AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19853, 14 February 1930, Page 11

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH.

Mf ßlSllO* o ' lßimS3 ' .. The thanks of the primary pro0f Canterbury should go to Mr r Maefarlane for initiating a step U fdia research work that promises £or T- „ much benefit to everyone in jj biwg executive as elected n Ze f wtil BOW work in the direc--1 of co-ordinating existing facilities and extending them in any fwhere it may seem likely for a » • "™p le cl ° d -- Wl '! I would much like to see the side of such research more sillied to the empiric or praci of those questions, agnculLn nastoral, in which I am Sly interested, and on which much **7Lrk has already been done and e -,. in the public through the medium ftS It C— Bulletins, my point. Top-dres«ng , i subject on which much intorma- '! *'■ been given lately, and we know I!!. B actual benefits that have already £ n Lined; yet there have been pitSlScovered in the practical apph- *■ „ that might have been avoided to th. «»aemi. .Ule Lamorc closely in touch with the -rfieal or applied side, and set forth, Pj_ a chamber of Commerce leaflet. 2L the case, not uncommon, of a -mi who applies his manure—right SUty and right time-gets great reJZ. puts on his ewes and lambs, a heavy death-rate among the S takes them off, weans and SLms their pasture, the death-rate Sishes slightly, then the feed gettiaTaway, he goes back again to the Zdrewed pasture and the death-rate lacresues again. Well, that aspect of tk§ aoestion has not been bulletined u leafleted with the rest of the infsmution, and the farmer fetls rather u* down, when really there is no reason to be as the practical precautionary adjures and antidote are quite simple u d should be supplied with the topirtmnZ information, together with, all MrticuUrs that are likely to be of to him in any direction where trouble is likely to arise. take a splendidly informative gftlntin' lately issued by the same dumber of Commerce on the subject minerals in stock feeds. When the autonlist absorbs the information j|o*iA and starts to apply the recommended lick, superphosphate and salt 1$ gad half, he discovers first of all, ider messing roilnd trying to ''ram in half kerosene tins," that he 111 better put this mixture out as it i. Bo into a receptacle covered from iteveather it goes, and after standing (ismonths in the paddr.ck he finds the dm won't go near it, and !f they Ud this 50-50 mixture would probably tat them of wanting to again. I think practical experimenters with u)t licks would condemn this mixture u befog, at least, inadvisable when comprehensive, better propoittgaed, and proved out valuable mixtures exist This is merely by the way, for tie kernel of the practical appli- , cation We is to get your- sheep to i gnH; nlain or nearly plain, and to f take it 'flfct of that place where the fu& nuxture is lo go later. This way f little trouble for it is. a certainty if. tTj'ey won't take salt (u is probable on sea coast land or topdreMfd pastures) Jheywpn't take mixlona.f - " £•• Do p&Sir, for a I am trf&g to discredit a very Valuable work undertaken by the Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Lincoln College and Canterbury College. I do not wish to appear even critical, for I understand the difficulties, but tbe joint I am trying to stress is the •rgent necessity for co-ordination boIma.the theoretieal and the practical •riaifcpb*& side of such research work vital the outline? ,for it are being .cast by"; tie executive now set up.—Yours, NOB*WEST. ftbruary 12th, 1030.