CAMBRIDGE FARMERS" CLUB.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1208, 25 March 1880, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE FARMERS" CLUB.

The usual mottSuy mefetirtf'of this club was Tield at the Clubhouse, Cambridge, on Monday. The chair was occupied by the President, Mr E. Maclean^ and the following members were present : Messrs K. B. Walker, Jno. Runciraau, H. Buttle, U. E. Clark, Calender, Jno. Fisher, A. A. Fantham, W. L. C. Williams, W. L. Martyn, W. A. Graham, J. P. Campbell, Major, Wilson, and Captain Runciman. The minutes of the previous ordinary and one special meeting having been read and confirmed, the club proceeded to ballot for new members. The following gentlemen were then nominated and duly elected : Messrs A. T. F. Wheeler, C. J. Storey, Robt. Fisher, Wmi Sfcurges, A. Ramsay, Jas. Halley, and H. Paton. Major Wilson then read the following essay on

THE CULTURE OF GKA&ES. The subject of the present ipaper, Mr President, is one on the culture of grasses. At this season of the year, certainly, no discussion could be more appropriate, for we have arrived at the time when the attention of fanners must be practically directed to the autumn sowing. Farmers are aware that there are two seasons in which land is laid down for pasture : in the spring and in the autumn, It has been a moot point of much interest, as to which season principally to direct attention. Many shrewd persons of long experienoe, are even now satisfied that the spring is the proper time, and that no pasture is equal to that laid down in •ingust or September. There are men of undoubted experience who have closely watched the course of events connected with this industry for decades of years, who have witnessed, too, ' the most brilliant results from the fruits of their labors, and yet the system adopted is eschewed by others of equal experience, who assert that the spring sowing, though far from a failure, is certainly very much inferior to the autumn. It is somewhat noticable that the advocates of the late sowing should have confined their labors to the season they so much prefer, while those who advocate the earlier, or autumn sowing, should have been learned in both. Judging, therefore, as a mere layman in these matters, a verdict would be given in favor of the opinion of the more widely experienced. As the selection of the season is a most important one, a few reasons for selecting the autumnal may be of servioe, although, perhaps, the majority present may not consider the choice perplexing. In the autumn the ground is dry and mellow, easily pulverized, and worked with facility. At this time the growth of fern ceases and does not sprout again — to any extent-- until August or September, affording time for the grass to become fully established ; so that at the time a spring so win or would commence the pasture would be in a condition for stocking, thereby increasing the strength of the herbage, keeping down the almost irrepressible fern, and advancing the farm fully six months, with all its concomitant advantages. In bush lands, and those reserved for surface sowing, the autumn is the only time in which grasses can be sown, as ; in either case, the work mnst be acomplished soon after burning, which must of a necessity be in dry weather, and not in or after the winter rains. An objection is sometimes taken to this sowing which may be here considered. It has been said that the frost is likely to kill and does cut off the young grass and clover after sproutinsr, whicn condition would not obtain, in the spring of the year. To some extent the assertion is true, but only in a minor degree, if red clover and cow grass bo excepted. Some of the grandest grass crops witnessed, have been after the most adverse winters, of, some times, three consecutive weeks of severe frost, and notably in the winter of 1 859, which is in the mind of the writer. In the Wanganui district, fields were laid down late in March of that year, composed of a mixture of rye, cocksfoot, tymothy, white clover, and alsyke. The frosts that succeeded the sprouting were sufficient to dishearten all but the experienced ; it appeared as if the whole were to be " thrown" out of the ground, but the summer showed as grand a crop of all, clovers included, as is seldom witnessed. Red clover and its congener, cow grass, are better relegated to the spring, the objection already combated having force in this case ; while the drought and heat of summer, which are such drawbacks to grasses in general, do not effect these heavy clovers in the same degree. While the advantages of tha early sowing are noted, their converse will apply to late workings, and require not to be stated. On open virgin lands, which are here mostly covered by fern, in some cases having a growth of manuka, or a mixture of both, with, perhaps, tutu and koromiko, — as a rule, indicative of good soil — clearing has to be done to enable the plough to work properly ; although some " plough in" the fern and manuka, if not too hign, using a chain behind the coulter or skeef to lay the growth under the furrow. This method is, however, bo slovenly, and, withal, so prejudicial to the proper laying down of good pasture — albeit, there may be saving in the matter of clearing — that all good farmers must condemn the practice. In large paddocks or enclosures, where especially there are undulations, circular ploughing obtains to a consider- J able extent, and is in those instances to be preferred to the primitive "rig" ploughing. On the comparatively light lands of Waikato the double-furrow plough is an improvement upon the old single, being more expeditious and a greater saver of labor. When the land has been thoroughly prepared for the reception of the seed, it may be sown either in the old-fashioned way by hand, or having recourse to the more scientific sowing machine, hung in every respect an advance on hind-howing ; doing the work with greater regularity, and saving time and seed. A novice can at once distinguish, after the grass has well sprouted, the difference between the two systems, if, indeed, the rude hand-sowing can be placed in such a category. A a there are, it is said, exceptions to all rules, so here is one of this : there are, of course, places where a machine could not travel and where the hand would have to be substituted. In the plains of Waikato and Upper Thames, the use of the machine must always obtain. Of the mixture of grasses to be used there is much divei*sity of opinion. One thing is certain, that some grasses do better on certain soils than do others, and the great care of the fanner will be to inform himself as to which s,eed is the best adapted for his own land. Formerly, in the early days of the Waikato, rye gr-ass was sown almost solely on our light and virgin soils, proving a most bitter disappointment. It was not until experience showed that before rye grass would thrive consolidation had to take place, that the earlier settlers adopted the sensible plan of sowing the lighter soils with clovers, principally reil and vow grass, with a mixture of white and, in some instances, alsyke ; that after grazing for some three years rye would thrive and even luxuriate. i'or light \ irgm noils, thcieforu, the clover imist ho first depended upon, in wliiul) oaso the late or spring sowing will l>u preferable. If rye

be not the grass wanted, cocksfoot will grow freely in new soil and form an excellent pasture : possibly no finer fields are to bs seen than some on the Hamilton road belonging to Mr Morgan, or those in Pukerimu owned by Mr Atkinson ; these are named as specimens showing what cocksfoot can do in the direction of good pasture. In lands which have been already laid down and either broken up for cropping or to be again laid down in pasture, rye may be sown with success ; using to the acre, say lOlbs. of rye, 21bs. of cocksfoot, one of timothy, and one each of the four clovers already indicated. Where the soil is moderately heavy the same mixture may be sown in new land, and especially so where strong manuka has grown. On such lands as the Rangiriri hills and Komakorau, where clay obtains and little or no soil is seen, the ratstail grass and some of the poas are almost tlie only grasses that can be grown. In the winter such soils are so sodden, saturated with water, that any other grass than ratstail cause diarrhoea, and many beasts are lost. This grass was the saving of the Wade and North Shore districts, for not only did it afford sustenance, such as it was, but its astringent properties saved the cattle during the winter and spring. Fortunately for those farms in the Waikato and Upper Thames this plant is not required : its use may be relegated to the kauri gum districts of Lower Waikato and kindred soils. Although the greater part of the Waikato and Thames valleys is open, without forest, the grand table land between the Thames River and Tauranga, stretching to Rotorua, is one dense bush, which will ere long form one of the fairest portions of our Province ; and this paper would be incomplete without some notice sus to the way in which it may be brought into pasture. This forest plateau, reaching from the Wairere to Horohoro and across to the open lands on the East, some 300,000 acres in extent, destined to support a large population, who, in their own interests, will have to begin somewhat in this wise : — The beat time to fall the timber is when the sap is down in the winter, when a commencement will be made by cutting all undergrowth and branches about six feet from the ground ; the trees must then be felled, allowing, or causing, them to fall all one way, that they may form a compact and regular mass, and not fall "any way," leaving clear spaces — it being important that every part of the surface be covered. After the felling, all irregularities must be lopped, so that looking over or across the fallen timber it will appear quite level— somewhat like looking over an even field of grain. This mass of fallen timber, when dry in the autumn, will give a clean burn, allowing afterwards only the stumps and larger logs-; but it will have been so well cleared that no "logging" will be requisite. If, however, all the foregoing conditions be not observed an irregular burn will be the result, and further labor in chopping, logging, and reburuing, will be a grievous addition to the cost. Some short time after burning, to allow the ashes to cool, and become, possibly, somewhat less acid, the grass may be sown say three-quarters of a bushel of rye or cocksfoot, or a mixture of both, and one pound each of the four clovers already mentioned. The expense of laying down land like this in the Southern districts, allowing however, a little more seed to the acre, is two pounds fifteen shillings per acre. Large tracts are thus annually cleared and sown in this way, and at a similar cost, in the Wangauui and Turakina districts. One man in the latter place, having put down 800 acres of bush land, on which six months afterwards, six hundred, head of cattle were grazed. In some parts of Tasmania, after the bush is felled, a crop of wheat is taken, thirty pounds of seed being sown on the ashes; and after it is reaped, being cut high with the bickle, the long stubble is burnt, forming a good bed for the grass seed, which is sown for pasture. On the authority of Mr E. B. Walker of Monavale, some forty bushels of wheat to the acre were reap id from land formed in this manner. Of the open lands, only the ploughed has been treated in this paper ; it is, however, deemed advisable by cultivators to surface sow, especially by those farming new places. A paper on surface sowing was read before this Society last year, and the attention of members is more particularly directed to that as being more instructive than what can now be given iv a short paper like the present. Since that w;is written, very considerable tracts of new land have been laid down in this way with a success the most complete ; notably Matakirae, on the Estate of Mesrs Gould adjoining Pakarau Pah, where the herbage has actually out-stripped that of the ploughed lands adjoining. The selection of grasses has already been adverted to. Doubtless a mixture is the bestforall purposes, there being amoregeneral growth throughthe seasons than if one simply be used, which may according to its nature, parch in the summer, or be cut down by the frost, as clover in tlie winter. On the whole, rye is the most to be preferred if the soil suits, it being not only sustaining, but a sweetener of the soil ; whereas, although cocksfoot may be equally effective as a. fatten;r, and a grass which better stands the winter, grain grown after it affords but a sorry yield as compared witli rye. White clover and alsyke ought to be used in the mixture, the former especially filling up the interstices between the plantß, and being a most valuable flesh producer. When these seed freely, their nutritious qualities are enhanced in no small degree. To produce this in clover, bees ought to be kept, which fructify the clover. It is surprising to observe the difference in this respect, where been obtain on taking the heads between the finger and thumb they feel quite firm, which will not be the case uuder a sparcity of bees. A point has been raised as to whether red clover or cow-gras 1 * is the preferable. Most of our farmers speak more highly of j the latter, believing that it does not injure cattle and sheep in the way red clover does. As a fodder made into hay the red clover is doubtless superior, being of stronger growth and capable of being oftener cut. It is likewise better as an improver of tlie land, throwing out strong shoots and driving its long thick roots deep into the soil, a feature which does not obtain with cow-grass as under some circumstances its roots, the whole plant indeed, come out before the plough. If either of these clovers be cut instead of fed they become, in this country and in suitable soils one might say perennial. On the Matamata estate, while it was being administered by one of our number (Mr Williams) red clover \vas maintained on the same piece without deterioration for ten years. This, though often grazed, was mostly cut for fodder. Of the native grasses comparatively little is known except to a few savans unless indeed the already celebrated tussock grass of the South Island, and which covers to some extent our own Patetere and Kaiugaroa plains. This grass is nutritious and hardy — the saving of the flock owners in the provinces squth of (Jack's Strait. On very many of these runs artificial grass either dies out in the hard winter months, or is not seen while the sheep can always maintain themselves by digging under the snow for tussock. In ordinarily damp plßf.es a very excellent native grass is fquiid, ualled b,y t\\a natives liaretu, being ;i sort of gigantic, sweet scented vernal, having the .same fragrance in a more marked degree. This j gi<ibt< i* as roltust iif growth us prciiric ( grass ; quite a favourite with horses and cattle, .md would prove a, most valuable

addition to our cultivated varieties. Manure id 'largely used in high farming to produce greater abundance it may be in grain or roots,, but grass seems by common consent to be left to itself, to succeed alone, or it may be struggle through under every disadvantage. Guano, the phosphates, bones, limes, gypsum and salt being those most in use. In some poor and stiff soils manure is an absolute necessity, soil such as is seen in many parts of Kaipara, and almost any where on gum fields. One cwt. of bones to the acre would not force the growth to equal that on fairly good soil without manure even in- land not at all approaching in barreness those places bone dust, lime or some other manure is necessary. And on any, whether good- or indifferent, a supply of some such stimulant is at once observable in a more luxuriant vegetation. Many experiments have been made in this direction, especially in that land of high experimental and successful farming, the mother country, the benefits resulting are shared by us at the antipodes. A notable example of one of these experiments is before the writer in an extract which is here reproduced as bearing strongly on the subject.

EXPERIMENTAL ORASB PLOTS. At a meeting of the Watford Natural History Society, an interesting paper was read by Mr Wallis on the botany of the experimental grass plots at Rothamsted. In the year 1856 Mr. Lvwi»B set apart about eight acre* of gra 1 * land in his p irk at Rotharosted for the pnrpose of investigating the comparative effects of differen 1 manuring «übatances upon permanent grass ; in the first instance, probably to d - termine the b^st means of more tsing the groan amount of produce. But not only haß the general oharacter of the herbageas to vigour, oolour, date of ripeniug, &c, materially altered, but the composition ot Ihe produce is entirely changed. The portion of land on which the experiments have been conducted in h«»*vy loam, with a re ■ clay Rubsoil of several feet in depth immedi itrly overlying 1 the chalk, and ha? probably been laid down with grass for some oenturies. No fresh seed haa been arti ficially sown within the hist fifty years certeinly, nor is there any record of any having been so *m ainoe the grass was first lai' 1 down. When the experiments commenced, the character of the herbage appeared uniform all over the plot , which wore twenty in number, of a quarter to half-an-acre each. The same kind of mnnure was "pplied, year after year, to the same space of gruund, two pieces being Mt as te-^t plots, and entirely uumanured and the results, which are fully and carefully notpd, are very extraodinary. Besides weighing the produce obtained by the different manures as hay, and taking samples for the determination of itH chemical composition, namely, r'ry mntber, ash, nitrogen, woody fibre, fatty mattpr, &c, &c M carefully averaged samples aro taken in each year from all the plotn, and every year from selected plots and Hibmitted to careful botanical separation, and the percentage by weight of each species in the mixed herbage determined. The general result of the experiment may be briefly summarised as follows: — The mean produce of hay per aero per annum has ranged on the different plots from about 2lcwt. without manure to about 63cwt. on the plot most heavily manured. The number of species found ha« generally been about fifty on the uiunanured plot, where there is no marked predominance of one plant over another; and has been reduced to an average of only twenty on the plot most heavily manured, while the etfect is to stimulate some of the coarsergrowing grasses and other plants to extraordinary growth, crowd out or otherwise Cause to disappear the more weakly species; audit may bo stated as a rule that whatever the description of manure employed, any considerable increase of of crop is accompanied by more simplicity of herbage. Species belonging to the order Gramincce have on the average contributed about 68 per cent, of tho weight of the mixed herbage grown without manure, and about 65 per cent, of that grown by purely mineral manure, and about 94 per cent, of that produced by the same mincal manure with a large quantity of ammonia salts in addition. Species of the order Lcgutninoscc have, on the average, contributed about 9 per cent, of tho produce without manure, about 20 per cent, of that by purely mineral manure, and less th;>n 0.01 per cent, of that by the mixture of tho samo minerals and aln rge quan tity of ammonia salt". Species belonging to various other orders have, on the average, contributed about 23 per cent, of tho produce without manur-, about 15 per cent, of that by mineral manure, and only about 6 percent; of that by the mixture of mineral and ammonih salts. The struggle for existence which is going on between plant and plant mty be illustrated by a comparison of the percentage of a few grisses on unmamuvd and the most highly manured plots.

It will be observed what a marked effect manure has upon foxtail, poa pratensis, and tall fescue, but notably on cocksfoot, while sheep's fescue appears to thrive better on unmanured land. It is observable froai this extiuctthat on the finest old paßtnivs manure judiciously chosen exert* a most powerful influence, doubling and treblinsr in *ome instants, the already exuberant vegetation, and it is equally noticable that an application of this stimulant fairly extirpates weeds. There is an aphorism to t>e found in ancient historical record, to the effect that "thorns and thistles" shall cover the land, and one would think that from another, the creation of our own day, that "ill weeds grow apace," the use of j any stimulant would causea larger growth to the detriment of the more artificial vegetation ; but experience teaches otherwise, it is found that under these circumstances, noxious weeds are actually extirpated. If, ' f r President, this question has been treated in a less exhaustive, or in a more perfunctory manner than the subject warrants, it will, at least, elicit the discussion this Sooiety so much disiderates, and these notes so hastily put to* gether, will not have been a waste of time. The Chairman said he had just one remark, to make, He thought it should be a rule to discuss essays read at one meeting, at that immediately following. Members would then come fully prepared to speak, having had time to carefully digest the subject matter of the different papers. Major Wilson expressed his entire concurrence with the chairman's views, though he doubted not that the adoption of the plan suggested would have the result of increasing the difficulties which beset the essayist. Captain Runciman said that although he desired to say something on the subject, there was so. much in the essay \\ ith which he agreed that he could find little debateable matter to deal with. He favored autumn sowing provided it was done before the middle of .April, though far his own part ho preferred to sow in the nn'd.dlt' qf September or early in October. He had done s>o for a lung time with great success. As to the amount of .sued proper lie quite agreed \\ ith Majur Wilsuij. Ife hud ki\u\\ u puuple to Km as nuu'li u^> lOJljis. of clover, but tins ho con- j aidwed t ( 4 by an utter al"sur<iity ; If thy I

seed was good slbs. was praple. H« usually sowed only 4lbs. with half-a,-bushel of rye grass, 21bs. oocfcsfobt and lib. of timothy. He had sown grass late in the spring with maize, ana he had never seen pasture come on hotter. Surface sowing should of course be done in the autumn. Mr Fantham said he hail had very little experience in the matter in Waikato. His opinion was, however, that spiing sowing was much to be preferred to autumn sowing. In March, 1878, he sowed down two paddocks, and nearly all the clover was killed by the frost. He had used the same mixture of grasses in the spring with marked success. . Mr Buttle said there was one thing whioh was apt to be overlooked, and that was that at this season of the year the ground was filled with a variety of insects which did the greatest damage to the grass seeds. In former years they were not so plentiful, and consequently autumn sowing could at that time be adopted with success. To do so now it was necessary that the land should be well worked so as to free it as much aspossible from those pesta he had mentioned. He was at one with the essayist in believiug the autumn to be the best time, because the land was in better heart at that season of the year. Mr Fantham said the paddocks he had referred to had been exceptionally well worked. Mr John Runciman agreed with many of the views put forward by the essayist, but there were others to which he could not subscribe. For instance, he was, md always had been, of opinion that ryegrass would grow on new land equally well with old, and he had proved it. Those who had failed to grow it were themselves to blame for not using the proper implements. The failure in the grass was not owing to the state of the soil, but simply to the waut of sufficient rolling. When he first came into the district he grew some splendid ryegrasa on new land. Most people put too little seed in the ground : he had always put 201bs. He never sowed a pound of cocksfoot, but kept to the ryegrass, and with the most successful results. Of clover he had been in the habit of sowing very little to the acre — not more than a pound — Bozs. of cowgrass, and Boze. of red clover. It was, however, grown by himaelf, and every seed germinated. In the spring the Bole was as thick as it was in some paddocks where lOlbs. of clover had been sown. He advocated sowing in the autumn. If the land was well prepared and rolled, and sown in March there would be a good sole of grass in June — the time when the feed was most wanted. It was a great mistake to put off the sowing till April. Mr Williams said his experience had led him to think that the land took ryegrass too freely, to the exclusion of clovers, which, when the grass was thickly sown, were smothered ; consequently, when the rye went out the pasture was done. Ay thing like 151bs. or 201bs. of ryegrass was too much. They might get a good pasture for a few years, but they would suffer in the end. The less thoy had to do with ryegrass in the laying down of new lands the better. Mr Walker did not think the getting of a good pasture was so much a matter of seed as the preparation of the laud— the obtaining a thoroughly good seed-bed. It was a well-known fact that only 50 per cent, of clover buried half-an-inch came up, and of seed buried an inch and a-half very little, if any, ever germinated at all. They would, therefore, perceive how necessary it was to have an even seedbed, so that the seed should not only be deposited at the proper depth, but that all the seeds should be as nearly as possible treated alike, and thus produce an even pasture. The same remarks applied to grasses as well as clovers. The future growth of the plant also depended on the treatment which the land had received. Mr W. L. Martyn said he remembered in the year 1868, when he wis first beginning to sow grass on th°ir property, Pencarrow, Mr Joseph May coming" to him and rallying him upon sowing nothing but clover. He replied that it had been found that clover would grow on the land much better th in rye grass, and he was going to sow what it would grow. Mr May, however, strongly advised him to put in a few pounds of rye srrass to the acre, and he did so. They found it did well, and some of the paddocks sown then remain untouched ai the present time, and when not covered "ith thistles, had an excellent solo o; gra^s daughter). If laud was in good order, he would pive it plenty of seed that it may produce a plentiful picture at once, but if in t,ad condition he would he more sparing with thp seed, because only very little would grow, and it would he n wa-<te of seed to give a hew v seedin r He did not believe that the light fe n land in that district, no matter howmu." working it had, would, when new, gr">c rvo grass, no." until it h d hid i surfe of clover. He rem mhe-ed t^e padlo•averred to by r Run Hunan, bat it w-> nnnpar tively heavy hn<l, a>»d hai ' crop of potatoes iv it prev'ons v. IT •relieved th it Mr Oawkwell had been 'n h h bit of sowincr aT much as 3>» lb-t of rr to the a^re after potatoes, but th was in order to get a crood gra s pad lock imme liately, because the land in tht course of a couple of yeara was wante> ' again for potatoes. Mr Hark *aid that his opinion was. that the best time tosowgrassin the s was in the last week in August, or the first wpek in September ; and in autumn, in the list week in February, or the first week in March. In virgin soil?, 71bs. of rye grass to the acre was as good as 20 lbs. If the land would grow it. 7iba. was ample ; if it would not then, it was less seed thrown away. He would be inclined to g-'ve a more liberal seeding to previ- I ously cultivated lands than t > those broken up for the first time. He found that the application of a little manure hid a marked effect both on the quantity and the quality of the grass. Mr Jolua Fisher remembered seeing the crop of ryegrass refeiTed to by Mr John Runciman. The same season he had put iv ryegaaas on new land, and it was certainly not for the want of rolling that it turned out a failure, because he had rolled it with a very heavy implement more than once. He was at one time an advocate for autumn sowing, but on account of the numberless insects which now infested the land, old and new, he thought the spring a better time. He would sow thickly to keep down the weeds. He did not believe in sowing grass on stubble lands. The Chairman &aid he did not intend to make many observations himself. Major Wilson had referred to two cocksfoot paddocks in the district, and he certainly thought more attention should be paid to this grass, which could be sown to advantage on some of the higher lands. He cordially agreed with Mr Walker regarding the necessity for carefully preparing the land. They should strive rather to put in a littlo grass and to do the work effectually than to put in a large .area anyhow. He was afraid that iv this partioular he would have to ask them to uo as he said aud not as lie did, because on a large place like his firm's quantity necessarily often took precedence of quality. Major Wilson baid ho was glad the discussion had taken the direction it had, and that members questioned each other aud not the csrviyiht. He found lie hsul only one or two things to reply to at all. lh might tviy, in ruimmeo to what luul ' fallen from Mr Vteher, that, some SJQ years

ago, in tho Wangwui district, his father had a crop of oats whioh yielded something like 60 bushota to the acre. After reaping, grass was harrowed in on the stubble, and it was still one of the best paddocks to be seen. On the motion of Mr Clark, seconded by Mr E. B. Walker, a unanimous vote of thanks was accorded the essayist for his very interesting and instructive essay. Mr Fisher, according to notioe, moved, " That all notices of motion given at any meeting may be endorsed by more than one member." He moved the suspension of rule 11 to enable him to move it. His object in wishing to make the alteration was that gentlemen were sometimes proposed for membership, and because the members who nominated them were unavoidably absent they were kept out. Captain Ruuclman and Mr Graham spoke in support. The Chairman and MrFantham strongly deprecated any such alteration of the rules until the annual meeting. If a member could not attend it had always been a rale of the Club that he could delegate his power* in writing to some other member, and thus the election of members would not be obstructed. Mr Fantham moved, and Mr W. L. Martyn seconded, as an amendment, " That the rule be not altered." On being put to the meeting tho amendment was carried by 7 to 4. The following nominations for membership were then made : — By Major Wilson, Mr John Sheehan ; by Mr Graham, Mr W. h.Graoe. Captain Runciman said he wan sorry to till them that the c -mraittee appointed to report on the Drainage Bill had not been tble as yeb t<> b ing up a report. Some of the members had not been able to giro their attention, and he wished to see tiro ames aided to tho committee. Tho Bill w is a very important one, bnt, as it regarded this district, it would hare to bo modified in several particulars. Ho would move that the names of Messrs J. P Campbell and J. A. Douglas, be added to the committee. This was carried. The Chairman asked permission of th« Club, for the Cattle Board to sit in the chambers, which was grafted. NE*V BIIOW GROUND Mr Battle de-ired to ask what steps the committee had taken for proenring a piece of suburban land suitable for a show ground. Hs urged the importance of at once proceeding wiih the matter. The Chaiimin naid negotiations had been made with a party to buy some land near the town belt, but owing to tho figure required they had fallen through. After some discussion as to the best position for a show ground, Captain Runciman gave notice to move. That the committee be empowered to communicate with Mr W. J. Taylor, with a. view to Setting a piece of land from that gentleman on ie Taupii i road. Mr J. P. Campbell gave notice that he would move at the next meeting : That an analysis of the soil in various parts of the district be obtained at the expense of tbc Club. This w.is a'l the busiuesss, and the Club then aojourne'i.

Unmanured. Highly manured. Anthoxantbum odoraturn 520 per cent. Alopecurus pratensis... 0*52 „ Avcna pubescens . . 3'5S „ „ flavescens ... 3*40 „ Fcstuca clatior ... o'ij „ „ o\ina 2i"67 „ Dactj'lis glomcrata ... o'9O „ C>nosurus cristacus ... i*rr „ Rriza media 6*40 „ Poa pratensis . . o*o9 „ o*7B 12-3"; absent. o'og io'4i absent. io - 4O