"The Good Earth"

New Zealand Listener, Volume 9, Issue 214, 30 July 1943, Page 9

"The Good Earth"

Farming Talks From 2YA HEN Mark Twain edited an agricultural paper, he described the guano as a bird, and said turnips grew on trees. Such ignorance does not exist in New Zealand, but if we questioned towndwellers about the facts of farming, one might get some astonishing answers. Most of us know in a vague way that there have been changes in farming. We have seen pictures of primitive ploughs drawn by oxen, and with our own eyes, ploughs drawn by engines. But not many of us, perhaps, realise how profound and far-reaching many of these changes have been. It was a tremendous step forward when primitive man ceased to be a wandering hunter, and began to cultivate grain and to domesticate animals. Lack of food led to whole migrations and over-running of more favoured territories. It was largely because European farmers could not feed their stock in winter that spices were in such demand. Animals were killed and salted down, and spices were used to make the meat palatable. The trade in spices was the foundation of empires. It helped to send the Portuguese, Dutch, French and British to the East, and Columbus to America. Then came the turnip, that humble and comic vegetable, to bring in a new era, for the turnip enabled stock to be fed in the winter, And so on and so on. This country 1s one of the overseas lands that profoundly affected the economy of the world in the 19th century by developing vast new sources of food, which could be carried to the crowded populations of Europe. There have been enormous improvements in the breeding of stock and plants, and the growing and harvesting of crops. And we may be sure there are many more wonderful things to come, To understand the present and see into the future, it is necessary to know something of the past. So, to give both farmers and city dwellers information on this subject, Station 2YA is including in its Wiriter ‘Course sessions a series of talks on the history of farming from the earliest times to the present day, The series will be called "The Good Earth." There will be two speakers — G,. H. Holford, of the Department of Agriculture, and A. P. O’Shea, Dominion Secretary of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. Both have exceptional knowledge of the ground to be covered. Mr. Holford is widely known as an authority on agriculture. He was one of the first New Zealand graduates in agriculture. He has been a student of the history of farming for many years, and has been connected with research in several lines. He attended the International Grasslands Conference in 1937. Mr, O’Shea is a Bachelor of Commerce, and worked on the land ‘for some years. Mr. Holford is to lead off at 2YA on Monday, August 2 (7.15 p.m. is the time for these sessions), with a talk that bears the sub-title "Ail Flesh is Grass." He will trace the history of grasses in farming. The following week, Mr. O’Shea will deal with "The Golden, Fleece." Among other things, he will tell us of the days when home-grown wool meant so much to England, when so many English churches were built out of Cotswold fleeces. After that, Mr. O’Shea will speak

on "Revolution on the Farm," the English revolution of the turnip, enclosures, better cultivation of the soil, and scientific stock breeding. Following this, Mr. Holford will deal with "Modern Progress," which will include a summary of the great events of the 19th century, when the overseas countries were developed and cheap food poured into Britain, and so much agricultural machinery was invented. Talk No, 5 will also be by Mr. Holford-"Saving the Land"-and will deal, among other things, with the great problem of erosion. Mr. O’Shea will wind up the series with "The Story of New Zealand Farming," which is a romance in itself, with interrogation marks looming in the future.