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Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1245, 22 June 1880, Page 2

The adjourned monthly meeting of the Club was held at the Club Uou&e, CamI bridge, yesterday afternoon. Present : Messrs. E. M.iclean (president in the chair), H. Buttle, G-. Clarke, Calender, J. Fishev, James ftunciman, Wheeler, W. L- Martyn, and F. Hicks. j The Chairman stated that at the last meeting only two or three attended, and they accordingly adjourned to that j day. ! The minutes of the previous meeting wore then read and confirmed. The following gentlemen, nominated for membership at the previous mo ting were balloted for and unanimously elected : — Messrs. E. Allen, jnr. (Pukekui\i), Wm. Tucker (Pnkerimu), Thomas iSTorris (Taotaoroa), A. iSwarbuuk, and E. M Edgcumbe. Ihe Secretary read a letter from the Christchurch Corn Exchange, a^ins? the ( !lub to co-oper.ite in getting a Bill passed in the Assembly to piohibit brewers fiom using sugar m the manufacture of beer and stout, with a view to protect the agricultural community by increasing the demand for barley. On the suggestion of the President, the letter was held over for consideration at next meeting.

Mr Hicks' Essay. Mr Hicks slid the ttoeretai y had misapprehended him when h^ advertised that the es^a) r would he on the subject of wheat culture. Pie had not had Mi^ioieut experience in growing wheat to cbal with buch a subject exh uibtively, and his paper would have a general refeience, treating cursoiily of wheal among other things. He then read as follows :—: — '• oiv, — I am of opinion that there is no subject of syreater importance to the settlers of the North Island than that of renewing laud that has been heavily stocked for a number of years. The arguments formerly used that cropping did not pay were no doubt perfectly true when their relation to the health ot stock had not to be coiwdeied, but a few ycais of constant heavy stocking ha* completely chanyed the aspor t of the question. Out young .stock — (sheep more especially — plainly show us that a change of system is ab&olutely needed, and cousequently gr.iin crops must be credited not only with direct proiits, but with cleansing the land and the v.ilue of straw both as> food and manure. On the use made of the latter hinges the whoL* sy item of farming in the old country. Experience had taught them to in ike their stock and crops balance each other in their effects upon the land, and consequently the (ondition of all three are maintained. This is beyond qne-tion the true secret of practical farming:, ami no country, in my opinion, can progress long without embracing the principle. The manner of giving ib eiieot depends, of cour.se, upon the nature of soil and climate, and in this i-e->pect we have many advantages not shared by the farmer in the old country, nor even by our neighbors further South. We have proved that turnips can ho fed off in any season, wet or dry, by both sheep and cattle, without poaching the laud, and that both fatten readily. It i--no small advautitre th.it our own land can be worked regardless of wet or dry seasons. Sirce sful fanning: depend-* in no small degree upon work being done within a given time. Experience alone can determine to what extent it will be necessary to resoit to the culture of white crops to counterbalance the effect of stocking, which no doubt will be inct eased by the system of turnip | feeding we have adopted. lam inclined to think that it will not be found desirable to keep our land under grass more than five years. Before breaking it up I would recommend a crop of hay being taken off, to clean the paddock, as well as for use, followed immediately by turnip, Sweede if before Christmas, than wheat, barley, or oats, as the case may be ; and the following autumn, be laid down with grass and turnip If the first crop of turnips is # an average one, by being fed off, the land will be strong enough for wheat, or any of the crops mentioned. A failure in the turnip crop probably means the same with that which follows. Manure therefore should be used in such quantities as will insure a good crop. I have no experience to guide me in saying whether winter or spring wheat will be most successful with us. But if turnip culture is found to be, as- 1 am sure it will be, the proper basis fnr whea% a portion of the land only under timiip, could be used for winter wheat, the part fed off in May and June. My experience in wheat growing in the district is that of last year only, which was not a success, except a few acres differently treated to the rest. Had all been treated the same I have every reason to think the result would have been the same. The difference of treatment being by simply ploughing the seed under the furrow in the one case, which was unfortunately the bulk of it, and sowing it on the furrow in the other. As a proof of what time will do for us in wheat growing, a*i old native track, from which the fern has entnely disappeared, produced double th r> quantity of who it, and a much Lvt lvl u simple th in the laud ■ on other side it. lam ol opinion that in j propaihu Wad, |uv fcithei' \vuu\voy tuaups '

ihe felrim- roller should be u-ed, which not only checks the growth of weeds but allows the laud to be more thoroughly worked, and also that the seed-drill should be used in both ca^os, ;ind more especially when manure is applied. There is nothing" moi\± important to a farmer than that all kinds of work fchould be done at the proper time and season, and wi^iout clashing with what follows. This principlo is at home thoroughly recognised, and acted upon as far as possible, and I think tho system of cropping I have mentioned can be carried oue with the same effect here. Its execution does not mean carrying less stock, but more, and keeping them much better. The production of grain means an increased supply of bacon of tho best quality more poultry and eggs, and probably a larger and much improved dairy, all of which have received too little attention at our hands. Nature has given us a country in which every form of agriculture to which we have been accustomed can be developed in the highest degree at comparatively small cost, but to give it effect in its most practical and profitable form we must comply with her design in its most essential ioatiire. That of such sized farms as will admit of the labor for the most part being done by the owners. The fruit will then be gathered by those to whom it naturally belongs, but which, under a system of hired labor, is seldom enjoyed. I believe this is a law that cannot be long escaped by any part of the world whose produce has to compete in the world's markets. I imagine the future farmer to keep his position in his profession will have to be able to analyse his soil and manures, be a botanist, something of a veterinary surgeon, a thoroughly skilled laborer, and will do a great part of the work on his farm. I can conceive no kind of life so independent and so enjoyable as fanning would be to a man so trained. [Owing to the lateness of the hour at which our report armed we are compelled to hold over till next issue the very interesting discussion which ensued upon the reading of the above essay.]