THE FUNCTIONS OF A. AND P. ASSOCIATIONS.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7155, 17 September 1888, Page 6

THE FUNCTIONS OF A. AND P. ASSOCIATIONS.

[ Weekly Press.]

Most of our readers will have noticed a communication signed "D. Brown," which appeared in our issue of August 31st; and as there is seldom smoke without some fire, we propose to point out the errors into which the writer of the letter referred to has fallen. And to consider, also, how far his remarks are borne out by facts. Mr Brown complains that the greater portion of the income of the Canterbury Association is devoted to giving prizes for stock. He should not have forgotten dairy produce and New Zealand manufactures. The Committee is recommended to " follow the example of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and spend a sum of money each year for the direct encouragement of the farming industry, instead of giving everything to' sheep and cattle, "by offering substantial premiums for the best managed farms, and such like kindred subjects.'' We should have thought that the encouragement of stock-breeding was the first business of any agricultural and pastoral association —and we think the members of our Association may claim to having fulfilled their mission in this direction. As anyone must admit who has frequented our show yard during the existence of the Association for over 20 years, the progress which has been made, mainly through the stimulus given to breeding, and the healthy rivalry created in the show yard, and the great improvement in stock,has be en remarkable. Then again the Association has devoted large sums of money to the encouragement of exhibits of agricultural machinery, with the result that little remains to be desired in that direction.

Now it strikes us that such work bears directly on " the farming industry," more so than on any other, and yet the Associa. tion is said to be neglecting this very industry. When Mr Brown charges the Association with neglect inasmuch as it has not endeavoured to advance the interests of the farmers by offering prizes for the best kept farm, as the Royal Society in England, and coming nearer home, the National Agricultural Society ot Victoria are in the habit of doing, he seems not to be fully aware of the difference which exists in the c onstitution of these several Institution. The Royal Society of England is a wealthy body, and the National Society of Victoria receives a very substantial grant from the Government each year for the above mentioned purposes, whereas the Canterbury society does not receive a sixpence in aid of such work, and the same remark applies to every other agricultural society in New Zealand. We fancy that anyone who will take the trouble to investigate the Association's affairs will find that the Committee of Management have quite as much as they can manage at present to keep up the efficiency of their shows, without undertaking the more extended work as suggested. We find, however, on .enquiry that the Committee have had_ the matter otoffering prizes for farms under theirconsideration for some two years past, but owing to the pressure of other work involved in the removal to the New Show Grounds, and the heavy incidental expenses attendants thereon, the matter has been allowed to remain in abeyance.

At the same time.if some of the members of the Association who have time and leisure at their disposal would take the matter up and canvass for the required sum, the committee would notb<> slow to undertake the necessary work for carrying out the trials. The experience of most societies at the present time is that it is difficult enough to collect the annual subscription from members withoutmaking further demands upon their pockets. It is quite true that merchants and others who do not support this Association, might be asked to contribute a a. su—icent sum for prizes to De given for the encouragement of better systems of farming. Wa are at one with Mr Brown that money spent in this way would be well spent. In Victoria this plan is productive of much good. In that Colony complete reports are published descriptive of the prize farms, so that it is not only the successful competitor who deri.i:s the benefit but the whole of the agricultural community who choose to read the reports. Aud we hope that the day is not far distant when the Canterbury Association will find itself in a position to take up this branch of its work in earnest.

There are several branches which belong to a farmer's business which are by many entirely ignored, such for instance as the keeping of a complete system of farm accounts, the proper care of farm implements, and a dairy record. By the latter we mean that each cow should be numbered or named, and her milk should be periodically weighed with a view to ascertaining which animals were profitable or otherwise. We know of one farmer in Canterbury who can turn up his ledger and show from it. at a glance the position of his stock account, his labourers' account, or his grain account, rent, and interest, &c. Farming to this man is a business, and is carried on on business principles. But how few are those who coulu tell one anything about the working of each department of their farm. The general result of the year's operations is considered sufficiently near. How can a farm carried on under such a system (or rather want of system) succeed? There can be no doubt but that a system of prizes for the best farm as above indicated would produce the best results. .' . Mr Brown thinks that there is great " need of a weekly agricultural paper." We should have thought that that want was fully supplied already by the large amount of space devotad by ourselves and by our contemporary to agricultural matters. The Association's journal, in addition to ourselves, devotes a large amount of space to all the leading agricultural Many of the subjects referred to by Mr Brown have been already well ventilated in these columns, such as the dairy industry, diseases of stock, fruit farming, tbegrowth of flax,stock statistics,culture of English grasses, and many others., As regards the working of the Lincoln Agricultural College with the Association, that is a question open to debate, and there can belittle doubt but that the present system of carrying on that Institution will have to undergo a radical change ere long. We have also referred to this subject in this journal. In conclusion, if Mr Brown's remarks will stimulate the public to help the Association to secure funds for the purpose of offering prizes for well-kept farms, he will have rendered a service to the cause of advanced agriculture.