The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1890.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2754, 8 March 1890, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1890.

Equal and exact lusticu to all men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

The Wiiilcato farmers and the community generally owe a debt of' to thii Fanners Club for their action in arranging with Professor Thomas for the course of three lectures on Agricultural Science, which he has just delivered. The importance to farmers in having a knowledge of agricultural science cannot be overes imated. The subjects dealt with by the professor were of the first importance. In his opening lecture at Cambridge he treated on the subject of Plant Life and Plant Food, at Te Awamutu on Soils, and on Thursday evening at Hamilton on Fertilisers. Professor Thomas has certainly the faculty of imparting knowledge. In his lectures, whilst treating the various subjects in a masterly and scientific manner, he , nevertheless; made himself perfectly intelligent to every one of his audience, and aaturally enough he was listened to tvith rapt attention. Of one tiling, we are sure, everyone who heard him svas fully convinced, that it was folly for a man to follow the calling of a farmer without knowing the chemical properties, lacking in any particular s >il, which are essential for producing proper growth, or in other words what fertilisers should be applied to differentvarieties of soil to obtain the best results. In like manner, it is necessary for the farmer to kuo'v scientifically the kind of soil ' most suitable for any particular crop. Instruction even to a limited extent in agricultural science, by a continuance of lectures, such as those lately delivered by Professor Thomas would place much of this knowledge within the reach of every farmer desirous of acquiring it. To attempt to farm successfully in these days of keen competition without sqajr; knowledge is to grope in cha dark and a»trusting to luck. We trust the Wu.iMo Farmers Club ■ will QOt alipw tliis to

and that they will make some effort ? to secure the farther services of , Professor Thc|mns during the unti- , fVersity vacation, - and thus gain % ?add||iibnal infoi*niatiC»ii on this all ft • important question.' At the . conclusion of the last '<•] i meeting, the. President of the Club, Mr G. E. Clarlc, Expressed the hope that branches of the society would Im. started in the, other cen|res ,of in f Heartily endorse his bpinidh, 4 " are pleased to see that Mr PrimrosH, the chairman of the Waikato County Couucil, who pre- . isi'ded ;ab'the. has lost no time in taking action in . this direction, as a notice appears jin thisjssue. cQnvauingAimaefciQgiOl* ' those interested in the movement. . In the interests of the distribt . generally, we trust the farmers in fihe'T^Mvaffiuliu^ will not be behind hand in taking 7 the matter up. If such branches were started and were actuated byt 1 the same' liberal broad-minded-viows to which the president of the parent society gave expression on , Thursday evening, it would advanceagricultural interests; generally,' and would tend largely to- destroy that wretched spirit of localism which has so long retarded the progress of this fine district.,