FARMERS' RESEARCH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1938, Page 10

FARMERS' RESEARCH.

RUAKURA STATE FARM.

TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Friday. The reason for the appointment of the new advisory committee for the Ruakura State Farm was stated to-day at the Committee's first meeting by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W, L. Lee Martin. -' • ; -• '■■■ ~"I intend the Ruakura Farm of Instruction to be a place where farmers may go and see the results of research work, talk with the investigators and see for themselves the bearing of the research on their own farm management problems," said the Minister.

"The establishment of Ruakura as an experimental station would be incomplete without direct representation from the farming community, and this is the reason why I have established this advisory committee," the Minister added. "It has important functions; I will look to its reports for guidance in developing research on lines that will be Of lasting value to Waikato farmers, and also for the dissemination among farmers of results of the experimental work."

| The members of the committee inspected the farm before the Minister arrived. The committee is as follows:— Mr. W. L. Ranstead, Dr. H. E. Annett, Mr. M. B. Iggulden, Mr. G. T. Crawley, Mr. H. J. Finlayson, Mr. R. H. McKenzie, Mr. E. F. J. Peacocke, Mr. P. W. Smallfield, Mr. W. T. Collins and Mr. T. E. Rodda.

In the course of the meeting three particular phases of research conducted on the farm were suggested by Mr. A. H. Cockayne, Director-General of Agriculture, who presided. He thought as large a herd as possible, free of mastitis, should be maintained, and he considered that Ruakura should be one of the centres where proven bulls should be kept under proper nutritive conditions,! so that their useful life as producers; could be extended. He also urged that a' small area of land should be made available for experiments with improved strains of flax.

In moving a resolution of thanks to the Minister for the inauguration of the committee, Mr. W. L. Ranstead said he felt sure that real value would result from the association of farmers' representatives with the Department.