MORE TRAINING

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 151, 23 December 1921, Page 4

MORE TRAINING

FUTURE F^ME^S AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT WORK Special prominence is given in the Agricultural Department's Report to, the work being done in agricultural instruction. The Minister (the Hon. W. Npswqrthy) states:—" I would specially endorse tjio remarks pf the Director-Gen-eral on the subject of the agricultural instruction service and praotical farmschopl co-wraps.. During tho year a clear understanding was reached, with my colleague, tho Minister of Education, defining the respective spheres of each of the two Departments' in the matter of agricultural education. In regard to thp question of experimental otatioha, my policy favours an extension of local subsidised farms of modorato size and welldofitiod scope, supervised by the Department, rather than the multiplication ol necessarily more expensive, full, depart: mental establishments.''

The Dirodor-Qenornl (Dr. 0. J. Rcakcs) states :--"The agricultural instruction sprvico initiated as part of the scheme of reorganisation of tho Department two or throe years ago -has continued to make progress, »nd; its value is' being more fully realised. With agricultural instruction for pupils Attending primary and secondary schools, and for' (students of colleges of university rank, the Deportmewifc of Agriculture is not directly concerned, this naturally coming into tho sphere of the Education Department; but to nil who havo competed their ordinary education, ohd are either proposing to make farjniug their livelihood or are already engaged on that enterprise, the Department must of necessity becomo tho trainipg and instructional' centre. In a cqnference hejd durinjj tho year betweon this Department und tho Education pepartment it was agreed that the practical training of pupils after they had left school, unci extension instruction to faripeis f\ycvo properly tho functions of the Agricultural Department! USE OF FARM-SCHOOLS. / '.' The training of ypnpg men tp become proficient formors can perhaps',be best earned out by means of jthe esltablislimepi of fairnvschopht where the practiqes of modern farming may be taught. Such institutioiis are clearly of great importance, and it is hoped to'make tfe present, experimental farms function _as permanent farm-schools so sqon as it is practical to 4» ?o-"•' This would prove of feat benefit. tow;ayds,tjhe d,eS'^opmerit of ew Zealand "agriculture, bu.t, »n i (iddition, mariy of the farmers of the country are^showing a y strong desire for instruction and 'technic— advice on agp'cultural matters. In' other words ' the necessity fthd demand fpr • agricultural exterisibn vyoi;k'' i*: v/i^espread^ and in sistaivt.'' It is hot : uhysulal to, hear jitaligrpents to. the effect that the great development of agricultural extensiori by meaiig of, skilledT agriculturftl instructors, or advisers which: is.' occurring' in Europe and America indicates trjat New Zealand is lagging behind in this respect. TheVcomparispn is, however, rather unfair, because," although our actual agricultural instruction service may be-wefk numerically, itistrnctiori anc| , extension are oy Jio means cpiifiped to' that' special brianch. Qne has only to consider the ejetensive instvuc'tiorial actiyities of the fiive-stock, Dairy and Horticulture. Divi-' sioris, and tljat of the 'Cljemistry 'and Biology Sections,' toj realise ' that the, Department' is fully seized' o,f the. importance of such'work. Doubtless, however, the great weakness in onr extension activities hitherto has been the fact' that specialisation in instruction in some particular phase—such as,! for instance; control of anijnal-^iae«3C> lierd-tosliipg, dairy technique, fruitgrowing; and tfe like-* hais oufeitripped lfistrnction in perhaps the more fuhdamcntall(ciivitics of,farming— namely, crop-prbyuction, crop-ntilisatrion, and farm rnanagemeiit generally: It is in qrder tp yemct|y this deficiency in the instructional work of the Depavtmep*' that: Weel the necessity for further strcngthenjng the agricultural ihstructiqn service^ wliich ho? remained under my supervision, with the valued assistance of: Mr- A- H. Cockayne and; Mr.. B. C. Aston. ,

SOUND PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE. "Development of agricultural instruction wpr.k through capable and efficient instructors, combining sound practical farming knowledge with good knowledge of scientific agriculture, musj, prove of greater practical value to primary producers than the operations' of experimental 'farms.'"' During the year-three instructors have been appointed t° the staff,' this representing an increase pf one, as there was one resignation and one retirement. *Itisto be hoped that the staff will be considerably further strengthened in the near future,' for at present the ' districts allocated to the respective instructors are far top large for them to be'able to cope adequately with .the many demands that are made on their services." ; FARM DAIRY INSTRUCTION. The report of the Dairy Division states:—"The importance °i a clean, sound, raw material for the production of milk-products has long been recog: nispd. 'It is, however, only after' spine. farm-dairy instruction has beep accomplished that the necessity' for such work is adequately appreciated.' 'Butter and cheese instructors have hitherto undertaken a little of this work.. In most instances, however, only those suppliers | delivering the most inferior, cream and j milk have been visited. In practically f all such cases the cause pf the trouble I has been found in insanitary milkingI machines. It \is recognised that' these machines afford a great saying in labpur, But a large percentage of users fail tci give them sufficient attention-! ." There are now some nineteen farmdairy instructors appointed by the Department, and these are employed in conjunction with, dairy companies whiqh cqntribute towards their salaries. Such officers on commencing duty found from 75 per cent, to 90 Per cent- of the • machines in their respective^districts in an insanitary condition, As instruction proceeded, these instructors later on in the [ season were able to report improvement, Which has also been maintained in dis- ! trices where they have beep working longer than one season". \ Tlie grading of the cream on the receiving-stagei. together with a low payment per pound of fat for lower grades, tends to make dairy-farmers desirous pf improvement. A visit.by, the iristructor to a farn* supplying cream assists the dairy-farmer to overcome his difficulty. -. . Farm-dairy instructors are provided with plan* of 1 suitable cow-sheds. ■ Th,®B9 P^"18 , *re much sought after, aad have been of much assistance to many dairy-farmers,, while the advice of the farm-dairy instructor regarding alterations tp sheds has also been of value in this connection. Doubtless, more new sheda xwaM have been built and more hnpfrmment effected had cement been procurable in adequate quantities. A number of oldtype sheds have been altered to suit machine milking. When a. dairy-farmer contemplates making such a change it is advisable that he should consult the farm-dairy instructor of the district, if there be such. The services of such officers should tend in future towards the more satisfactory installation of milkingmachines. . ... A very considerable extension of the farm-dairy instruction work is urgently neb'ded in the interests of the quality of our buvter and cheese.

With free market conditions and prices more likely to be falling thai) otherwise, good quality is of renewed impprtance. We believe' dairy companies can make few investments that are likely to be more profitable than money paid towards tne services of a farm-dairy instructor."