AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 16, 19 July 1905, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE.

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON'S SITTING. The first day's sitting of the Agricultural Conference was continued in the Museum Buildings yesterday afternoon, under the presidency of Mr. J. G. Wilbon. EXPERIMENTAL WORK, Mr. P. Pattullo (Otago) moved,— lhat the Conference take steps to ensure that more information be given to farmers by means of various experiments throughout the colony (1) by approaching the Department of Agriculture to establish better experimental stations throughout the country, and (2) by endeavouring to secure a system of experiments to be carried out by farmers themselves." The mover showed that New Zealand was very much behind Canada in the matter of experimenting upon land and testing the possibilities of different localities. Groups of farmers should also go in for experimenting. Mr. D. MTTarlane (Canterbury) suggested that the Government should, when cutting up lands for closer settlement, reserve small 1 areas "for "experimental stations, so as to enable settlers to take the fullest advantage of the land taken up in that, particular district. Experiments were of far greater value than lectures and theorising. Mr. Edwin Hall said the Auckland Society had been moving in the direction indicated for several years, but the trouble had been to get fanners to take up the matter. During a recent visit to Canada he found there were some 3000 experimental plots being worked there. The experiments were of great educational value to farmers. Mr. Grigg said that at present only three grasses (cocksfoot, ryegrass, and red clover) were grown on Canterbury , Plains, and experiments might prove that other grasses could also be successfully raised. Mr. Ritchie (Secretary of the Agricultural Department), said the motion contained very good suggestions, and the Minister of Lands favoured the idea of carrying on experiments, and would lend them the Department's assistance. The Department could arrange with the different societies about carrying on the experiments. Reserves have been set apart for experiments on two estates recently cut up by tlie Government. Mr. Overtoil (Canterbury) thought there should be no difficulty in getting farmers to devote plots of their land for experiments. The motion was carried. NITRIFYING BACTERIA. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Hall (Auckland),— "That the Department of Agriculture be requested to distribute small quantities of nitrifying bacteria- in different centres of the colony, with a view to ascertaining its action on our soils." The mover said that 12,000 American farmers recently carried out experiments with seed inoculated with the bacteria, with great results. Mr. Clifton (Chief Inspector of Stock) showed some vetches grown from inoculated and uninoeulated seed, there being a greatly increased crop from the inoculated seed. Mr. Kirk (Government Biologist) gave technical dotnils of the treatment of seeds by the bacteria, some of which had been received from America and experimented with, ' " ERGOT. A discussion of a technical nature, in •which the experts (Messrs. Gilrulh and Kirk) took part, followed the introduction of a 'remit from Hawkes TJay and Wairarapa lhat the Conference should give some attention to the question of ergot, its tipread, methods of eradication, and how its effect* can best be dealt with. Delegates said ergot was detrimental to stock. Mr. Kirk said he did not know a single grass free from ergot, and had found it even on the native toi-toi. Mr. Girruth answered a number of questions regarding the effect of ergot on fcheop and cattle.' No resolution was invited on this subject. MOXIOUS WEEDS. Last week the Farmers' Union devoted an" afternoon to ''a discussion upon the Government's laxity in lessening the evils of noxious weeds. Yesterday afternoon the Conference also spent some time on 'the subject. R-emits urging the Government to strictly enforce the Noxious Weeds Act were to hand from the Hawkes Bay, Canterbury, Blenheim, Wairarapa, and Franklin Associations. During tho discuraion it appeared that the riverbeds of Marlborough were overgrown with Canadian thistle, which also worried Southlanders. blackberries, overran Auckland, thousands of acres of native land in Taranoki were "hotbeds of noxious weeds,'." ragwort worried Rotorua aettlers, gorse and broom were spreading themselves over South Wairerapa, and the railway lines were breeding * beds for weeds. The Canterbury delegates thought they belonged to the cleaneßt province in tlie colony. It was resolved, — "That more stringent means be taken to onforoe the provisions of the Noxious Weeds Act, especially in unoccupied Crown or native lands.' . It -was also resolved,— "That steps be taken to investigate and experiment with the Canadinn thistle, to determine whether it is practicable to devise Home remedy to cope with it." The Conference adjourned from 5.45 o'clock to 8 p.m.