Lincoln field day mainly indoors

Press, 29 November 1976, Page 14

Lincoln field day mainly indoors

The field day which is held at Lincoln’ College at this time of the year is normally a completely outside affair, and often a shinsleeves occasion. On Thursday most of the day had to be spent indoors, as this photograph indicates. But there was no lack of interest an the part of farmers and others interested in agriculture. The extension officer at the college Mr D. H. Crabb, put the attendance at about 700. The principal of the college, Professor J. D. Stewart, said he supposed that the weather was responsible for the good attendance. No-one would be shearing or making hay, he said at the opening of the day. His comment that "presumably no-one would be drafting lambs” — a reference to the freezing industry stoppage — drew wry laughter.

It had been planned that the day would be spent on the college’s 155-hectares mixed cropping farm, farmers having a choice of visiting some 15 stands where staff and scientists from the

Department of Scientific and Industrial Research were to repeat throughout the day talks on a number of topics mainly related to cropping. But the weather forced a change in plans and the day began in one lecture theatre. However, as the visitors' overflowed into the aisles! and entrance ways a halt] ihad to be called and the programme was resumed in , two lecture theatres, the i talks being repeated for the benefit of both groups. The visiting farmers were . told that if the weather lifted they would be taken out on to the farm, where •I plots and trials had been specially prepared. For the final hour of the day, although the rain continued, a high proportion ventured : OUt. Professor Stewart said that the last year, when the property marie a taxable surplus of $18,226, had been a pretty favourable trading i period on the property. Yields had been good and; prices reasonable for white’ clover and wheat. The out-1 look was also quite favourable.

But. he added, they were still concerned at the onrush of costs, and particularly of machinery and other industrial inputs. The management of properties needed to be as high as possible to minimise the inflation of I costs. Consequently a good 'many of the matters that (they were looking ai at the field day were aimed at farmers making some progress in spite of these circumstances. or at least holding their ground. Attention was also focused during the day on the increasing insect problem on farm lands and the problem that this posed for lucerne — a crop that has been highly regarded in Canterbury under more typical dry conditions. Quite apart from the threat of bacterial unit and the blue green aphid to this crop, new evidence was produced to show that because of oestrogens in it ewes running on lucerne before mating, and also at mating, produced markedly fewer Jambs | than those on grass; and I also more were barren.