THE WEEK

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25609, 25 September 1948, Page 5

THE WEEK

LINCOLN COLLEGE ANNUAL REPORT

The annual report for Canterbury Agricultural College to June 30, issued this week, *is an attractive brochure containing much valuable information on a wide range of subjects. In a short foreword the progress the college has made since its inception in 1873 is reviewed and emphasis is laid on the fact that the buildings erected more than 70 years ago have been unable to cope with present-day needs An extensive programme is now being, planned to provide permanent buildings. Of major interest is the review of the different uses of the college’s 1264-acre farm at Lincoln. Approximately 1000 acres .are devoted to farming with crops, pastures, and livestock, while about 150 acres are reserved for research activities, mainly carried out by the Wheat Research Institute and the agronomy and grasslands divisions.

In 1947-48 413 acres were sown down in crops and 496 acres in small seeds and pastures. The farm carried 1827 head of sheep, 112 cattle in the milking herd, 21 cattle in the beef herd, 26 fattening steers, 99 pigs, and 3150 head of poultry. Other sections of the report are devoted to short reviews by members of the college staff.

WEED CONTROL IN VICTORIA

Methods of control of weeds on farm lands in Victoria were investigated recently by Mr R. McGillivray, of the Canterbury Progress League, and former superintendent of the fields division of the Department of Agriculture in Christchurch, on a visit to Australia recently. A special inquiry had been made into the spread of weeds and methods of control by a development committee which recommended that one authority under the Lands and Survey. Department Should assume control of weeds and co-ordinate means of destruction. Funds should be provided for the acquisition of equipment for the elimination of noxious weeds and the authority should be given power to go on to neglected land to destroy weeds, all costs to be charged against the land. The committee also recommended that sprays and other materials should be bought and supplied to landowners at a nominal charge, but the work should be done under the supervision of the controlling authority. A fund should be created from which assistance could be given to landowners to meet the cost of clearing weeds from their properties.

Where noxious weeds had got out of control on unoccupied land it was recommended that the authority have power to go on to that land and clear the weeds. Mr McGillivray said. If the cost was not recoverable the authority would compulsorily acquire the land and sell or otherwise deal with it. Failure to sell the land would result in it being transferred to the Forest Commission to plant in trees. PERENNIAL WHEAT? Perennial wheat, the aim of research workers and wheatgrowers througnout the world, may be a reality within 20 years, according to scientists of the University of Saskatchewan, says the August issue of “N.Z. National Review.” The Saskatchewan research scientists say that they have had “some success” in experiments started in 1938, interrupted during the war, and resumed in 1945. Similar experiments were known to have started in Russia in 1928, but nothing is known of their progress. Professor L. H. Shebeski, who is in charge of the Saskatchewan experiments, says that plenty of time and a fair amount of luck are involved in crossing thousands of wheat and grass plants to obtain a bread wheat which will come up every spring without seeding. KERRY HILL RAMS

Two. Kerry Hill rams which arrived at Auckland on the Haparangi from the United Kingdom recently attracted considerable interest. The breed, which is found along the Welsh border, is a robust tyoe, larger than the general run of hill country sheep, and noted for hardiness. They attract attention by the brown markings on their »faces. In England Kerry Hill ewes are often crossed with Down rams, while on the other hand the rams are frequently used for crossing with Welsh mountain sheep.