THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENTS REPORT.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11461, 20 December 1902, Page 6

THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENTS REPORT.

The tenth annual report of Uμ Agricultural Department, which hu just beea issued, is a •übstantial volume of over 500 pages, containing a great deal of information, which should prove useful to eettlers intweeted in agriculture, stock-raiehig, dairying, poultry fanning, and other induntries more or lent bound up with, the fanner's life. It i e a record of good work done by tihe Department, wkkh k extending ite operations and increasing its usefuine'ae. The reports of Mr Cameron, the New Zealand Produce Oommiseloner in London, iave been, to a large extent, anticipated by his mail advices regularly communicated to the press. What he has to'say on the subject of branding froeen meat, however, is of pment iotereajt. Ap. plications have been made to him by Boards of Guardians in London, who were aaiioue to fix ©ontraote fop the eupply of New Zealand meat for institutions under their control, for particulars as to how they were to distinguish. New*Zealaod mutton from River Plate and other eorte. Unfortunately Mr Cameron <wta unable to satisfy them on that point, for it has been reported to him on several occasions—although without sufficient proof to enable him to take action—that the practice exist* of placing New Zealand shirts and tags on River Plate sheep. He, therefore, considers the present system of identification totally inadequate for the purposes desired. If the Boards of Guardians could not be assured on the point no doubt others who wish to paironia* New Zealand meat are in the same position. A report published for the first time i* that of Mr C. J. Fulton, the hemp grader at Wellington, who is abb to state that the quality generally has improved,, although far-greater improvement might still be made under a system of practical instruction. With the increased interest ki poultry raising the annual teport of Mr D. D. Hyde, the poultry expert, becomes more useful, and the information that is given regarding the preparing of poultry for export ie worth attention. Mr J. A- Kinsella, the Dairy Commweioner, who is. essentially a practical man, hae provided as usual a large amount of valuable information concerning hie division, and this year lie includes in his own report the salient points in those reports of the graders and instructors. While he Iμ achieved a large amount of success in hie work Mr Kiawlk is far from being satisfied, and urge* th* importance of further improvement. To this end he contributes a> number of recommendation/! as to the lines on which dairy fanners ebould proceed, the principal being greater attention .to the quality and condition of the milk, the adoption of a uniform system of controlling temperatures, and also a proper ripening process for cream. Mr Kineella ako advocates the establishment of a dairy school or schools, to be run on similar lines to winter dairy schools in Canada, and he again urges the necessity for a dairy experimental station where a •oientific expert could devote his whole time to the work of investigation in both butter and cheese making, and to the preparation of pure culture* to be supp.kd to factories. Another very important report ie that of Mr J. A. GHrnth, chief Government veterinarian, whose division has bsen responsible for a large amount of useful work during the year, the despatch of the three

last contingents to South Africa having entailed additional duties on the etaff. After dealing -with meat and dairy inspection, and horses for military purposes, Mr Gilruth details the rcenlt of liie investigalions in connection with several disease* of sheep and cattle that were brought under 'hi» notice during the year. The information he is able to give should v t exceedingly interesting and useful to stock owtkts. The division of Biology and Horticulture under Mr T. W. Kifk has oleo dont useful work- In concluaios, we may add that the Secretary ■ for Agriculture, Mr J. 1). Ritchie, is to be on the excellent way in wtoyrh the report of the Department haa been got up and illustrated.