LINCOLN COLLEGE FIELD DAY

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27491, 27 October 1954, Page 7

LINCOLN COLLEGE FIELD DAY

ABOUT 800 VISITORS ATTEND About 800 visitors yesterday went to Lincoln College for the first of this year’s two general field days. They come from all parts of Canterbury, and as usual, many were accompanied by their wives. The dry weather which is affecting most of New Zealand at present was showing in the general appearance of the farms, but the day was perfect for the event. The visitors were divided into three main groups. One inspected the heavy land pastures which are showing remarkably little effect after the dry weather, and another looked over the lighter land and the fat lamb flock. The third party was taken on a general tour of the college farms. Among other things all three parties saw a new silage harvesting machine in operation. As usual many of the visitors took the opportunity of discussing their individual problems with staff members.

In the afternoon a very large crowd went to the light land farm at Ashley Deane. In common with most light land farms in the province at present, conventional pastures at Ashley Deane are browning off and will need substantial rains soon to revive them.

There could not have been a better background for displaying the pasture mixtures containing lucerne which are now the principal features of the work on the farm. Everywhere these mixtures were showing up a healthy green against their rather drab surroundings, to emphasise the point made by members of the staff that lucerne must play a much more important part in Canterbury light land pastures. The second general neld day will be held on November 30. Besides the usual inspection of the college farms and the seasonal work being forward there will be demonstrations of much of the research work being carried out by the staff. In addition there will be a visit to the Crop Research Division, where a great deal of interest to farmers, is going on.