The Press. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1892. THE AGRICULTURAL CON-FERENCE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 8187, 1 June 1892, Page 4

The Press. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1892. THE AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE.

Without' doubt the recent Confer-, ence has been'the most important meetinz of the kind which has ever

been held iv this colony. It was most thoroughly representative. The ! owner of anany thousands of acres Was represented equally with the ' owner of as "many hundreds. The pastoralists and the arable farmers were also fully represented. One has only to scan over the subjects which camo up for consideration to see how wide-Was the scope of their inquiries, and how fully most of the questions were discussed. That a large amount of good must result from the Conference,which will act beneficially in the beat, interests of the country there can 1 - be little doubt. Pastoralists and farmers have a common interest which cannot be ignored with impunity, and yet it is very difficult to induce them to view the question in this li&ht. The success which has attended the Conference may be taken as the inaugural step towards a closer communion between those engaged in the most important pursuits of the colony. As a proof of this we are pleased to note, that a resolution was passed to the effect that similar gatherings should be held periodically, within- every three years. It was agreed' that" the next (Conference be held iv Wellington. , briefly -to the' Work> of the Conference, perhaps the moat important question of all thfese which came up for dieoussion was the establishment of a properly equipped expert agricultural department, for the reason that many of the questions which followed hinged on the establishment of B,uch a department, On the motion of Mr. Fitzrot, it was decided 9 that an address urging the establishment' of-such )a>' department should be signed by every Chamber of Commerce, Agricultural and Horticultural Society throughout the eoloaj? for the purpose of being presented to ■ Parliament. There can be. no doubt there is plenty of work for such a department, which would include the services of a veterinary surgeon and an entomologist. The colony is being overm by all kinds of insect and parasitic pests, which are runniug their course without let or hindrance. As pf oof of the value of expert knowledge, the case of the threatened destruction of the orange groves of California is *eifced, where the calamity was averted by the aid of the ladybird, which was fouqd in New Zealand and taken to California. In like- manner ib is reasonable to assume that the real and most efficient means of dealing with insect pests is by turning upon them their natural enemies, but of course this requires expert treatment. Again, the case of the hot fly is oue in point, and requires careful investigation. It is true that jwe have veterinary surgeons in the colony, and, as the Secretary for Agriculture (who was at the Conference) stated, the Government : had one in its employ. Ail that we can cay is that no Attempt appears to have been made to throw any reliable light on the question tip to the present time. It is important that this Should be done in order that I hor39 owners should be made aware how,, iax preventive or other .measures were likely to succeed in abating the nuisance. Again the casual appear- | aoca of diseases which did not appfear ! to be sufßcieatty'understood should be investigated; And suggestions made as to measures of relief. The Chairman stated that he lost fifty of bis best Jambs last season from causes other than lucgworm. Sbeepowners made several suggestions, bat it was quite clear that ,no one present quite understood the cause of the mortality, which was by: no means confined to the Chairman's farm.

Referring to the best means of advancing the dairy interest the Conference vetoed ths suggestion of bonuses for the encouragement of creameries and factories, on the ground that the principle of offering bonuses ia not a eound one. It was also contended that the industry is good enoughto work it&own way without any proppicgup. Thequeationof peripatetic dairy schools woa unanimously agreed

to, on ithe grouud that the people require instruction in the art of butter making. In answer to an inquiry, it was explained that the travelling dairies were worked as follows :—Any district requiring the services of the Government expert had only to apply to the department, guaranteeing a certaiu quantity of milk for, .say three days or any longer time. On this assurance being received, an exparb is sent with the plaut, which is set up in some local dairy, and where he manipulates the milk supplied, and explains the whole process. One North Island member gave it as his opinion that unless something was done to instruct the small bush settlers in the art of batter and cheese making, these settlements would collapse. Another benetit to be derived from these working exhibitions is that the lookers-on become so impressed with the superiority of the methods adopted that they are ultimately led to favour the factory system, and to go in for a factory of their own. If the Government can see their way to adopt this suggestion, it will in all probability lead to good results. With reference to the unsatisfactory method of' collecting the grain statistics— striking instances of which were given—it was unanimously agreed that all threshing machines should be licensed, and that the owners should be required to hand in returns of all grain threshed, such returns to be made on the 31st May and December. It was thought that by the adoption of this method a more accurate record of the grain grown in the colony might be obtained.

Some considerable difference of opinion prevailed in the Conference in reference to the motion to the effect that in view of the prevalence of toot and mouth disease in Great Britain the porta of New Zealand should be temporarily closed againaC that country while foot and mouth disease was present. As was pointed out, tho introduction of that foul disease would ruin the stock owners of the colony. An amendment was moved to tho effect " That stock be admitted under an efficient eystem of quarantine regulations," the speaker contending that with proper caro there was very little danger. That the virus of the disease will live throughout the voyage was proved by its introduction some years ago Into New South Wales. Happily it was discovered in time and thoroughly stamped out, ? Aβ our ports are to remain open, the provisions of the quarantine lew will have to be strictly enforced, ninety days fronafthe date of arrival. The grounds will also require complete fencing off. There are other points of importance, which space will not admit of being referred to, such as the proposed .tax on stallions, a manure Bill, irrigation, weeds, railway charges, and other matters.