FARMERS' DAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1317, 21 December 1911, Page 8

FARMERS' DAY.

LINCOLN COLLEGE PIHZK-GIVINCI. -A Wellington visitor lo ■ Ihr .iniiunl ..liny", proceedings! in cwnn^ction with (ho nnze-givinp at Lincolji Agriciilltirnl College, which trok p.hi'.a on .Tuesday,- supplies the following particulars of t:hn gathering:— '-.'Some seventy fanners from SoutJi Canterbury, availed themselves- of l.lie . opportunity .of visiting the college, nud, altogether (hero wi-re mmiu- ■ 'J.M! t'nrnn-rs '•present.. •• On'arrival''the visitors were ' taken; round the college* end farm, and tho director mid his assistants advised groups of farmers ns to the treatment, -of. the- various crops. The inspection of the l live stock, particularly tho tino herd of Shorthorn ciittle elicited praise from nil quarters. ..The Southdown and Bolder Leicester sheep were also much tulmired. 'The visitors were greatly interested in the experiments carried out fpr plant selection and breeding, under the'superintendence of Dr. Hilgendorf. I)rv Hiteeiidarf has wisely 'cjiihned his atten- . lion to tho various cereals flint are. niost. favoured iu ■ Canterbury—varieties' jvhich have stood the test of use .for . .iiutny >. years. These it is that he is endeavour- '■ mi; to improve 'arid his efforts are •luting crowned with most, encouraging results. Thoso who visited the 'fields had brought home to them tho full value of selection. • They were forced 'to see that -in breeding plants as in breeding animals, tho same close attention is. required. Lincoln College, says our informant, is to be congi ululated on its advance in this -inixjortaiit. field of agri•culture. Alter the inspection' of tho farm, an adjournment was made for lunch.' The president, the Hon. K. C. Stevens, in a short address, outlined the work,, done, to' show how well Lincoln College \vas"maintaining its ' impetrtiml position inthe agricultural'world." The president was followed by Mr. TI. Knight, who has been connected with' the directorat!>_ of the college for many years. Mr. Knight remarked upon the' present status of . the college and th(> developments, ot the board contemplated. Tliev steadfastly maintained the position of being essentially an agricultural college at which young men might he equipped tor their enterprise on the land. The farmer and tho crazier alike -received instruction that'they might develop" the resources ot the land to its greatest capacity. Beyond this, there was aI=V the ; realisation that the instructor of agne.u turo was a factor in the land,'and the.college was determined'to supplv the Dominion with its own sons, trained, iii thut.luthorto almost untilled field—Hint ot (he • instructors of agriculture. On of "> e fnrmnrs -.present, - .'Mr. :»illicit expressed thank's. Messrs R' H Ivhodes and W. Xosworthy, M.P.s; also spoke,, and .:C!tlogi>c<!' the, work of tily director (Mr. Alexander). .After the director had replied on behalf ot" the staff and the, students, the' presentation ci prize? wns' pioceeded with,