PLANT BREEDING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1208, 17 August 1911, Page 6

PLANT BREEDING.

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER. A deputation of Canterbury delegates attending the Agricultural Conference, together with Canterbury members of Parliament, waited on the Minister for Agriculture yesterday to'urge.that a Government grant should bo given for plantbreeding experiments at Lincoln College. The Hon. T. Mackenzie said he saw no reason wiiy the Government .should not work ■in unison with such an excellent institution as Lincoln College. As, however.'tho matter was a.new departure' in policy, he would have to lay it before Cabinet. The breeding and selection of seeds was most important, and was going to take the plow- in this century that stock-breeding did in the past century. The grassing of the country was one of tho greatest problems before them. In regard to Central Otago, it was an enormous problem. There was also the pumice country, the gum lands, and tho bushsickness country to be dealt .with. "As to the establishment of an experimental farm in tho South Island," ho continued, "wo are working up to a point, but not yet ready to go on with it. We require something beyond the ability in the service of the Government just now to widen out our experiments.'. There is;no use' in,using second-rate must have the very highest. Until that point is reached it would be premature to begin experimental farms in the south, but that experimental farms in the south will be established I am sure you ■ can take for granted." " He would place the present application before Cabinet.