AGRICULTURAL CLASSES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 28 May 1915, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL CLASSES.

PRACTICAL PROOF OF THEIR X?-r'-. '■•■.-value.,-?•.,•..:•:■.'-.?.?■.

CFrom Our Ararata Correspondent.)

Some time ago I noticed a report in tlie Star that Mr J. Winks of this dis-: trict was carrying eight sheep per acre on pasture treated under Mr R. A. S. Browne's instructions. Hearing that a "number of farmers were inclined to treat it as a mis-statement, I thought I should pay a visit to the iarm and learn all particulars. Mr Winks was very pleased to give the particulars, and so satisfied is he that lie intends to follow Mr Browne's methods entirely. The pasture in question has an area of six acres, and was treated as an experiment in August last. Since then, for a period of nine months, it has been carrying fortyeight purebred Romney ewes. Although carrying so many the grass got Ahead and began seeding, and the sheep became so fat that th§y had?to he put in a "starvation" paddock for two weeks._ They are still on the piece, and it will be interesting to see if It will carry them throughout the whole year. Mr Winks will be pleased to show anyone the piece of pasture. Personally I can vouch for the truth of the statement, as can several ■others who have seen the sheep in the paddock; besides that; Mr Winks is _a jgentleman whose word' is his bond, /and that should be enough for anyone.' This experiment proves^ the excellence of Mr Browne's work in the Taranaki - district, and no farmer should be without his valuable advice. Jlt Winks sajrs that Yke will willingly Y&^Y^Wone full particulars'as to the _iaii_res tisea ; ~ cost, etc., provided the «nes seeking information become members of Mr Browne's classes, and thus lelp to carry on* his good work. This, 1 think, is only fair, because it takes st ( fair amount of money to .parry on the work, and the more members there ar© in the classes the better will that work be carried out. A member's fee is only £1, and any farmer can afford to pay that airount, and. besides, if the . knowledge gained is worth having, then it is worth paying for.

In conclusion, I may say that Mr Winks freely admits that when Mr Browne began *his class here he was very sceptical about it, and told Mr Browne so. He has, however, proved I for himself that the methods are inj the right direction, and, as I said before, tbey are the methods he intends to follow in future.