DEPARTMENTAL AGRICULTURAL ESPERIMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 140, 12 June 1908, Page 7

DEPARTMENTAL AGRICULTURAL ESPERIMENTS.

A PLEASING TRIBUTE.

Mr. J. M. Hattrick .F.H.A.S., one of the leading authorities in Australasia on the question of fertilisers, i s at present on a visit to Auckland, after completing a tour of Australia and! New Zealand. Chatting with a " Star " representative, Jir. Hattrick, gave vent to some very interesting impressions. Right through Australasia, says Mr. Hattrick, there has been a marevllous development in the desire for scientific treatment of a.gricultural and pastoral lands. Further than that, the farmer is showing initiative in 6tudying the problems on his own land, and attempting to cope with its requirements in a scientific way. Speaking of the value of manurial experiments. Mr. Hattrick expressed the opinion that New Zealand is anead of the Australian States in this respect, and considers that the Department of Agriculture in the Dominion covers a far wider Bcope than any other he ha 5 had the opportunity of studying. The Departmental experiments in New Zealand are being carried out on such a scale that in a year or two farmers will know what is the best manurial method to apply to their land in any part of the Dominion. There is need, however, to Mr. Hattrick's way of thinking, for the lessons learnt on the experimeut-il stations to be more •widely applied. He suggests that Departmental officers should conduct series of lectures in all parts of th c country, i thus bringing under the notice of the far- I mer the results which have been achieved, j and also stirring his interest in the need foiscientific study of conditions on his own land.