwards enlarge the number m they found how it wou d work. Pidk out now the one which they would consider most benrfioial to their interests, and then sco how it would snooted. It moaut a great rxpensp. Mr John Eunciman thought that the numb r might be reduced, and one prize gi\ en for t wo or three tilings. Mr Hick* said hia ohjeot was to bring everybody under the plan, so that every farm should be inspected. The Secretary tuought the farmers in this dittriot confined F ihi« r operations to Tery tew things,— one oljeot wns generally in new; they could not take in hand one h*lf of the things mentioned by Mr Hioks. Mr flicks suid he had mentioned m ny things, not because they were gro»n, but because they should be encouraged. The 1 Chairman tnought that wbat Mr Hicks wanted was competition. The prizes need not be in the form of medals, ccttiflcates would do equally well and would be far less expensive. The SL-crelary — In t ( jrit case then there can be nj objection to pass the list as it stands. Iho Chairman then read the list and after some ♦h-ciHiion wh oh resulted m some of the iteuii bciug altered, the list (winch tor the cuke ot brevity is given above in i's amended form) was passed. Mr Cl. ii k said it wus desirable to appoint a. Committee to carry out th s matter, who could lay tieir report boiore tho Club at u future meeting. Several gentlemen wers proposed as committeemen, s^vernl of whom declined to act. The following were ultimately appointed :—: — \[e«srs hiclir, Clark. X Reynolds, and Jas Runcimm. Mr .1 times Ranciuian expressed aurpriie that Mr Walker's iiSsay had not been |/üblish<*«l in the ioral journal, the Waizato IIUK3 It had cjuood great dissatisi'nction among those mterostwd in f'aimiu^. T.je only place he bad «cen the Ess y w.ittin the Nuclei >url pawn. Your 'Opie-eniiitiVd expU nad that it was beo.iu c t hid been fir*k publirhed m the Auckl'ind pipjrs that it aid not appear in the locil joiiiuiil. ilie toliowinj; tnitic3< of motion woro ihivi male by Mr Hick-«, that ho would move >t the mxt meeUng " that the annum meeting of tho C.ub bo held on the '31*1 ot Oct..bor next. By Mr Kuocimun Hi it he would ujove at the nvxt meeting "Tn it ihaClub onni<i.l«r tlic desirability o' U.M'Jg to itlt or the tine lor holding the u u.il Xow Ycur 1 * sports, us tl>6y mileriully inier(ure with tho agr-cuttuial opurnti-ms then goiuguu." By Mr John ltunciitan thai at tuti next uiceMni; h<i would piopoie tint Mi J»moa Fo re§t boa m in be ol the Club. It waa aJso an* nouucvd that tkt tho next mee.in^ Mr ±1 H I) Jbergus*on would read an eatay on sh<-op. A vote of thinks to Mr H,oks for his pujjtr und-thu u»unl vote to the chuir brought the proceedings to a clo.se.