THE WEEK

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27303, 20 March 1954, Page 5

THE WEEK

LINCOLN FARMERS’ CONFERENCE

A full day is to be devoted to discussions of footrot at this year’s Lincoln College Farmers’ Conference, which is to be held at the College on May 19, 20 and 21. Proceedings at the conference, on footrot and other subjects, will consist of papers by farmers and ’ scientists as a background for dis- 5 cussions of a less formal nature. The . footrot discussions will occupy the first day. Mr G. G. Thomson and Dr. * J. W. McLean of the College J veterinary staff will give papers on the anatomy of the sheep’s foot, and on the , present knowledge of the disease. ; They will be iollowed by Dr. J. F. .! Filmer of the Department of Agricul- ; ture, who was prominent in investigating the disease in Australia, and ( who for many years has insisted, sometimes to rather disbelieving audiences, that footrot can be cured, and has shown how it can be cured. Farmers will thep present papers, after which a demonstration of control of the disease will be given, before a general discussion. Footrot has been very much/ in the minds of farmers these last few years, so that the day ; should be well spent. On the second day Mr A. R. F. Adams of the College i staff, and Messrs H. M. Barton of Carew and H. M. Carr of Waikari, will give papers on- soil testing and trace elements, a subject in which there has beeen lively interest rel cently. In the afternoon farm shelter ; and farm forestry will l?e discussed by ■ Miss M. Sutherland of the Department ; of Agriculture, Mr W. H. Joliffe of the • Forest Service, and Mr- D. Deans of • Darfield. These subjects will be ; covered on the final day. Mr D. M, 5 Greig, Director-General of Lands, will speak on the development of marginal ’ land, and farmers who have had ex- ; perience of marginal land will speak c after him. Mr A. R. Dingwall, assisi tant fields superintendant of the Department of Agriculture at Christ- , church, will lead a discussion on weed r control on South Island hill country.

me comeience win ena wiin a cussion of weather forecasting as it affects the farmer, which will be introduced by a paper by Mr I. S. Kerr, of the meteorological branch of the Air Department, Wellington. 7 The discussion will be led by Mr D. Deans. Accommodation is still limited at the College, and it has been necessary once again to ask Federated Farmers to arrange to have visitors nominated up to the full capacity of the College. It has been necessary to ask that all who wish to attend should obtain tickets through Federated Farmers.

SHORT COURSE FOR REHAB. MEN

Answers to the personal invitations sent to Rehab, men to attend the short course at Lincoln College this year have been coming in very slowly, the college authorities report. The course was intended for men who took the intensive course at the college, but many who did not are interested, and have asked to be allowed to come to the college for this year’s short course. Tn view* of the slow response to the personal, invitations already sent out, and of the interest shown by other men, the college has decided that the priority to men who attended the college should be waived after May 1, to give others who want to a chance to attend.

GRASSGRUB CONTROL

Mr Melville Turton, Ashburton Forks, Writes:— : Some years ago Mr J. M. Kelsey and ; Mr J. M. Hoy set up the entomological ’ station of the Department of Scientific and' Industrial Research in Ashburton to investigate the problem of grass grub and porina moth. Although their main research has been in the Ashburton county they have also been investigating this* problem in other parts of the Dominion. \ I think it would be safe for me to say that‘■mainly through their individual efforts, and real individual efforts, these two officers have done more for the farming community than anything that has happened in* this century. Their efforts have meant a saving of millions of pounds to this Domin'ion as a whole, and have given the farming community some security. The most surprising thing is, seeing the main centre was Ashburton county—and we should be proud this research has been done mainly here—that the farmers of this county have been lacking in their appreciation of these two officers’ efforts. Departmental heads, too, always seem to me to be more inclined to accept the credit for the department rather than recognise the individual effort.

So,' wake up, Ashburton, and show your appreciation and join with me in thanking them and wishing Mr Hoy well in his transfer to Palmerston North. WOOL SALE DATES The following are the dates arranged for this season’s main New Zealand wool sales:— March 22.—Auckland. March 26.—Wanganui. March 31.-Napier. April 2.—Napier. April 7.—Wellington. April 24.—Christchurch. April 29. —Dunedin. May 3.—lnvercargill. May 14.—Auckland. May 19.—Napier. May 22.—Wanganui. May 26.—Wellington.