ON THE LAND HELPING THE FARMER WHAT THE STATE IS DOING

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 71, 25 March 1914, Page 11

ON THE LAND HELPING THE FARMER WHAT THE STATE IS DOING

LEGISLATION AND ADMINISTRATION. In his speech at the New Zealand Club luncheon, Earl Grey said that New Zealand, though it had done a great deal, was behind Canada and South Africa in assisting the farmer to make a better living out of the land. In an interview given to a Post representative Earl Grey stated what is being done by the State in Canada to help the farmer. What is the State doing for the farmer in New Zealand? It ought to do a lot, because our exports showe.l a total value for the year ended 3isfc March, 1913, of £23,043,589. The total value of agricultural products exported for the same year was £20,832,852;. dairy produce exported : butter, £2,056,--615; cheese, £1,859,179; total, cheese and butter, £3,915,794, Ifirst of all, but not in the order in which the privileges were extended to the industry, the State makes advances out of the public funds to enable those in need to develop their land and increase their production. These advances are loaned on the easiest terms possible. This has been an enormous benefit to the agricultural interests of the Dominion. BENEFICIAL LEGISLATION. Next, there have been placed on the Statute Book a number of measures that have been very influential in placing different branches of the agricultural industry in their present enviable position. For instance, some years ago a number of the flocks of this country were affected by Scab. The authorities determined to suppress scab. Drastic legislation was passed, and with the hearty co-operation of most of the up-to-date pastoralists, it was made a success. At the conference of chief inspectors of stock of Australasia, which was held in 1892, the New Zealand officers applied to have New Zealand declared free from scab, as no scab had been seen for two years. The representatives of the various Australian colonies agreed that if New Zealand would make a special inspection of the last two districts known to be infected, and still found them to be free from disease, they would recommend their respective Governments to remove the restrictions. A most searching investigation was made. No trace of scab was fpund. New Zealand was declared free from scab, and none has ever been seen from that day to this. It also placed, on the Statute Book the Dairy Industry Act, which has been largely instrumental in putting the dairy industry in its present enviable position. The orchards of the Dominion were in a most languishing condition, Few with capital cared to risk fruit-growing, as diseases were plentiful and there was no means of compelling the careless orchardist to control disease. The Orchard and Garden Diseases Act has changed all that. Ifc.has secured the hearty support of all up-to-daCe orchardists, arid, the result is that the oreliards to-day amount to about 38,000 acres, 10,000 acres of that area having been planted in the last five years. The Slaughtering and Inspection Act compelled the thorough inspection of all meat killed for consumption, either in New Zealand or for export. The meat for export receives special attention, every carcase being inspected by a member of the lioyal College of Veterinary Surgeons, of London, before being allowed to leave the killing^floor, and every carcase bears the aignaturfe o£ that-officer before it is exported", Further, every can of tinned meat also bears his signature; so that the pxtblic are well protected. NOXIOUS WEEDS ACT. Probably one of the , most important enactments was the Noxious "Weeds Act. This has been extremely beneficial in checking the spread of 'weeds in New Zealand. It compels owners to keep the specified weeds under control by cutting them so' as to prevent their flowering. It also compels them to keep the weeds clear off that portion of the road extending from their boundary to the centre of the ' road. Those who knew many farming districts years ago fully appreciate the benefit that the Noxious Weeds > Act has been to this country. It is true that there are some portions of New Zealand that are ao densely occupied by weeds, and the land is of such poor quality, that it really wiU not pay to clear them. These areas present considerable difficulties to those entrusted with the administration of the Act. Nevertheless, there can be no two opinions as to the general/advantages that have resulted from the enforcement of this statute. I INSTRUCTING THE FARMER. In the Live-stock and Meat Divisidn there is an efficient staff of instructors who examine live-stock on the farms. There is a staff of veterinary surgeons who attend free of cost to any extraordinary outbreak of disease ; and thiß combined staff is always at the service of the farmer to give advice on the treatment of stock. FIELDS AND EXPERIMENTAL FARMS DIVISION. This division controls the experimental farms. On these experimental farms a large amount of work is performed. For instance, they have a special milking herd, such as Holsteins, Ayrshires, etc., 'that are carefully tested in every possible way. The milking records are kept, and the progeny from these herds .ire sold to farmers at a reasonable price. The officers conduct experiments id connection with the manuring of pastures, in the commercial testing of agricultural seeds — that is to say, testing for feeding values, etc. They also take a certain number of cadets, who are regularly trained in the particular branch of farm work that they desire. These cadets are actually engaged in the farm work, and also receive a certain number of lectures and instruction In .all matters appertaining to farm management. Connected with those farms are experimental orchards, apiaries, etc. CO-OPERATIVE EXPERIMENTS IN FARM WORK. In recent years co-operative experiments in farm work have developed enormously, and during the present season about 500 farmers co-operated with the Department in testing crops, pastures, etc., the total number of plots (between 4000 and 5000) showing the tremendous interest that the farming community takes in this kind of work. There are also what are caJled field supervisors, whose duty it is to supervise this cooperative experimental work ami to give special advice in conneeti6ti with crop and pasture matters. DAIRY DIVISION In the Dairy Division there is a staff of instructors who regularly visit the butter factories, co-operative and proprietary, giving instruction where needed and assisting to elucidate any difficulties in manutacture which from time to time ciop up. All butter and cheese leaving the Dominion is graded into three grades A certificate is issued showing exactly the numbfr of points that have been secured. This Government grading system came piomptly into suuh favour that a large portion of the produce bought for expoj't is bought on contracts" made monthß

before the produce is manufactured, and these contracts are based on the Government grading certificate, on production of which the price agreed upon is paid. But all produce, whether bought or shipped on consignment, is subject to the same grading. The fact that the dairy produce exported last year was worth £3.915,794 demonstrates the enormous benefit that the systematic supervision of the manufacture and grading has conferred upon the industry. ORCHARDS. GARDENS, AND APIARIES. The Orchards, Gardens, and Apiaries Division has a staff of expert orchardists, horticulturalists, apiarists, etc. These officers are both instructors and inspectors, and they regularly visit the orchards and apiaries of the Dominion, giving instruction and at the same time performing their duties as inspectors, so keeping down diseases. They advise on the selection of land for orchards, the methods of preparation, the best varieties to plant in particular localities, pruning, spraying, production, grading, packing, etc. The apiaries inspectors discharge similar functions in their branch — that is, they. give full information as to the best and most up-to-date methods of honey production, packing, and export. Honey and fruit for export are both carefully graded by Government graders. The area in orchards is now 38,000 acres. Tile output of honey and wax from the apiaries of the Dominion last season exceeded £45.000. The benefit of systematic instruction by Government officers is shown by the fact that they have got rid of a large number of the unprofitable box-hives which formerly existed in this country, and from the smaller number of hives have doubled the value of the output. This division also gives advice on forestry matters connected with all private land. It ha* instructors in fruitpreserving, vegetable-preserving, winemaking, etc. No charge is made by the Government for any of these services, excepting that of meat inspection, which is conducted in connection with the large slaughtering companies, it being held that the general prosperity of the Dominion resulting from these public activities more than compensates the State for the money spent! In other words, it means that the increased production increases the taxable value of the land, and so indirectly benefits the Treasury' to a. , greater extent than the money spent in development. CO-OPERATIVE ORCHARDS/ The co-operative spirit is spreading largely in connection with orcharding. The Department agrees that if an orchardist known to be a capable fruit, grower will provide an acre of land, the Department will supply a collection of trees of varieties not previously tested in that district; it will pay for the fertilisers and do the pruning, the farmer undertaking to do the actual work of cultivation. These agreements are for seven years. ' The benefits aTe . so apparent that there are now betweeni 30 and 40' of these orchards in operation, and large numbers of additional applications ar& awaiting decisions for the coming season. This method has for its object th& following: — (l) 'To ascertain which Varieties show special, adaptability to the locality} (2) to demonstrate the most up-.to-date methods of pruning, manuring, and spraying. Next, thiß plan secures -the hearty co-operation and interest not only of ' the fruit-farmer himself, but also of all his neighbours. The industry is now assuming such proportions that several associations have decided in the near 'future to adopt the central pack-ing-shed system, so that they may be in a position to book orders for unlimited lines of any particular grade of fruit. APIARIES. Cadets aTe taken at the apiaries attached to the Government farms. T^hey must sign for at least one year. They pay nothing for their instruction, .but .board and lodge, themselves. This privi- j lege has been very largely availed of, particularly by young women, •vrho-rea-li&e that in bee-keeping they have a method of earning therr living both pleasant and profitable. Indeed, so popular have the New Zealand apiaries been that they have had cadets' both from England and Australia, in addition to those from th& Dominion itself, those from England realising that bee-keeping as a real commercial pursuit is much more advanced in New Zealand than in the Old Country. HEMP. All hemp produced in New Zealand is graded under the Export pTcducts Act, so that any person buying hemp may rely on obtaining the quality that he stipulates for. The hemp is all brought to certain Government gradiflg-sheds at the ports of shipment, and there experts are employed to draw sample hanks from the bales, and the points, are allotted oil the hanks so selected. PointF, of course, are also allowed, as in all otaer branches of produce, for the general get-up of the bales.